04 Dec How To Learn Meditation and Find Peace In Recovery
“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” Although the origin of this quote may be in question (most attribute it to Buddha), its’ wisdom is tough to deny. The idea is especially useful to those of us recovering from serious injury or illness. Unfortunately, this is largely because Western medicine has long neglected the importance of psychology and mindfulness in effective rehabilitation.
Many Western medical experts, however, are beginning to come around on this issue and, as a result, mindfulness meditation is becoming an increasingly important aspect of physical, mental, and emotional rehabilitation. Let’s examine a few strategies for learning meditation and how it can help you find peace in recovery for overcoming addiction.
It’s Really Pretty Simple
The healing effects of meditation do not lie in some complicated secret past down by the wisest of Eastern practitioners for thousands of years. While it is based in Buddhist philosophy, actively following Buddhism is not a prerequisite for practicing mindfulness meditation.
According to CancerForward.org, meditation is based in the pursuit of “present-moment awareness.” In other words, the power of meditation lies in consciously letting go of past regrets and worries for the future. It forces the mind and body to step fully into the present and find peace and relaxation in that moment.
Why It’s So Important To Recovery
In the months, and sometimes years, after sustaining a serious injury or being diagnosed with an unexpected illness, it is exceedingly difficult to remain present. It’s very natural to reminisce on past times of seemingly perfect health and happiness, as well as thinking forward to that moment when “it’ll all be alright again.” This tendency to reminisce on the past and look forward to the future can create intense feelings of depression and hopelessness in the present.
Setting aside a few minutes everyday to let go of the past and future, and step fully into the present, can help us find appreciation and respect for our current circumstances. It can also help us maintain hope that, no matter how difficult life may appear on the surface, there is always a silver lining, and always something to be grateful for.
Shedding Negative “Thought Trains”
Entering a drug rehabilitation center to recover from addiction can be difficult for so many individuals who are struggling because of how easy it can be to lock into destructive modes of thinking, such as, “I’ll never get back to where I was,” or “There are just too many obstacles in my path to recovery from addiction.” Meditation helps these addicts who are in need of substance abuse treatment to clear these negative thoughts and renew focus on the task at hand, which it to get better for themselves and for loved ones.
