This practice asks us, challenges us, to become comfortable with our own mind. Mindfulness lets us have some clarity and understanding of what's actually going on with our mind-body system and then allows us to have more choices. So mindfulness is kind of an intervention. Because if the definition of addiction includes the idea that you're not deciding anything—you are being dictated to by your addiction—then being able to intervene in that, to perform this sort of mindful intervention, gives us the chance to actually change the whole flow and direction of our lives.
Kevin Griffin
Guest Teacher
Kevin Griffin is a Buddhist teacher and author of several books, including One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps. A longtime Buddhist practitioner and 12 Step participant he is one of the founders of the Buddhist Recovery Network.