Buddhism And Addiction

When most people think of Zen Buddhism, they are not thinking of using it as a method of addiction recovery, yet amongst New Age circles there are some groups beginning to form, centering on Zen meditative techniques to lift addicts out of their addiction.

What is Zen Buddhism?

Zen Buddhism is said to be the purist form of Buddhist thinking, which was brought forward in the 6th Century BCE. Zen espouses finding meaning in a normally painful life through meditative techniques, which allow the person to peer deeper into existence. These techniques range from deep breathing awareness to thought focusing. Everything in Zen is about experiencing inner and outer harmony.

Using Zen in Addiction Recovery

Getting an addict to experience inner tranquility outside of the false euphoria brought upon by their drug use is a tall order, but more and more the meditative techniques found in Zen Buddhism has helped addicts learn how to find true inner joy and meaning even in the toughest of times. The ability to induce moments of inner escape and tranquility is an important tool that Zen Buddhism has given to many addicts. With faith and patience, Zen Buddhism is a great tool for the recovering addict.