Since we have had several "different" threads about enlightenment and such I would like to start an open discussion of Buddhism in general and how it parallels and differs from 12 step programs. I have been a student of the Buddhist philosophy must of my life but I have only begun to practice it recently. I have been working a recovery program for most of a year now due to my wife's alcoholism. I am in Al-Anon. As I have been working my recovery I have noticed strong similarities between it and what I understood about Buddhism. The more involved I became in Al-Anon the more I desired to practice Buddhism as it dove tailed with my recovery and both had the goal or reducing suffering, in particular my suffering. To start off the 1st 3 steps of the 12 step program have to do with admitting your powerlessness over another person's drinking and letting go of it, and as you dig deeper it gets into giving up the illusion of control. Since you have no control over other people, places and things all you do have control over is how you choose to react to what is happening around you and your attitudes. Letting go seems to be a very common theme between both program. I'll stop here and see if anyone is interested in continuing the discussion. :hat:
