Meditation Tips for Sober Living

Overcoming addiction can be challenging, and it’s important to find ways to reduce stress and keep a clear mind. As you go through a 12 step recovery process, consider adding meditation to your daily routine. Meditation has been shown to improve physical, mental and emotional well-being, making it a valuable part of addiction recovery.

Benefits of Meditation

Meditation involves focusing your mind in order to center yourself, achieve a sense of inner peace, calm your brain, relieve anxiety or get in touch with your spiritual side. When you meditate on a regular basis, it can change the way your brain is wired. The parts of your brain that control memory, self-awareness and other important aspects of cognitive and mental function become more active, while the parts of your brain that are associated with stress and anxiety become less active. When you’re working toward overcoming addiction and adapting to sober living, meditation can lower your risk of relapse by relieving stress and helping you become calmer and more focused.

Tips on Meditation

If you don’t have any prior experience with meditation, use the following tips to help you get started:

• Set aside time for it. Make meditation part of your daily routine by dedicating a certain amount of time to it. Include it in your daily schedule so you won’t forget to do it or run into problems finding time for it while you’re in 12 step recovery. 
• Start out slowly. Meditation takes time to get used to, so don’t expect to sit quietly for 30 minutes or more at the beginning. Instead, focus on meditation for about ten minutes at a time, then gradually increase this time once you’re more comfortable with this practice. 
• Begin by breathing. Start off your meditation routine by taking slow, deep breaths. This helps you concentrate better and relaxes your muscles, so you won’t feel tense while trying to meditate.
• Choose one thing to focus on. Meditation is all about focusing all of your attention on one thing at a time and not letting anything else interfere. You can start by focusing on a certain saying or mantra, a candle flame or a vivid image in your mind. 
• Pick a quiet place. Meditate in an area where you will not be distracted or disturbed by others. 

Keep in mind that it could take a while to get used to meditation, but practicing it each day during addiction recovery can help you achieve your goal of sober living.