Heart of Recovery Group

Meetings in-person at the Shambhala Center of Madison every Sunday from 7:00pm – 8:30pm

Open to all

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA“Sobriety is finding a new way of living that involves engagement where there was withdrawal; generosity where there was self-centeredness; community where there was isolation; joy where there was bitterness; trust where there was cynicism.”
– Kevin Griffin, One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps

The Heart of Recovery is a meditation and discussion group at the Shambhala Center of Madison with the purpose of bringing together the practice of meditation, the Shambhala and Buddhist teachings, and the 12 Steps of recovery. We focus on sharing our experience while bringing together meditation practice with our individual paths of recovery from addiction.

The meeting is open to all, including:

  • Anyone interested in exploring the relationship of meditation to the recovery from addictive behaviors
  • Buddhist practitioners from any tradition
  • 12 Step practitioners from any program


We welcome all individuals who are committed to working with their addictive and compulsive behaviors. This group is open to anyone who is interested in exploring how the path of meditation and the path of recovery intersect.

Free meditation instruction is available at Heart of Recovery meetings.

No meditation experience is necessary, and brief meditation instruction is given at the start of each meeting. Newcomers will learn basic meditation techniques to enhance, not replace, their own recovery program. Experienced meditators will discover new ways to deepen their current practice while supporting the group.

Meeting format includes:

  • Sitting meditation instruction and practice
  • A topic offering in the form of a brief share or reading by the facilitator
  • Discussion and exploration by group members
  • Sharing our personal experience, strength, and hope


There is no charge for the meetings, but donations to the operating costs of the Shambhala Center of Madison are welcomed.

Heart of Recovery background

Heart of Recovery meetings are now established at Shambhala Centers in multiple North American cities.  The Heart of Recovery meetings welcome and bring together individuals touched by addiction.  This includes individuals recovering from substance and behavior-based addictions as well as those whose lives have been impacted by friends’ and family members’ addictions.

While many meeting discussions will reference the 12 Steps, it is not a 12 Step group meeting.  The Heart of Recovery meeting is intended to support individuals in recovery whether or not they are currently in a 12 step program of recovery.  Heart of Recovery is not intended, however, to replace 12 Step groups, inpatient or outpatient rehab programs, or any other model of recovery.  The common factor is that addiction has touched all of us in some way and we are looking for some way to understand what that means.

We recognize that the anonymity and confidentiality of all who attend are essential foundations of respect and dignity. These guidelines allows attendees to feel safe and confident that the group is a protected container.

Group Reading List:

  • One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps by Kevin Griffin
  • Ordinary Recovery: Mindfulness, Addiction and the Path of Lifelong Sobriety by William Alexander
  • The 12-Step Buddhist by Darren Littlejohn
    12 Steps of Buddha’s Path: Bill, Buddha, and We by Laura S.
  • Taking a Leap by Pema Chödrön
  • When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön
  • Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche