Rev. Danny Fisher

This from the Board of the Buddhist Recovery Network (BRN):

The Buddhist Recovery Network (BRN)’s inaugural Conference provides an unprecedented opportunity to explore the use of Buddhist teachings and practices in healing the suffering caused by addictive behaviors.

The Conference provides a broad platform for a diverse range of perspectives to be heard, including presentations from experts in the fields of psychology, psychotherapy, Buddhism and neuroscience. At the time of writing 17 speakers have been engaged, listed below.

Attendees will come away from the experience with a broad understanding of how Buddhist approaches and practices can help inform and alleviate the suffering caused by addiction.

The relationship of these approaches to current research and practice in the broader recovery field will also be covered.

The Conference will be limited to a maximum of 120 attendees. This will ensure a relaxed, intimate environment with a high level of interaction between speakers and other participants, and ample opportunity for dialogue and questions. There will also be an opportunity to engage in meditative practices together.

The sponsor of the Conference, the BRN, is open to people of all backgrounds and is respectful of all recovery paths. The organization promotes mindfulness and meditation, and is grounded in Buddhist principles of non-harming, compassion and interdependence. It seeks to serve an international and diverse audience through teaching, training, treatment, research, publication, advocacy and community-building initiatives (further information is available on this website).

The BRN doesn’t seek to spread a dogma or system of recovery, but rather to act as a hub from which a mandala of skilful means, community support, research, and treatment might grow, bringing new visions of healing to the recovery community and a deeper understanding of ancient Buddhist wisdom to us all.

Because of the limit on the numbers we encourage you to reserve a place early to avoid disappointment.

We warmly invite you to become part of the inaugural Conference, and look forward to seeing you in October. Please contact paul@buddhistrecovery.org if you have any questions.

The Board of the Buddhist Recovery Network
(Ellen Berryman, Sheila Blackford JD, Dr Ann Bolger, Kevin Griffin, Noah Levine, Professor G. Alan Marlatt, Timothy O’Brien, Paul Saintilan)
May 2009

For more about the conference, visit the BRN’s website or download the conference brochure here.

This from Amnesty International:

Since President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the winner in the June 12 elections in Iran, there have been widespread protests against the contested election results. The Iranian authorities have responded with violence and repression. Reports indicate that large numbers of people were severely beaten by riot police and that several people have been fatally shot Furthermore, over 100 people are reported to have been arrested, including the brother of former President Mohammad Khatami. Amnesty International is concerned that those detained may be subjected to torture and ill-treatment. The Iranian authorities have attempted to stop the flow of information both among Iranians and from Iranians to those outside by blocking cell phone communication, text messaging and email. Amnesty International is also concerned that the protests, which have already drawn massive crowds in Tehran and other cities in Iran, may be met with increased levels of violence by Iranian authorities. AI calls for the authorities to exercise restraint in response to further demonstrations and to release all those who have been detained for peacefully expressing their opinions about the results of the election. It also calls for an end to restrictions on the right to freedom of expression and association, including the freedom to receive and impart information and ides.

Send a letter to His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei here.

Here’s what’s happening in Burma right now:

On Leadership, the Washington Post‘s forum “exploring vision and motivation,” asks the following question today:

Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson has now won his 10th NBA championship. Is Jackson the greatest-ever NBA coach? The best coach in professional sports? Does his unconventional use of spirituality provide a lesson for other leaders?

Jackson has been enormously influenced by Zen practice, and is known for integrating certain aspects of Eastern philosophy into his coaching style. Typical for a lot of writing about the NBA’s “Zen Master,” there’s very little of substance about the Japanese Buddhist tradition in these pieces. Still, it’s interesting to see how these writers understand (and sometimes misunderstand) Zen. Take a look here.

[Image via ESPN.]

“A backer of Mir Hossein Mousavi helps evacuate an injured riot-police officer during riots in Tehran on June 13, 2009.” Photo by Olivier Laban-Mattei for the Agence France-Presse.
Over at Shambhala Sun Space, Steve Silberman reflects on one image of compassion (above) amidst the chaos following the contested presidential election in Iran.

By aiding a man who was, temporarily, his “enemy,” the young Mousavi supporter in green sent a powerful message to the world: ultimately, we’re all on the same side. We can “vote” every day to create more suffering in the universe, or help relieve it, in whatever situations we find ourselves in.