WHAT IS HUNGRY GHOSTS UNITED?
Hungry Ghosts United is a meditation-based addiction recovery society. We have developed a unique daily recovery practice to help each other end addiction. Meditation, study, self-examination, one-on-one work with others, and building community through group service are the basis of our daily practice.
In our meetings you will find others who have experienced the suffering of addiction and you will learn from our members how to build a new, addiction-free life.
All forms of addiction are welcome at all our groups. No matter what you are addicted to, no matter how mild or severe your addiction is, you are welcome and will find help in every Hungry Ghosts United group.
DO I HAVE TO HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH MEDITATION TO ATTEND?
No. Whether you have never meditated before or have been meditating and studying meditation for decades you are welcome. We meditate in every Hungry Ghosts United meeting. The meditation practices we have developed for use in our meetings and retreats are designed specifically for addiction. We practice meditation and mindfulness in every meeting. We support each other in learning the Hungry Ghosts United meditation practices. Each group offers a variety of Hungry Ghosts United meditations and mindfulness practices.
Does Hungry Ghosts United offer recovery from addictions other than drugs and alcohol?
The founders of Hungry Ghosts United have been developing and using this practice in groups since 2014. Our recovery society is having success teaching people how to stop acting on addictions to substances like alcohol, drugs and food and on behavioral addictions to relationships, and technology including social media, pornography, gaming, shopping, and gambling.
We satisfy cravings in many ways. All are welcome to find recovery and a community in Hungry Ghosts United.We all commit to abstaining from alcohol and drugs and any identified process or behavioural addiction. As we gain time abstinent from substances and any other form of addictive craving that initially brought us into Hungry Ghosts, we find that we are willing and able to sustain abstinence from any form of addiction that is causing us suffering.
Does HUNGRY GHOSTS UNITED require complete abstinence from drugs and alcohol?
Hungry Ghosts United is an abstinence based program asking all of our members to practice abstinence from all mind-altering substances in order to promote mindfulness.
We are not a harm reduction program. We suggest that our members renounce all substances and identified process addictions. We start by renouncing all substances. Then we renounce any processes that we can identify as addictive. We commit to addressing all the ways craving is causing suffering in our lives as our ongoing recovery process.
HOW IS HUNGRY GHOSTS UNITED STRUCTURED?
Hungry Ghosts United Groups are mutual aid volunteer-led groups that hold Hungry Ghosts United meetings both in-person and online. We hold regular meetings and build groups while offering lifetime support and guidance in how to recover.
We are not a twelve step group. We are structured in the same way as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. Our groups adhere to the twelve traditions that have kept both AA and NA unified through decades of changing political and societal conditions.
Hungry Ghosts United World Services is a not for profit 501c3 service organization, that administers the HGU intellectual property, website and social media on behalf of all HGU groups. In addition, HGU services provides support to all HGU groups by providing literature and assistance with the creation of a volunteer service structure.
Questions? Please contact us at welcome@hungryghostsunited.com