An Exciting Evolution:
From Fifth Precept Sangha to RAFT to Recovery!
Dear Friends, Members, and Community,
For 15 wonderful years, the Fifth Precept Sangha has served as a supportive space for individuals seeking recovery from addiction through the lens of Buddhist wisdom and practice. I am immensely grateful for the journey we have shared, the insights gained, and the community we have built together. Thank you all for your presence, practice, and contributions over the years.
Now, together with Dr Cathryn Jacob, and building upon that strong foundation while incorporating the valuable lessons learned, I’m thrilled to announce the next step in our evolution: the launch of the RAFT to Recovery programme!
What is RAFT?
RAFT stands for:
- Recognise (that life includes difficulty & understand our situation)
- Abandon (harmful cravings & compulsions)
- Freedom (to experience and personally verify the absence of craving)
- Train (our body & mind on the path to liberation)
This new framework provides a comprehensive, structured approach grounded in the Buddha’s core teachings – particularly the Four True Realities and the Noble Eightfold Path – while integrating valuable insights from modern neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy.
Why the Change? Evolution for the Better!
The RAFT to Recovery programme represents a natural evolution of the work we began with the Fifth Precept Sangha. It offers:
- A Clearer Structure: Organised around the Four Goals (R.A.F.T.), providing a progressive map for the recovery journey.
- A Richer Toolkit: Explicitly integrates key Buddhist psychological frameworks like the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Four Brahma Viharas (applied to self and others), the Four Intentions, Four Superpowers, Five Defenders, Seven Supports for Recovery, and the Eightfold Path.
- Enhanced Integration: Seamlessly weaves together ancient wisdom with contemporary scientific understanding, making the path even more accessible and relatable.
- Deepened Metaphor: Uses the powerful simile of building and navigating a raft across troubled waters to guide our practice.
Think of it like this: We built a sturdy raft together with the Fifth Precept Sangha. Now, with RAFT to Recovery, we’ve refined the design, added more effective sails, included advanced navigational tools, and created a detailed operating manual – all to make the journey to the safe shore of freedom even more skillful and sustainable.
What Remains:
The heart of our community and practice remains: the commitment to harmlessness, rooted in the Five Precepts as Gifts that we offer to others, the cultivation of mindfulness and compassion, and the supportive spirit of Sangha.
Join Us on the Next Stage of the Voyage!
We believe the RAFT to Recovery programme offers a powerful, practical, and deeply supportive path for anyone seeking freedom from addiction and compulsion. We are excited to embark on this new chapter with you.
To learn more about the RAFT programme, read the introductory chapter from the forthcoming workbook. The new RAFTrecovery.org website will be fully operational soon.
The first online meeting of our RAFT Recovery community will be on Tuesday, April 15th at 8 pm UK time. A second weekly meeting will be held on Sunday, April 20th at 6 pm UK time. Subsequent weekly meetings will be held on the same days and times. No registration is required. The meeting link is –
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4537777699?pwd=eFFWQ2JOSXlVNGlzTGJUYWtHR1IxZz09 (or you can connect manually with Zoom meeting ID 453 777 7699 and passcode 5ps)
Thank you again for being part of the Fifth Precept Sangha’s journey. We look forward to continuing to practice and grow together within the RAFT of Recovery!
With much Metta,
Vince Cullen and Cathryn Jacob
Link to Introduction to RAFT to Recovery
Link to The Buddha’s RAFT
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