Composed of a practice, process and tools, Refuge Recovery is one avenue for
healing addiction and the suffering caused by addiction. Its guiding philosophies are the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (the founder of Buddhism), who was a philosopher, radical psychologist and spiritual revolutionary in Ancient India. He devised a method to end addiction through a practice and process that includes meditation, wise actions, and compassion.
Refuge Recovery does not require that participants believe in a god or gods, instead it asks that participants trust the process and put in the hard work involved in recovery. Its systematic approach follows the traditional buddhist practices of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. It holds that the wisdom and compassion gained through the practice allows participants to become mindful of their mental processes, develop a deep understanding of the suffering their addiction has created, and allow them compassion for their own pain.