Did your addiction begin as a way of escaping from life, the responsibilities of adulthood and the emotions you didn’t want to face? If so, you’re not alone. Life can be stressful and challenging at times, but using drugs and alcohol can only make things worse.
That’s why many addiction recovery specialists work with clients to help them practice mindfulness through meditation. It can help you learn how to embrace your thoughts, feelings and emotions and process them in a healthy way.
Using a series of relaxation techniques, students learn how to become more comfortable with their experiences – and themselves during sobriety.
Want to learn simple meditation strategies for beginners? Here are three tips to get started!
(1) Start small. Just like anything else, you can get better with practice. But, ease yourself into it. Set a goal to practice five minutes a day for the first few sessions. That way, you can avoid feeling overwhelmed and give up too quickly. Consider setting a timer on your watch or your phone to keep track of your progress.
(2) Get comfortable. Pick a spot in your home where you can sit comfortably on the floor – away from furniture and other belongings. If you have hardwood floors or tile, consider placing a yoga mat or towel on the floor to provide a little bit of cushion. Sit down in a pose where you feel relaxed. Be sure to sit up straight with your spine upright and close your eyes.
(3) Clear your mind and focus on your breath. One goal of meditation is to reduce the clutter in your mind and simply enjoy a quiet stillness. To help relax your mind, focus on the nature of your breath. The sound of breathing in and out. There is no need to control the speed or the depth. Simply try to concentrate on the repetition of your inhale and exhale.
Meditation is a great tool for recovery. It’s free, portable and provides a wealth of health benefits – supporting a strong mind and a healthy body.
Daily Readings, Reflection and Meditation
Morning meditation at 10 Acre Ranch begins with group members reading day-by-day books. After each client reads an entry, the group shares about how the reading applies to today’s treatment challenges. The overriding goal of group and individual meditation is to cultivate peace and achieve a state of calm that can be revisited during the darkest hours of addiction recovery. To learn more, call: (877) 228-4679.
