Meditation may have a long list of benefits
for people in recovery, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to begin or
stick with the proven practice. In fact, there are many fears and excuses that
can prevent people from fully incorporating regular meditation into their recovery
routine.
Here, we take a look at a few
excuses (or perhaps fears) and how to prevent them from interfering with the many ways meditation can help you stay focused, self-aware, spiritual, self-confident
and in better control of your sobriety.
- "I don’t have time." Meditation doesn’t require an hour or even 30 minutes. Experts say that even five minutes a day can have transformative effects; it can result in reduced stress and increased focus.
- "I'm afraid to be alone with my thoughts." In fact, meditation can help free you from any thoughts you’re trying to avoid, say experts. Author Jack Kornfield wrote in The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology: "Unhealthy thoughts can chain us to the past…Fear can be transformed into presence and excitement. Confusion can open up into interest. Uncertainty can become a gateway to surprise. And unworthiness can lead us to dignity.”
- "It’s too hard." It does take practice and discipline, but so does most things that will help improve yourself. A tip from Yoga Journal: Start slowly and just focus on counting your breath. For example: Deeply inhale and at the bottom of your exhalation, mentally count one. Repeat until you reach 10.
- "I can’t turn off my thoughts." Of course, you can’t stop your thoughts and that’s not the goal of meditation. Instead, meditation is about observing your thoughts and catching yourself so you can anchor yourself back to the present moment.
- "I can’t sit still." You practice staying still each night, as you prepare to drift off to sleep. With this in mind, experts suggest meditating lying down if you have trouble sitting still.
Finding Holistic Treatment
At Complete Harmony, we specialize
in different cutting-edge techniques to help patients recover from addiction,
including meditation, yoga, massage therapy and
acupuncture. To learn more about our programs and rehab facility, call
today: 866-930-4673.
