kevin 311

Meditation and prayer did help me, as they recently led to some occasions of serene bliss that felt better than the buzz I got from drinking. This also helped me to feel more comfortable in the world and more outgoing.

Because of this, I am turning back toward sobriety after a few months of drinking about a six pack of beer twice a week.

Drinking would put a damper on that serene state and would cloud the head the next day as well, making it difficult to experience that bliss or to practice the things that helped to cultivate it.

Meditation and prayer relaxed me and opened me out; drinking shut me down and turned me back inward.

They say drinkers drink to feel differently. Meditation and prayer help me to accept feelings just as they are at the moment, and also have led to something that feels better than what comes in a bottle.

Please give these a try. Of course, look for practices that resonate with you and are congruent with your own beliefs.

Wishing you all success in growing toward a healthy life!

barb dwyer

Kevin -

You're right.

I didn't drink for years and years - because I didn't like what it did to my energy.
It wasn't until I lost my faith ... that I began to drink like the alcoholic I am.

And you're also right -

the 'high' of Spiritual awareness ... makes every drunk, every high ... look like a cheap imitation of what we've been looking for all along.

There's no comparing them.

thanks!

CarolD

Yes....my drinking kept me from
the God connection
I desperately yearned for.

With AA recovery, I now walk in
the sunlight of the Spirit.

Blessings

Alive

Believe it or not i have been trying to follow a lot of Asian practices since i am 15. For 8 years i have tried hard and have never ever finished anything. I know the yoga positions, i have done them many times, i have meditated, i know martial arts and yet only now I am ready...

Just like sobriety, i now Know the spirit has to be ready for such a change. It's truly an awakening, at least for me. Because meditating to me, is letting the spirit evolve and now i am ready....

Thanks Kevin for this wonderful thread...Thanks Barb and Carol too for the inspiration.


And yes I know the light....

NOMOMERLOTMAMMA

I love this post! You are so very right..life is easier to handle when I connect with my God.

Thank you

Karen

indigo

Thank you Kevin I believe your words to be so very true.

lostmdboy

The meditatiion process opened up so much for me. It allowed me to look back on my life, and find some of the underlying reasons why I drank, and isolated so much. With out this contacted with my HP I do not know if I would be sober today.

tkdan

Hey Kevin, I meditated and prayed every morning when I was sober. When I was drinking I lost the desire. I want to get back into the routine. We just remodeled so my old personal space is gone so I'm in the process of finding that little area in the house that I can have my time alone with God and myself. Meditation helps to clear my mind of all life issues. God gives me the strength to face those issues.

kevin 311

hey Karim,

I was 16 when the TV show "Kung Fu" led me to Lao-Tzu and Chuang-Tzu (Lin Yutang's translation for Modern Library) and of course next to that in the library or bookstore were books on Zen. I've also tried yoga, meditation and qi-gong.

I've been trying to figure out what those Zen guys were up to for 30+ years as well as looking for the correspondences at the root of different traditions.

It was only this year that things started to click for me in a practical rather than intellectual way. I think it was a combination of the tree flowering when it's time to flower, and the fact that I went the long way around.

A coach or teacher earlier on probably would have helped, but I like to check things out on my own

Some things that helped me this year:

a 12-step-oriented detox/rehab program that led me to try prayer again as an adult

repeating mantras or spiritual phrases internally and slowly, allowing time for the reverberations

the demonstration of the Burmese monks a few months ago, which for me was both an example and a reminder

Eckhart Tolle's books The Power of Now and Stillness Speaks regarding how and why to practice present-moment awareness -- probably other books on mindfulness meditation cover the same ground

a book of Hasidic Tales translated and annotated by Rabbi Rami Shapiro, spiritual folk tales teaching how to practice the presence of God in everyday life -- really close to a nondual view of reality, which surprised me

blah blah blah -- well, those were the main guideposts this year

off to work

have a great day, everyone!

kevin 311

hey tkdan, I've been thinking of decorating my meditation alcove -- it faces the AC closet and dehumidifier

also, I often meditate on the bus ride home from work -- but I understand that car drivers probably shouldn't do that

Anna

Hi Paul,

This is a great thread.

I was like Barb and never drank at all for decades because I didn't like what it did to me. When I started drinking I completely lost my spiritual connection and I am so glad to have found it again.

Tazman53

According to Webster:
Meditation and prayer go hand in hand for me, the 2 have allowed me to develop a relationship with my a Higher Power that I understand. I turned my back on him over the years when I was drinking, I never denied him, I simply did not listen to him, I did what I wanted to do by simply not even trying to seek him out.

tkdan

Before I had a makehift place that not longer exsits. Now I want a more permanent place because I do not want my sobriety to be temporary. My wife can be a little picky about her newly remodeled house. She did not let me keep my excersise equipment in the new livingroom (go figure). She has shown an interest in meditation lately so it may not be that difficult to come to an aggreement.
I mostly ride my motorcycle to work so I don't think meditation during my commute should be attempted.

kevin 311

I'll just offer a group thanks here and let this thread follow its own course.

It's good to read everyone's confirmations of what I am just starting to experience myself -- that helps!

I also hope these shared experiences might help some others to consider trying these practices.

For atheists, agnostics and spiritual-but-not-deist people, I would recommend at least giving meditation a try. Personally I believe prayer is also needed, even if it's just secretly blessing other people or sending good vibes their way -- gets us thinking of other people, see?

The scientifically minded might be interested in studies on meditation and neuroplasticity, which seem to show that intentional mental practice has lasting and beneficial effects on the physical brain (see books by James Austin, Daniel Siegel and B. Alan Wallace).

Of course, alcohol and other addictive drugs affect or damage areas of the brain having to do with intentionality, focus and the ability to follow through on plans, so it's better to start exercising earlier than to wait until the willpower is completed eroded.

Again, hope this helps and thanks everyone for the confirmations

gypsytears

I agree Meditation is powerful and healing.

Please do not meditate and drive. Deep Meditation uses the Delta brain waves which occur during sleep. I am not saying that you fall asleep while meditating, but it could be a dangerous state to be in while doing something such as driving.

Praying while driving is probably safe though .

awake121207

Kevin,

Thanks for the wonderful thread. I was reading it last night on my phone, but I definitely wanted to post as well.

I too have experienced that my ability to practice mindfulness (safe anytime--even in the car!) and meditation deteriorate when I drink, and no amount of alcohol can equal the positive feelings they can bring.

I will have to check out the books by Tolle you mentioned.

Just to add to the list of books that can be helpful:

Be Free Where You Are
Peace is Every Step

They are both by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Zen master and buddhist monk nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King, Jr. I have about a dozen of Thich Nhat Hanh's books, but these two stand out.

They are geared toward helping anyone practice mindfulness no matter where they are. While I believe these books can be used for spiritual growth, no belief system is required--an atheist can practice mindfulness right alongside a religious person, and both will experience positive results.

Thanks to all who have posted, and I hope others chime in as well.

Again, great thread Kevin!

Thanks