Room1

Does anyone practice this? Do you find it beneficial? I bought a book called mindfulness in plain English about 3 or 4 years ago but never read it, I just started the other day and it seems like something I would be interested in learning, having trouble concentrating to read at the moment though.

I was looking online and I saw you could take courses, my nearest is to far away but they do an online version for £40, is that reasonable or are they just after my money lol. Is there better books than the one I have? Is it possible to teach yourself from a book? Questions questions

Any experiences or advice would be helpful.

Thanks

Manz

Hi Saxony,

I learnt mindfulness in a group therapy setting, and I have found it to be truly useful. Especially at those times when I was unable to stop my mind from running away with unhelpful thoughts. It has brought me an inner peace and quiet that has allowed me to refocus on the positives of the present moment.

I also found it really useful for dealing with urges to drink early on, but also as a way to distract my mind from any sort of unhelpful thinking.

I read a great book by Tich Nhat Hanh, called "You Are Here"....it is full of simple mindfulness practice....and I found it fantastic.

Goodluck with your journey.

coming_clean

yes it helps to keep me in the here and now.....

Biza

What is mindfulness? Is it centering yourself? I have never heard of it.

Anna

Yes, I use Mindfulness and find it extremely helpful.

Biza, I think mindfulness is paying attention to thought processes. I would often find myself going over things that happened in the past, usually negative things. And, I would do the same thing imaging what would happen in the future, thinking of all the 'what ifs'. Those thoughts, like all thoughts, affect your mind, body and spirit and they don't help in any way. Mindfulness helps to keep you in the moment and that helps you to make the right choices at the right time.

"A New Eart" by Eckhart Tolle is where I learned about it.

sanjayhoopta

I have practiced mindfulness for many years and the trick is to practice getting back to that Knowing part of yourself, and recognizing when your Ego and your Mind are being noisy. It's the Ego that tells us a drink is so much better than meditating ourselves back to a balanced center.

Try reading or listening to Eckart Tolle's "Power of Now" or "A New Earth". Oprah talks alot about ego and personality ... she really gets it.

XbrenbrenX

i do everyday

what do you want to know

it is possible to learn the theory from the book. but i'll be frank, the only way to gain mindfulness is to sit, close your eyes and practice.

XbrenbrenX

mindfulness brings insight into reality and is done by sitting in meditation and watching the flow of thoughts and conceptions roll by. detaching yourself from them. it's a subtle touch, and it is pretty important to my recovery.

imagine a bucket of muddy water. you carry it around all day and the mud gets stirred up. the only way to let mud settle is to put the bucket down.

so you sit, the mud settles, and you see reality

Deserto

Yep, and I would recommend The Tao of Sobriety, which approaches mindfulness from the perspective of how it can specifically help with the addictive voice.

freshstart57

I look at mindfulness as a tool I can use to give me some space or breathing room between a stimulus such as a thought or urge, and my reaction to that stimulus. During this 'breathing room', I can detach and observe this thought or emotion without becoming emotional about it. If I can do this successfully, I can use my thinking brain on the issue, instead of being swept away in a torrent of Ishouldas and Igottas, the twins also known as regret and fear. It gives me a way to respond instead of react.

Dee74

Welcome to SR sanjayhoopta

D