Buddhism is not a single path—it is a vast, evolving tapestry of teachings and practices, woven across centuries and continents. From the quiet simplicity of Zen to the vibrant rituals of Tibetan Vajrayana, Buddhism speaks to the human longing for clarity, compassion, and liberation.

Here at Seeds of Sattva, I share Buddhism as it has been a part of my own recovery journey—a gentle teacher and a mirror for my mind.

Buddhism

Recovery Dharma

A cornerstone of my healing has been Recovery Dharma, a community that uses Buddhist principles to support recovery from addiction. In Recovery Dharma, we see that addiction—like all suffering—has causes and conditions. Through meditation, wise friendship, and ethical living, we find freedom and belonging beyond the cycles of craving and compulsion.

Recovery Dharma has taught me that Buddhism is not just philosophy—it is a practice of showing up for my mind, my heart, and my life.

Recovery Dharma has been a key part of rebuilding trust with myself. Its emphasis on mindfulness, community, and ethical living has helped me to rewrite my relationship to craving—to see it not as an enemy, but as a call to deeper understanding and compassion.

Context : I spent six years in active addiction—turning to substances like crack-cocaine, amphetamines and more as a way to cope with pain I didn’t know how to face. My addiction wasn’t just about the substances—it was about a deep disconnection from my body and my truth.

In that time, I lost touch with the rhythms of life that once sustained me—falling into cycles of malnourishment, self-harm, and relationships that mirrored my inner chaos. Although if I truly reflect on the depth of my relationship to craving, I believe addictive tendencies have been present for as long as I can remember.

Four Noble Truths

  • Life contains suffering.

  • Suffering has causes (craving, aversion, confusion).

  • There is an end to suffering.

  • The Eightfold Path is the way to that end.

Eight Fold Path

  • Seeing life as it truly is—understanding that suffering and joy are both woven into the human experience, and recognizing the impermanence and interconnectedness of all things.

  • Cultivating a heart of compassion and kindness. This means committing to live with honesty and integrity, and to let go of harmful thoughts that divide us from ourselves and others.

  • Using words that heal rather than harm—speaking truthfully, gently, and in ways that nourish understanding and connection.

  • Living ethically by choosing actions that do no harm. This includes how we care for ourselves, for others, and for the earth—moving through life with a sense of responsibility and stewardship.

  • Earning a living in a way that reflects your values. Choosing work that supports well-being and does not contribute to harm—whether to people, communities, or the natural world.

  • Turning your energy towards what uplifts and heals. This is the practice of nurturing states of mind that bring peace—like compassion, patience, and curiosity—while gently releasing what clouds the heart.

  • Cultivating present-moment awareness—meeting each experience, each breath, with a spirit of open curiosity and tender care. It’s about seeing clearly, without getting lost in stories of the past or future.

  • Developing the steadiness of mind that allows you to truly see and feel. Through meditation and focused attention, Right Concentration invites us into the stillness that holds everything—where healing can begin to take root.

Practices of the Heart

  • Karuna is the practice of opening the heart to the suffering of others and ourselves. It is a softening—a willingness to be moved by the pain of the world, not from pity, but from an understanding that we are all in this together. Karuna calls us to act, to support, and to offer our presence as balm for what hurts.

  • Mudita is the delight in the joy of others—the ability to celebrate someone else’s good fortune as if it were your own. It asks us to let go of envy and comparison, and to remember that another’s happiness does not diminish our own. It is a practice of abundance—seeing the beauty in the shared flourishing of life.

  • Metta is the practice of extending unconditional friendliness to all beings, including ourselves. It is a soft, spacious wish: “May you be happy. May you be safe. May you be at ease.” Metta dissolves the walls of the heart, teaching us to meet each person—stranger or beloved—with tenderness.

  • Upekkha is the calm balance that comes from trusting the unfolding of life. It is not indifference, but a steady presence—a deep knowing that everything rises and falls in its own time. Upekkha invites us to meet the joys and sorrows of life with poise and an open heart.

  • Dana is the practice of giving freely, without expectation. It is the willingness to share what we have—our time, our care, our resources—in service of others’ well-being. Dana reminds us that we are all nourished by the flow of giving and receiving, and that generosity is the first step on the path of freedom.

  • Forgiveness is the practice of release—the willingness to let go of resentment and the stories that keep the heart closed. It asks us to see the shared human capacity for harm and to choose compassion over bitterness. In Buddhism, forgiveness is a gateway to freedom—freeing the heart from the weight of the past.

Closing Reflection

Buddhism is not a single river—it is a vast delta, branching across cultures, centuries, and inner landscapes. From the minimalist austerity of Theravāda, to the expansive compassion of Mahāyāna, to the intricate rituals of Vajrayāna, each lineage holds its own profound flavor of truth.

In some places, the dharma is spoken in whispers. In others, it is sung, painted in sand, or carried in the stillness of long retreat. In temples and monasteries, in modern sanghas and digital circles, the teachings live on—not frozen in doctrine, but reborn through practice.

The Buddhism shared here is a humble doorway—a simplified path lit by the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and the heart practices that have guided my own recovery. It is not meant to represent the full depth of the Buddhist tradition, nor can it contain the spiritual complexity held by the many elders, teachers, and cultures who have stewarded this wisdom for over 2,500 years.

Instead, what I offer here is an invitation:
To walk slowly.
To sit with what is hard.
To tend the flame of compassion.
To listen—again and again—to the teachings of your own heart, supported by the guidance of those who have walked before.

May we honor all Buddhist lineages with reverence, curiosity, and accountability.
May our practice serve the healing of not only ourselves, but all beings.

“May all beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering.”