Recovering Joy: A Mindful Life After Addiction

by Kevin Griffin

Addiction recovery requires a serious commitment, yet that doesn’t mean it has to be a bleak, never-ending struggle. "Recovering takes us through many difficult steps of discipline, humility, and self-realization," says Kevin Griffin ."In doing so, many of us forget that we are capable and deserving of basic happiness." With Recovering Joy , Kevin Griffin fills in what is often the missing piece in addiction recovery programs―how to regain our ability to live happier lives.

Recovering Joy offers a deeply insightful look at how we can cultivate positive mind states within the challenging context of addiction. Through reflections, self-inquiry, and mindfulness practices, Griffin reveals how we can better act in accordance with our core values, cultivate healthy and satisfying relationships, renew our sense of playfulness, and find the unexpected joys in the journey of recovery.

Genres: Buddhism, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2015

About the author

Kevin Griffin is the author of One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps, the breakthrough book that established him as a leader in the mindful recovery movement. Since its publication, Kevin has toured extensively, giving workshops and lectures at places as diverse as Harlem, the Colorado Rockies, and Hawaii. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, he teaches “Dharma and Recovery” at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. In addition, Kevin is co-founder and board member of the Buddhist Recovery Network (www.buddhistrecovery.org), an international organization that serves people in the recovery community through training, treatment, and research. He continues to offer workshops, lectures, and retreats around the country.

Reviews

[Bosco Farr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all Kevin's work there is some good and useful stuff in here

[Kevin English · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a kind of “Family Afterwards” for Buddhists in recovery. Like the “Family Afterwards”, it presents an array of ideas on how to interweave spiritual practices into our jobs, our hobbies, our relationships and our goals. But this broadness of topics is the weakness of the book. It lacks the laser focus that I found in A Burning Desire: Dharma God and the Path of Recovery. The scatterings of “practices” and “reflections” throughout the book are exhausting. As a reader I found myself skimming past these and just reading the content of each chapter.

All my nit-pickiness aside, I got some real value out of this book. The author is willing to be vulnerable and present his experience with both recovery, buddhism and life outside these two compartments in honest terms. He goes into more biographical detail and shows true humility in this self-examining. He does not talk down to the reader at any point and his writing style and anecdotes are a pleasure to read.

If you are looking to explore Kevin Griffin's work, I don’t suggest you start here but if you have already a few of his books and enjoyed them, this is a good addition.

[Ken Nickell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kevin Griffin has a history of skillfully identifying the intersection of 12 Step Recovery and Buddhism and hits it out of the park again with this book, his best yet.

[Tinasiragusa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for work. Loved it so much that I created a curriculum to teach it to groups. Perfect companion for those working towards a life worth living and healing.

[Yoda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't find this book to be artfully written, but this book is full of insight, information and opportunities to connect with one's recovery. I like how to author kept bringing it back to his own experience, and how the 12 steps connects to various Buddhist tradition. I learned a lot and I believe this book is useful to anyone looking to stay sober.

[Georgina Li · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting. read a for class.

[Rome Doherty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bah! Another padded out self help book. Useful information, but too longwinded and no real original insight.