The last meeting of the recovery group will be on July 29, 2026.

A Farewell and Deep Bow of Gratitude

Dear Zen of Recovery Sangha, Zen Center of Denver Community, and Friends Near and Far,

With a full heart, I write this letter to say goodbye and thank you.

For the past seven years, it has been one of the greatest honors and privileges of my life to
facilitate the Zen of Recovery meetings. What began as a gathering to support those struggling
with drug and alcohol addiction gradually evolved into something much broader and deeper.
Together, we created a space where people could bring not only the challenges of substance
addiction, but also the suffering associated with eating disorders, caffeine addiction, pornography
addiction, grief, anxiety, depression, anger, divorce, suicide, and countless other forms of human
struggle. I am profoundly grateful to the Spiritual Directors of the Zen Center of Denver for
entrusting me with this opportunity. Their support made these meetings possible, and I offer my
deepest thanks for believing in the value of recovery as a spiritual path and for providing a home
where this community could flourish.

After much reflection, I have decided that it is time for me to step away from hosting the Zen of
Recovery meetings. An upcoming total knee replacement and other medical considerations have
certainly influenced this decision, but there is also a quieter knowing within me that the time has
come to move on to the next chapter of my life. This decision is bittersweet. I will miss our
weekly gatherings, our shared silence, our laughter, our tears, our tea, and the privilege of
witnessing people transform suffering into wisdom and compassion. The need for recovery
support remains abundantly apparent, and for that reason I leave with both sadness and hope.
For a while now most participants have not been members of the ZCD. Therefore, we have
decided to put our wednesday night group on hold and encourage participants to join one of the
other good groups in our area. Our last meeting will be on July 29.

Thank you for your trust, your friendship, your honesty, and your practice. Thank you for
allowing me to walk alongside you for these past seven years. I leave with immense gratitude for
all that we have shared.

May you continue to find strength in community, wisdom in practice, and peace amidst life’s
inevitable challenges.

With deep appreciation and a respectful bow,
Bill Wright, (太古誓-Ancient Vow)

Do No Harm
May all beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering.