Meditation, Spirituality Mindful Stuff

[Bruunhilde]

I thought this post in Laugh Out Loud would be a nice way to ease into the meditation & spirituality thread many of us have been talking about starting. I was thinking it could contain all kinds of tips on meditation - starting out tips, ideas for books, ideas of what life is, or isn't. What do you do with your thoughts to help you make life better and do you use it to keep alcohol free or moderate?

So here's SillyStuff's post in the LOL section:

What did the Buddhist monk say to the hotdog vendor?

"Make me one with everything."

So the monk pulls out a $20 bill and gives it to the vendor. The vendor puts it in his pocket. The monk asks, "Where is my change?"

The vendor says, "Change comes from within."

[Doggygirl]

Meditation, Spirituality Mindful Stuff

That's funny! :H I'm glad you finally started this thread Brutus! Can't wait to see how it evolves. If I tried to use that "change comes from within" line on one of my mascara clients, I would get clobbered with a giant purse!

DG

[Bruunhilde]

Meditation, Spirituality Mindful Stuff

I picked up a booklet in downtown last week at the lunch place I visited. It's entitled "Maum Meditation" and is a seven step program of "subtraction" that allows you to be free of the limitations imposed by your past. The past is recorded and stored within your body and mind as pictures. These pictures dictate thoughts, emotions, desires,behaviors and health. Although these pictures are illusions, humans unknowingly live within the illusiions in their mind thinking that they are real.

I basically just retyped the first paragraph of the booklet up there, and what strikes me is that we alcoholics tend to hang on to our despairs, the failures, the lost lives we could have had if we didn't have the beast on our backs. When you've spent twenty or more years with the beast, it becomes a huge burden and I think causes alot of the depression we see on the boards, the despair. I find myself replaying movies of my past, reliving too many times the bad stuff, and if I could free myself of that, if I could subtract that from who I have been and am right now, that would liberate me from alot of things that make me behave selfishly, with fear, with aggression, etc.

I'm also finding some peace with Jack Kornfield's CDs.

Its something, all of this, to aspire to since it would free me from the stuff that keeps me from loving myself and loving others more deeply. DG, thinking of you right now.

[Anthony66]

Meditation, Spirituality Mindful Stuff

In addition to Jack Kornfield, I've found much inspiration in Pema Chodron's teachings (look up "Getting Unstuck", there were some audio teachings on YouTube). Meditation has been an important part of my recovery, along with nutrition/diet, exercise(especially yoga) and support via SMART Recovery.

[Bruunhilde]

Meditation, Spirituality Mindful Stuff

Thanks Ne, couldn't agree more with Einstein I feel so smart in saying. LOL Great minds and all that.

Can't see your youtube link since work blocks it and I cannot use MWO on my personal pc, shittily enough. Its a catch 22 situation I perceive as the universal consciousness thinking I've done enough MWO lingering and I need to get on with healing my life in other ways too.

I've read/heard Pema Chodron, my neighbor is big into that but she doesn't seem to get any less depressed. That may be just her of course. I may revisit this as I get through some other stuff.

[nollie]

Meditation, Spirituality Mindful Stuff

Hi folks, thought I'd join you here. I'm new at the meditation thing, and have got a long way to go before I become 'good' at it; there are always a million things going on in my tiny mind at any one time. But I have no doubt that, whether I'm doing it 'correctly' or not, meditation has really helped me me to 8 days AF, and through the days leading up to that point. Life has been a constant struggle and worry for many years now and it is such a wonderful gift to myself to have half an hour in the day when I don't think about anything at all. I'm looking at things in a more spiritual way and I already feel I have a much clearer sense of purpose in life.

[Bruunhilde]

Meditation, Spirituality Mindful Stuff

Nollie, congratulations, that IS amazing. What an accomplishment. You may be new at this but you're doing very well.

I'm even newer at it, thus the weird fact that I started this thread - I am looking for help everywhere, not just in will power, self control, meds, MWO, etc. Everywhere. Including inside.

[nancy]

Meditation, Spirituality Mindful Stuff

meditation

A number of years ago I posted lots of material on this website section about meditation. Pema Chodron is great.

I think someone named Work in Progress also posted lots on meditation. You should look up old threads.

I think one of the main issues here is to what extent can you tolerate distress without turning to some substance whatever it may be. Meditation helps you observe thoughts and not get caught up or "attached" to them. Cognitive behavioral therapy does the same thing but some say Buddha was one of the first great cognitive behavioral therapists.

