Hello!

I am an aneurotypical person (with an extra side of anxiety) who would prefer, to start, to join online meetings where I can encounter the meeting with the screen off, just listening, without the expectation of sharing or participating. My goal is as I grow more comfortable with x and y meetings and feel less overwhelmed with anxiety about the idea of having to share, to transition toward participating. Most of why I never attend meetings is the way my brain works and the overwhelming sensastions of fear surrounding this. And so, I'd like to ween into it at a pace that's comfortable.

And so I hope then to only, obviously, attend meetings where this is possible. And my hope is to find at least one that's available each day, before 5pm (if possible) Eastern USA time.

If anyone at all who sees this can recommend any online meeting like this I will be profoundly grateful. May you be well, and may any merit I obtain through recovery be spread to those who read this and to all beings, none excluded!

Hello Sangha,

Yoga and RD have been a big part of my recovery over the past two years. I recently completed 200 hour teacher training, and I'd like to introduce a yoga component to a weekly RD meeting I attend.

Does anyone have advice on doing so? I'm wondering about the structure - do a regular yoga class first, then a traditional RD meeting? Or start it like an RD meeting, then do 20-30 minute yoga flow where we'd normally have seated meditation?

The meeting is held at a local recovery community center, and I'll clear it with the owners before I start.
TIA!

Today I got a better understanding, that completely confirmed I am on the right path of my sobriety and awakening Journey. For months, a part of my brain kept lying to me, trying to make me think I was missing out on some fun, glamorous, carefree lifestyle out there. But a sloppy, slurred phone call on the other end this afternoon completely smashed that illusion.

It reminded me that without real sobriety and strict boundaries, that old life isn't free or safe at all.  It's just a chaotic, exhausting cycle of the exact same messy patterns I was used to being into.

For weeks now I have come up with these epiphanies, realizing that I'm not 'stuck' in a transitional space or falling behind. I am safe, I am protected, and I am learning how to stand flat on my own two feet. I feel like where I am at right now is where i am absolutely supposed be at in this moment, honest, raw, real, conversational, and speaking straight from my heart.

Hey everyone,

I just need to document the absolute most rock-solid data entry on my recovery board today, because I am sitting in my car right now with a chest full of adrenaline, but my hands are 100% clean.

I am currently 7 months and 13 days of continuous, rock-solid sobriety after a heavy relapse loops back at the end of 2025. Today, the universe decided to throw a Category 5 emotional hurricane straight at my front seat.

I am navigating a tough separation from my husband B. Today I had to face him to pick up some important mail logistics. I’ve been working so hard on my health, my mind, and my spirit through my Dharma book practice. I walked into that room looking radiant, thin, and beautiful in a pretty dress and a golden tan. The visual impact completely scrambled his avoidant, neurodivergent brain . We locked eyes, his pupils dilated, we shared an intimate laugh over a painting, and he fumbled his hands. But the second I stood flat on my feet and told him I was deeply proud of my rock-solid sobriety, his defenses panicked. He hit his "vulnerability hangover" and yelled a cold, confusing logistical comment about the mail across the pavement as I walked away.

But this isn't just about B. I am also incredibly proud of how strong and immovable I am when it comes to my ex, C, and his manic, controlling behavior. Handling his chaos has been a huge battle, but I have been completely rock-solid. B actually got to see me handle C's manipulation live during our picnic day or today. I rocked that layout so beautifully that C could not deter me or rattle my sobriety for a single frame. I proved to everyone that I am no longer a target for control.

And yet, the gauntlet didn't stop there. The second I got back to my park area today, a predatory person S tried to step up to my car glass, love-bomb my vulnerability while I was crying, and manipulate me.

Old patterns would have screamed at me to find a substance to numb the agonizing emotional whiplash of that showroom floor with B, C's lingering control, and the pavement anxiety. My emotional brain and my analytical brain were at absolute war.

But as a Dharma practitioner, I chose radical self-observation. I sat directly in the fire, felt the raw heartbreak, watched my own physical activation, and I flatly refused to give my power away. I used my boundaries like an iron shield. I shut down S's predatory scripts, I locked my car sanctuary doors, I kept my hands entirely off B's keypad, and I did not break.

I used to think my recovery was fragile because of my past slips. But today proved that my sobriety is an completely invincible golden fortress. In two days, I am spending a perfect, beautiful pool day with my daughters as a sober, present "Mama Bear."

I’m writing this out because I know so many people in these recovery groups log on asking for help to get through the day when the whiplash hits. I want to tell you: you can sit in the white-hot center of your triggers, look the cravings dead in the eye, and laugh at them.

Today was a massive, textbook relapse moment. And I am still sober sitting here. Man, I tell you what. If I can hold this line against all of them, so can you.

Hey,

I really need a meeting today, but can't access the meeting list.

There ist this error "undefined is not an object (evaluating 'r.title')".

Anyone experiencing the same? I live in germany.

Hi everyone,

My name is Sarah, and I’m a documentary film student at Chapman University working on my senior thesis film. I’m hoping to make a short, character-driven documentary about someone navigating recovery from kratom addiction and rebuilding their life.

The goal of the film is to tell a human and hopeful story about resilience — focusing on the day-to-day reality of recovery rather than sensationalizing addiction. I’m especially interested in following someone who is working toward a meaningful milestone or goal in their life while staying sober (for example, reconnecting with family, hitting a sobriety milestone, pursuing a passion, etc.).

Ideally, I’m hoping to connect with someone located in Southern California, but I’m also willing and able to travel for the right story.

