ELSA Recovery

Recovery from addiction within a secular dharma framework

Next Meeting of ELSA Recovery

The next ELSA Recovery meeting is on Tuesday, February 11th, at 8 p.m. UK time. We will discuss how nurturing and sustaining the heart’s compass—one of the ‘four superpowers of recovery’—can help us recover from addiction..

 

Please get in touch with us through the Contact page for further information

Zoom Link

https://zoom.us/j/93853392504?pwd=RTU2YzdVbldpb0hmUkx6THlkUGhTZz09

 

Meeting ID: 938 5339 2504

password: elsa32

What is ELSA

This approach is adapted from Stephen Batchelor’s four-task model of ELSA.

 

In ELSA Recovery, we find it helpful to think of these four tasks as four goals:

 

  1. Goal 1 ≈ Embrace life
  2. Goal 2 ≈ Let craving and reactivity be and go
  3. Goal 3 ≈ See and savour the stopping of craving and reactivity
  4. Goal 4 ≈ Actualise the path of freedom

The Brahmaviharas

Central to the programme of recovery are the ‘Brahma Viharas’; four mental states or attitudes in Buddhism that are considered to be the Buddha’s primary teachings:

 

  1. Friendliness ≈ unbounded friendliness to ourselves and others.
  2. Compassion ≈ for the human experience for ourselves and others.
  3. Joy ≈ self-joy and enjoyment of others’ success and happiness.
  4. Equanimity ≈ being in balance with life as it is

About Us

ELSA Recovery is a community in which we explore the principles of Stephen Batchelor’s ELSA module as a framework through which we can recognise and develop skills and attitudes that can help us to recover from addiction.

 

Within a year-long programme, we aim to explore and cultivate the 32 skills and attitudes of ELSA, alongside other secular interpretations of traditional Buddhist teachings, to assist us in our addiction recovery and personal growth.

In Practice

We hold weekly Zoom meetings for people who are suffering from or in recovery from addiction and who are interested in exploring addiction recovery through a secular dharma lens.

 

We encourage participants to attend alongside their usual recovery meetings, and attendance at the meetings is entirely free.

 

Meeting ID: 938 5339 2504

Password: elsa32

" Freedom is not given to us by anyone; we have to cultivate it ourselves. It is a daily practice...." Thich Nhat Hanh