soberista

Part of my recovery plan has been to incorporate some daily exercise. If i dont make it to the gym then I get out for a good walk with the dogs and have enrolled for a weekly yoga class (something i used to do and very much enjoy). At bedtime i use some relaxation music and also Om chanting. I want to learn to meditate and wondered if anyone could give me any advice please. Thanks in advance.

Poppy79

The smiling mind app is helping me learn mindfulness and meditation. Also the calm app. They basically guide you on how to slow your thinking, relax, focus on your senses and be ‘present in the moment’.

lessgravity

Youtube Sharon Salzberg, Sam Harris or Dan Harris or Ram Das.

Youtube them it and it will guide the way.

Anna

This is a great book on meditation -

Jon Kabat-Zinn Mindfulness Meditation

Trohyn

Right here on sober recovery in the secular connections forum.

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...-week-one.html (A Mindful New Year - Week One)

Fly N Buy

I find passage meditation opens previously unknown paths.

https://www.bmcm.org/about/about-eknath-easwaran/

Best,
Fly

cotwo

It might not be the healthiest form of mediatation, but i have picked up pipe smoking (tobacco), it surely has eased staying sober, and has meditation qualities to it. Its a lot to do with pacing and breathing.

CaliButterfly

Soberista, have I got a book for you. It's called "When Things Fall Apart" by Pema Chodron. It's written like she is actually talking to you. She discusses, among many many other things, how to mediate and live in the moment. It's warm, genuine, and thought-provoking. She shares her journey to peace and tranquility. I've read it twice already and will again. Every time I get something else out of it. I hope you check it out. Namaste

CaliButterfly

Oh, also, some tips on meditation. Find a quiet room, let others know in the house that you need about 20 minutes not to be interrupted. Sit comfortably with your back straight, legs crossed, arms relaxing on your legs. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. First mouth closed, inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth. Just breathe. Your mind will wander. Tell it not now, you'll deal with it later and return to breathing. It takes LOTS of practice not to think. If it helps having relaxing music in the background (like ocean waves or raindrops, etc), you can focus on that too. Don't give up. The inner peace you feel after you get the hang of it is amazing. Good luck!

nova84

Hi soberista...I use the app Headspace on a daily basis and have found it to be an invaluable tool in my sobriety. There are different guided meditations focusing on different areas; stress, anxiety, sports, alone time...the list goes on. I have learnt to use a range of techniques; noting, visualisation and breathing exercises. I highly recommend it 💜

jrspinks

You absolutely need to calm yourself down...deep breathing etc...the Physical stuff alone can cause wayyy too much anxiety.

TheToddman

Hi Soberista,

Nothing new to add but ditto what Nova said. Headspace has been great for me. You can get the basic intro for free, which IMO has been sufficient. 10-15 minutes each so it's manageable. Mindfulness has proven to be incredibly beneficial for recovery; the rehab center I went to actually had a 1 hour class daily for meditation (mainly mindfulness); it's definitely become more prevalent in treatment regimes.

YouTube also will have other free guided sessions that will prove helpful I'm sure.

Best

The T.

Rar

Just downloaded Headspace. Looking forward to trying it. Thanks.

plop

soberista, I think the most important thing if you want to learn to meditate, is to keep on doing it every day. Twenty minutes a day is fine, later you may want to do more.

There will be days when your mind will be racing and you feel like you can't relax, but don't worry, it will get better gradually, and little by little you'll notice that you're more relaxed even when you are not actively meditating. (This might take months, that's why I say you need to keep at it!)

soberista

Started with Sharon Salzberg last night and then completed another 20 mins with her this morning. Very useful thanks and had glimpses of just focusing on the breath (and at one point caught myself thinking about how I must reply to everyone on here and thank them and then flexed my return to the breath muscles!! )

soberista

I have a friend who meditates daily and even does a silent retreat for a month but she is currently in India for 6 months so i am not able to pick her relaxed brain until mid March. I am definitely interested in incorporating it into my daily schedule and interestingly the realization of how many thoughts are running through my brain just from the few sessions I have done, well, it all needs to calm down.

soberista

Yes I agree. Hence the yoga practice and the dog walking.

soberista

I used the Mindspace app last year but felt it was more mindful than meditation. Shall go back and have another look at it.

soberista

Another part of my recovery! to spend, an hour, daily reading - but really reading! Not just glimpsing whilst my mind is tickertaping. This shall be added to the book list.

soberista

Thanks for this cotwo. I dealt with the nicotine monster some 5 years ago and think it would be detrimental to feed that monster again but your comments about pacing and breathing are much appreciated.