I am Hannah Mountain. After hitting my rock bottom I found Refuge Recovery. I am a recovering alcoholic and am also in recovery from anorexia and bulimia. When I was court ordered to go to meetings I tried the traditional 12 step meetings and couldn’t relate to the other people there or the higher power step. […]
I’m sitting in a randomly hip Portland coffee shop trying to not continue procrastinating writing this article, sipping on coconut milk matcha latte, and the lyrics of the song playing overhead sing : “I love music… funky funky music…. It’s the universal language… spoken by every woman, man and child…” […]
When I got sober almost four years ago, the challenges were pretty basic. How do I stay sober another hour? How do I deal with panic attacks and depression without self-medicating? After a few weeks, the challenges of sobriety got a little more nuanced. If I can’t hang out with my drinking friends without wanting […]
My son and I had a weighty talk tonight about an important annual tradition. It takes a commitment to honesty and a specialized vocabulary to talk about this subject. “Do you want to watch the theatrical release or the extended version of The Lord of The Rings? Remember that the theatrical release is only 9 […]
Refuge Recovery Literature Committee The decision to recover from addiction—to substances, habits, people, whatever—can be terrifying. The feeling is often one of loss, of isolation and deprivation. One of the first and greatest challenges many of us faced was finding a safe and stable place where we could begin to heal: a refuge, in other […]
I got sober in a Hazelden facility, and they were pretty heavy into AA. You had to show that you went to meetings. I got in trouble because I wouldn’t go. I was fine with the first three steps. Yeah, I think I’ve proven I’m powerless over alcohol! And obviously I need a power greater than […]
We started Nebraska Refuge Recovery in Lincoln in March 2018 and the Omaha meeting in July 2018 and currently have 2 meetings per week, Monday and Wednesday. Fellowship is fostered outside of the meetings by being in constant communication with one another. We regularly attend social events such as concerts and movies together, we eat […]
May I be filled with compassion. At least once a week, I meditate upon this phrase, with myself as the one I am offering compassion to. Blah! That’s almost as bad as this one: I offer myself forgiveness. Double blah! I’ve been working with these phrases for over three years now, and while I have […]
by Tyler Lewke | September 2018 Author’s preface: In the aftermath of months of discord within our larger Refuge Recovery community and my local sangha, I have had the opportunity again and again to observe my own behavior and check in on how my practice is really doing under pressure. It’s been ugly and beautiful. […]