In this compelling blend of East and West, which has sold fifty-three thousand copies, Mel Ash shows how Zen mind and practice connect to the heart of recovery. Courageously drawing from his lifetime of experience as an abused child, alcoholic, Zen student, and dharma teacher, Ash presents a practical synthesis of Alcoholics Anonymous's Twelve Steps and Zen's Eightfold Path. You don't have to be Buddhist to appreciate the healing power of The Zen of Recovery. The book makes Zen available to all seeking to improve the quality of their spiritual and everyday lives. It also includes practical instructions on how to meditate and put the book into action. Its message will help readers live more profoundly "one day at a time."
"The effectiveness of the Twelve Step program is well established, but its power is vastly enhanced when the systematic techniques of Eastern meditation are incorporated into the Eleventh Step. The Zen of Recovery represents a pioneering effort in addressing this important issue."
Shinzen Young, senior teacher, Vipassana Support Institute, Los Angeles
"This most exciting book brings together the wisdom of Zen with the spirituality of recovery. It speaks to the problems of life in an exciting, dynamic, and practical approach-a must-read."
Father Leo Booth, author of When God Becomes a Drug
