Breaking free from addiction -any addiction – requires more than simply laying off of your substance of choice. True recovery is a life-changing process that alters the way you think, act and live. It requires a willingness to surrender and becoming more focused … more attentive … and more motivated. Once you are free from addiction, you begin to experience life in a whole new wonderful way. But sometimes, all this change and new life can seem a bit overwhelming. It is during these times when you need to find ways to quiet your inner soul and let go of the negative feelings festering inside. Two good ways to accomplish this is to begin practicing meditation and prayer.
The Difference Between the Two
For many people, meditation and prayer seem like the same thing. In reality, those who practice both know how truly different each experience can be. Many people explain these differences by using prayer to “talk” to God; and meditation to “listen” to God. While this is a good place to start, it isn’t the entire story. If it helps you to say Higher power then do so.
Meditation is generally used to quiet the mind and spirit; let go of bad feelings; and refocus your mind on what’s important. Prayer, on the other hand is often used to reconnect with yourself and with God, while having an avenue for dumping your questions and feelings about yourself, your surroundings and your life. Prayer offers you someone to go to for guidance and peace, while meditation helps to sooth the soul and offer a sense of inner tranquility.
For many people combining these two distinct approaches can help calm a muddled mind and help restore a sense of calm when life gets chaotic. It is this attentive approach that helps addicts remain sober, even during the most difficult circumstances.
Tips for Effective Meditation & Prayer
Whether you want to start with meditation and then go straight into prayer mode, or you simply want to use one or the other approach to keep yourself more stable, here are a few tips that can help make the experience worthwhile:
- Find a quiet and calm place
- Make yourself comfortable
- Breathe deeply and deliberately
- Try and clear your mind of all the chaos (at least for a few minutes)
- Concentrate on a good thought or image to help focus your mind and spirit
- Remain quiet and calm for as long as you can
- Begin your prayer time with thanksgiving and gratitude
- When you are ready, begin to dump your feelings by concentrating on a single thought, question, or problem and begin talking it out with God (either silently or out loud)
- When you are finished, be sure to take a few minutes to sit calmly and quietly (listening). Don’t be surprised if you begin to feel a sense of calmness overtaking your body and mind.
- Remember, you can talk to God anytime or anywhere. While it is usually best to find a quiet place for your interaction, it can be done at any time if needed.
Recovery from addiction is a process that includes utilizes helps from a lot of different areas; including learning how to calm erratic feelings and focus on what really matters. Using prayer and meditation can help. To learn more about how to add prayerful meditation to your recovery regime, check out what www.my12stepstore.com has to offer.