Mindfulness Meditation - from the Health and Healing Series at SupportNet.ca - Resources for Your Recovery

Recovery is learning to enjoy life - without the use of alcohol or drugs that alter mind or mood.

It is treatment for the condition of addiction - an approach to the challenges of life - and a path to personal growth.

Recovery requires us to learn - about the true nature of addiction.

It may be personalized - but it has its necessary Principles and its Ways.

The Principles of Recovery provide direction - to the choices that we face each day.

The Ways of Recovery provide us with tools - that help us to heal - and to enjoy life on life’s terms.

This Learning Seminar introduces you to Mindfulness Meditation -

What you need to know - How it works - and how it can help you to enjoy your life today.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness refers to my mind’s eye - just noticing the stuff that passes inside and around me.

It is a state of alert awareness - to what is happening right now.

Mindfulness is watching, listening and feeling - without always reacting or being pulled away by what is happening.

Mindfulness is simply the ability of our mind to see things as they truly are.

It may be thought of as a light shining from a lighthouse - helping us to see what might otherwise be hidden.

Mindfulness is vital to psychological health and to spiritual growth.

It is the opposite of neurosis - where things unconscious or outside of the mind’s eye - determine our actions and choices.

It is the opposite of addiction - where the person that I am is lost - in the compulsive business of satisfying the next urge.

Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness Meditation is nothing more - than practice in mindfulness.

It is about learning to sustain a relaxed state of observation - without being caught up or carried off - by the thoughts, feelings or images that pass through our mind.

Learning to stay calm - regardless of what comes to mind - is a powerful way of healing. It has been described simply - as learning to - not be afraid of who you are. *

SupportNet introduces several types of meditation - Mantra - Walking, Progressive Muscular Stretching and other types of Active Meditation.

Each of these are practice in mindfulness - resting your mind’s eye - on the sound of your mantra, on walking or another body movement.

These types of meditation are still the best ways to begin - if you are new to meditation - or if you struggle with an overly restless mind or body.

In Mindfulness - or Just Sitting Meditation - we simply let our mind’s eye rest on our breath - as it passes in and out through our nose.

We don’t force our concentration - but keep an open mind to whatever comes up.

As other thoughts, feelings and images arise within us - we just notice them and let them go - calmly returning our mind’s eye to rest on our breath.

Getting Started

The same principles apply as to all types of meditation.

Find some time to your self. Make sure that you have gone to the washroom. Maybe turn the ring down on your phone.

Wear loose and comfortable clothing. Sit in a straight chair with your back, neck and head relaxed - but sitting straight up.

Don’t slouch or cross your legs - Your muscles will become sore if you do so.

Don’t recline or lay down to meditate - You will just fall asleep.

Rest your arms to your side - or on your lap.

Take a breath in through your nose and deep to the bottom of your belly. Feel your belly rise out with your in-breath.

Let your breath go - and allow it to pass out through your nose on its own. An out breath requires no energy. Just let go and relax.

You will soon find yourself lost in a daydream - or planning what you are going to have for dinner tonight.

Just let go - and calmly return your mind to your breath. There is nothing more that you need to do.

Whatever happens during Meditation - don’t pressure your self. Few of us find it easy to settle our mind.

Don’t try to force your mind to your will. When you notice your self day dreaming - just let the fantasy go - and rest your attention back on your breath.

Feelings of frustration? Let these go too - and allow your body to relax.

How Does Mindfulness Help?

Each time that you notice - and let go - of the stuff on your mind - you are learning the practice of mindfulness meditation.

One step at a time, you learn about the wandering tendencies of your mind - about how to work with its restlessness - how to stay calm and centered in your activity right now.

You are learning to let go - one thought and one feeling at a time.

Students of Yoga and Buddhism consider the mind’s eye - our ability to observe - as most central to our person.

The other stuff - memories, thoughts, feelings, fantasies or whatever - may be important - but they are changeable and not always to the core of who we are.

These traditions understand poor mental health - as when we are not mindful of feelings or desires that influence our actions.

Western psychology has different words for the same condition.

Neurosis occurs when unconscious thoughts, feelings or desires influence our actions. Unconscious simply means that we are not mindful of these things - that they are hidden outside the usual scope of our mind’s eye.

The opposite condition also indicates poor mental health - when we overly identify, attach and lose our sense of self - in beliefs, feelings or desires granted more importance than their due.

In these conditions, we lose our self in things not truly core to who we are.

When we attach to the passing events of the day - we are pulled this way and that - with no center of stability.

Addiction is an extreme example of this condition. Our mind is narrowly focused on a single desire - and our self is lost in the compulsive business of satisfying the need to use.

Mindfulness Meditation teaches us about boundaries.

We see how our mind pulls us in all sorts of directions - to the past or the future - to shame, fear and worry.

We learn that it is possible to be not carried away by all this stuff - to stay grounded and real in our self right now.

Meditation exercises our ability to sustain a calm presence of mind - regardless of the thoughts, feelings or desires that pass within us.

Mindfulness is found helpful in the treatment of persons with addiction - those with stress related or psychosomatic conditions - and others who suffer with traumatic memories.

Mindfulness Meditation helps us to learn skills - useful skills in relaxation, attention, self awareness and observation.

It helps us to exercise the healthy abilities of our mind - and to find a place of stability and peace within our own self.

In Summary

Mindfulness Meditation is a powerful strategy of health, healing and recovery.

As we practice mindfulness - we learn to maintain a calm presence of mind - regardless of the pull from passing thoughts, feelings and desires.

Our mind settles - and we are better prepared to deal with what is happening in our lives right now.

You have now reached the end of Mindfulness Meditation.

Look for this and other Learning Seminars at www.SupportNet.ca - Resources for Your Recovery.

* C. Trungpa, 1984