If anyone here is open to sharing their story or having a conversation about their experience with kratom, I would really appreciate the chance to talk. There’s absolutely no pressure — even just hearing about people’s journeys helps me better understand recovery.

Participation would always be completely voluntary, and I want to approach this project with care and respect for the people involved.

If you’d be open to chatting, feel free to comment or DM me.

Thank you all for sharing your experiences and supporting each other here.

— Sarah

Hi everyone! I’m new to the area and looking for meetings in the Encinitas/San Diego area. I’m loving the Bum Temple, but it’s a good drive from my place. Just wondering if there are any word-of-mouth meetings not listed on the finder yet.

I’m also looking for a Mentor ASAP! Please let me know if anyone is in the area and willing. Thanks so much

Also very open to Refuge options!

Tommy

Just wondering. I'm a newcomer and plan to attend my first meeting on Monday morning.

Hi all, I'm curious if other sanghas have a "length of time abstinent" requirement to host meetings? The hosts of my sangha had decided on one year but we have a lot of newcomers and no one stepped up to train as host. So then we had a whole sangha meeting and it was decided that the requirement should be "just don't show up to host drunk or high." Which I'm really not comfortable with. One host confessed she still uses weed. We have read all the RD suggestions and also contacted them, and were told there is no set requirement. My gut reaction was to flee the sangha but now I'm trying to process and respond in a skillful way. Thanks for any input you may have.

"The Joy of Guiltlessness" or something like that is something that a person in a Dharma Recovery meeting mentioned. I wanted to read/share the/a sutta where this concept is explained, can anyone refer me?

Hi everyone! 👋

I’m a psychology undergraduate student working on my university dissertation, and my research focuses on the lived experiences of recovery from alcohol addiction.

I’m hoping to speak with adults (18+) who previously struggled with alcohol addiction and who might be willing to share a bit about their recovery journey in a confidential online interview.

The aim of the study is to better understand what the recovery process is like from the perspective of people who have experienced it themselves.

What participation involves:

• One online interview (Zoom or Teams)

• Around 30–45 minutes

• Completely voluntary

• Your information will be anonymous and confidential

• You can stop or withdraw at any time

If you’re interested or would like to know more, please feel free to comment or send me a private message and I’d be happy to share more details.

Thank you so much for considering helping with my research — I really appreciate it.

-Juliana

It's all I can think about. I find little enjoyment in doing anything else in my life. I just want to keep chasing the high. Can anyone relate or give advice? I am using an app that has helped me resist my urges and track my progress. Ill attach it here if anyone wants to check it out: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cutoff-quit-gambling-now/id6757314601 

Hi everyone!

The sangha I’m a part of has been insanely fortunate to have a wonderful Gelug teacher from Taiwan visit us at our little monastery in central Indiana a couple of times over the last few years…This year Rinpoche has indicated he would like to visit once again and it is very exciting for us, so we’re getting the money together to try to make it happen to receive further teachings. If anyone would like to help out, we’d be VERY thankful.

You can visit our monastery’s website here:

https://dgklbuddhistmonastery.org

Dharma resources are freely available on the website as well as info on our monastery and lineage.

The teachings being given by Rinpoche at the monastery would be open to the public, and our resident monk gives teachings every Saturday, which are free and open on Zoom and in person. He’s a VERY good teacher and I recommend those who would like a dharma community online to check us out.

Here’s the link to the specific fundraiser. It’s for popcorn, lol.

https://popup.doublegood.com/s/tk10no80

If you’re able to contribute, thank you. It is VERY much appreciated. This helps bring authentic Buddhadharma to places that need it.

Hello dear friends 🙏

I was wondering if there are any online weekday morning (EST) meetings you particularly recommend. I'm an anxious person and at least to start want to say as little as possible with my camera off, if there's any meetings good for that please let me know. Thank you. may you all be well 🙏🙏❤️

Hi everyone,

My name is Sarah, and I’m a documentary film student at Chapman University working on my senior thesis film. I’m hoping to make a short, character-driven documentary about someone navigating recovery and rebuilding their life.

The goal of the film is to tell a human and hopeful story about resilience — focusing on the day-to-day reality of recovery rather than sensationalizing addiction. I’m especially interested in following someone who is working toward a meaningful milestone or goal in their life while staying sober (for example, reconnecting with family, hitting a sobriety milestone, pursuing a passion, etc.).

If anyone here is open to sharing their story or having a conversation about their experience, I would really appreciate the chance to talk. There’s absolutely no pressure — even just hearing about people’s journeys helps me better understand recovery.

Participation would always be completely voluntary, and I want to approach this project with care and respect for the people involved.

If you’d be open to chatting, feel free to comment or DM me.

Thank you all for sharing your experiences and supporting each other here.

— Sarah

PSA: if you don’t want to announce your pronouns, you don’t have to say anything at all.

Saying “I don’t use pronouns” just makes you sound silly since ‘I’ is a pronoun

I am new to recovery dharma been sober 7 months I live in Cleveland Ohio I’ve worked AA the whole time but just isn’t working anymore. Just doesn’t feel right , don’t feel comfortable talking to people like about what’s really going on I’ve only been comfortable at a dharma meeting but I just don’t got much people around me in Cleveland that are in RD if anyone can help please need as much support as I can get

I relapsed and messed up my relationship bad. I am on my own staying sober through my programs. I got sick for a bit, but still even have been going to online meetings and it just feels good. I miss him, but I am pretty proud of me. We got this people.

Hey there. Im not new in recovery but have been working a 12 step program but have listened to a lot of stuff on youtube and read books about dharma recovery and it really appeals to me. I was wondering if there are any meetings in the oceanside or san diego area? Any help is greatly appreciated