Innerchild

Ive gotten really into it. My friends in AA and I went to a meeting yesterday one of the girls is newly sober like me and started experiencing anxiety at the meeting. I invited them over after the meeting and I did a meditation on them. I start off saying a few prayers including the St Frances prayer in Step 11. I also say my own personal prayer then put on some light meditative music and start off in corpse pose and then start breathing deeping inhaling positive energy and exhaling negative energy. Afterwards, I consciously relaxed all muscles ione y one then start the imagery portion of the meditation counting back from 10-1 to get deeper into the subconsious then I bring it some spirituality within the imagery portion it does work for me and my AA friends said it really helped them and I have a gift so I want to get more involved in it.

sugarbear1

I still have a difficult time with meditation...

Jeni26

Meditation is something I'm really interested in, it's one of those things I've promised myself to look into when I've got time off over the summer.
I am generally so much calmer now, but anxiety can still overcome me without warning and quickly lead me to panic mode.
I would love to equip myself with the tools to combat this and incorporate it into my daily life.
It sounds really effective. Thanks for your post x

mecanix

I prefer walking meditation , whatever floats your boat is good i guess .

Jeni26

What's walking meditation?

seanie1888

I love reiki

england

My shrink suggested trying this about a month ago - I have been using the "body scan" technique and really helps me sleep.

Basically you focus on different parts of your body and move from the top of your head and finish at your feed - I find it really relaxing.

Its worth a try and you can find examples of body scans on youtube.

I have a day off work tomorrow and am going to my 2nd lesson.

Innerchild

I want to learn how to do reiki and read chakras I am highly intuitive

mecanix

For me meditation is about expanding my conciousness beyond the everyday chatter that goes though ones mind , a spiritual disasociative practaice, to get away from or gain perspective from "the voice" or the "ego" who's favorite words are me and i and whos favorite passtime is whingeing (for me ) .

Unsupprisingly you do it by walking, then you pay attention to how your mind tries to slip away into distraction, you let distraction go and coax it (your mind) back into being mindful of the walking , the feel of your feet , the move of your arms , the wind on your face.
For a fidget pants with a "familial potestant work ethic" it's the best fit for me .

Soz for the hijack . M

EternalQ

I have gone back to Vipassana meditation twice daily for almost three months now and it has helped immensely. But all roads lead to the same place. To time and track your meditation or yoga sessions, go to insightimer.com where you can see members meditating (all kinds) from all over the planet at the same time you are!

Innerchild

Thanks Eternal I am going to check that out after my meeting tonight. Meditation and spirituality is helping. I combine God and the Laws of Attraction. I must keep this up. I feel it working.

freshstart57

Very cool, mecanix, the way you described your practice. Focus on something, and all its sensations, and when the monkey chatter distracts, gently and without judgement bring your focus back. You do it with walking, I do it with breathing, but it is the same thing. I guess if you are walking, then you get some exercise too.

Jeni, it is a wonderful tool for dealing with feelings of anxiety and rising panic, or even with urges to go and grab a bottle. Your breath is always with you, so you always have that tool handy whenever you need it. You can find all sorts of information on this stuff very easily. I find it leads very easily into ideas of mindfulness, and living in this present moment.

For example, I just googled 'breath meditation', and found this link. It has some audio files too, for a guided meditation session. Give it a try!

Stevie1

I love the idea of meditation...I mostly do what mecanix does because I find walking (with NO earbuds or phones or devices or other distractions except for dogs) extremely calming and productive.

Panaya

Some of you might be interested in a BBC clip on YouTube entitled "East West Detox: BBC News Interview." Unfortunately, I can't post the URL yet until my post count passes the magic 15 number.

The clip takes a look at the Thai Buddhist monastery, Wat Thamkrabok, which is legendary for it's drug treatment program specializing in opiate addiction. Vipassana (mindfulness) meditation is an important part of the relapse prevention taught at Wat Thamkrabok, along with an emphasis on the importance of Sajja (the sacred vow).

Those of you who are into a vipassana or mindfulness-based meditation practice can find much of interest on YouTube, including some presentations by the late G. Alan Marlatt, who was the Director of the Addictive Behaviors Research Center at the University of Washington, a practicing Buddhist, and a meditator who helped bring mindfulness-based therapies to the attention of western medical science. His work was crucial in demonstrating that meditation can be a powerful tool for overcoming harmful behaviors.

May all beings be happy!