I also recommend this book:

50 Ways To Soothe Yourself Without Food, by Susan Albers

[nollie]

Meditation, Spirituality Mindful Stuff

Brilliant thanks, I'm going to take a look. I've been reading Deepak Chopra and also want to know more about Jennifer Hough having just seen her speak brilliantly at a workshop for women this weekend.

[Bruunhilde]

Meditation, Spirituality Mindful Stuff

Thanks everyone, I checked out the older threads and am looking into the mind machine idea - any shortcut is my preference to years of practice~ but these machines are expensive! One would think 4 years later (this thread was 2007) that the machines would be very cheap by now.

Anyone with experience with the sound/light brainwave machines? If this could keep me from drinking all the time, I could get to a place perhaps where I could actually have a meditation routine rather than trying to induce calm when I'm panicked driving or during insomnia. If I could get calm before bed, or before the witching hour, perhaps it would speed my path.

Also fun to see RJ posting back then.... I have all the stuff she recommended in the book including the hypnosis CDs and I've got personalized hypnosis CDs too. But I think its time for something stronger and I'm getting tired of relying on medications which I'm getting addicted to (baclofen for relaxation, gabapentin for mood elevation). I want to train my brain to get to these places without meds.

[MinStar]

Meditation, Spirituality Mindful Stuff

Hi everyone,
This is my first post on this site! I just wanted to say hello :wave: I am worried about my drinking which has progressively got worse. I feel like a drink right now. As mentioned above "the witching hour" for me. My baby is asleep, dinner is cooking and I have a few moments to myself. I am glad I found this website. I need to take control of my AL.
I am really into Yoga (when I get the chance!) and do try meditation but it all seems to have taken a back burner at the moment.

I am interested to see how this thread goes!

MinStar

[Bruunhilde]

Meditation, Spirituality Mindful Stuff

Hi Min,

Welcome! I know how you feel! Can you try putting off having a drink fifteen minutes then another fifteen minutes etc? Have a soft drink or something to fizz in your tummy. Or something with sugar, that always helps me.

You can try starting a thread in General Discussion for more support since you're new (I think?). Not many people check in here on this thread or in holistic for the kind of support you need.

I'm told -since starting this thread - to research old thread titles for meditation and there's lots there already. I guess most people don't come to MWO for this!

Hang in there, hold out, hold out! The later you start, the less you will have, right? (Hopefully). At some point, you won't start at all.

Your baby is young now, but when alcoholism hits, it gets much worse year over year. Imagine in five years, where you'll be if you don't work on this RIGHT NOW. Your baby needs you.

:h

[nollie]

Meditation, Spirituality Mindful Stuff

Hi MinStar, I'm new at this too. We can do this together. I know exactly where you're coming from; I wanted to stop drinking when I was pregnant with my first child and I managed to cut back a tiny bit. I drank all the way through my second pregnancy, often breast feeding with a baby in one arm and a glass of wine in the other. But it does creep up on you over the years. I've never been what I'd describe as a raging drunk, most people wouldn't have a clue how much I was putting away. You're right to tackle this now, my eldest is now 14 and only a fortnight ago I was hiding drink to conceal from my family how much I was consuming and doing insane things like drinking in the car on the way to pick the kids up from school as it was the only place I had time on my own and the opportunity. If it's hard now, I promise you it'll just be harder years down the line.

You can do this. I don't claim to have all the answers, some days I'm finding it's easier than others. Take it one day at a time. Just don't drink today (the fifteen minute tip is a great one Bruunhilde, I'm going to try it to keep those horrible cravings at bay). But personally I find more peace & inner strength to make this stick on the days I am able to meditate than on the days when I don't. I've started going to AA too and was both shocked and comforted by how many respectable mothers were amongst the group members. Stick around here, there are some great people giving great advice and support xx

[MinStar]

Meditation, Spirituality Mindful Stuff

Thanks Bruunhilde and Nollie for the warm welcome and words of support and encouragement.
I will do as you suggested Bruunhilde and head to the general discussions board. I posted here first as I am very spiritual and have worked alot on Yoga (Teacher training) and really like Yoga Nidra which is a kind of guided meditation.

Nollie- please join me on the General Discussion boards- I will start a thread and would appreciate the help and companionship through this.

Healing love

MinStar

[lilla]

Meditation, Spirituality Mindful Stuff

Hi, I am new, just on day 3 but I would really like to add to this thread as I have started doing mindfulness CDs every day after seeing a hypnotherapist for my drinking. I am convinced something happened during those sessions to start me off on this journey as I was able to moderate immediately, something I had never been able to do before. I have worked through the CD, making time each day, and would really like any ideas for where to go from here as I am new to meditation and not got any knowledge of this area at all. Thanks all, and good luck MinStar, finding this site has been such a help, I hope it will be for you too.