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Remember Mindfulness – feel your body from top to toes

Spiritual bond

There are more ways than one of getting sober. In
some countries they put alcoholics in jails so remote
that it’s not worth escaping. In the Western world
there is understanding but also ignorance. The AA
way is through surrender to a Higher Power.
Nobody in AA specifies what that power might be, it
is enough that it exists. This spiritual element
seems to open people so that they come together.

Addiction devastates our self-esteem. There have been
many days in the past when we looked in the mirror
and did not like what we saw. Now we can look in
the mirror and see a good person smiling back, as
poet Walt Whitman seems to do:
I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume, you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me
As good belongs to you. Walt Whitman.
Like it or not, he says, there is a connection and a
bond between us all. Today I give thanks for the
bond that exists between all living things.

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Remember Mindfulness – send positive thoughts

Mindfulness

Will you ever bring a better gift to the world
Than the breathing respect that you carry
Wherever you go right now?
William Stafford.

The peace that comes when we practise mindfulness
can sometimes seem exquisite. The gentle awareness
of what we are experiencing through our senses
enables us to exclude the destructive pressures of the
outside world. Am I practising mindfulness?

I don’t have to prove anything to anyone. I don’t
expect anything from anyone. I am content to be
myself because I am at peace with myself.
What can anyone give you greater than now,
Starting here, right in this room, when
you turn around? William Stafford.
Today I humbly ask to experience the ‘peace of God
that passes all understanding.’

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Remember Mindfulness – sit comfortably

Personal boundaries

Poor boundaries are a common feature of people with addiction problems. Recovery gives us the opportunity to redefine ourselves. Instead of putting up with unacceptable behaviours we learn to say ‘no’ and assert our right to be respected. Establishing clear boundaries shows that we mean business and are making changes. It improves our self-esteem and makes it easier to form meaningful relationships. Am I working to establish appropriate boundaries?

The boundaries that I establish are so important to my wellbeing that I should consider them in detail – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and material. They all need defining because peace of mind is threatened if they are threatened. I may need help to establish my boundaries especially in early recovery. It can be useful to practice role-play and to think ahead to identify any possible difficult situations. I should not hesitate to ask for help in establishing my personal boundaries because it is important for my self-respect and spiritual growth to assert my basic rights.

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Remember Mindfulness – close eyes briefly

Respect

Passive-aggressive behaviour is often seen in relationships because it’s designed to make the recipient feel punished, without dangerous confrontation. If you say to your partner: I bet I know where you want to be tonight, (not with me!), you are avoiding an honest discussion. The way to respond is to feed back to the passive aggressive person your interpretation of their words: I think
you’re worried that I’m not going to spend time with you tonight – why is that? Passive-aggressive behaviour should always be challenged as part of our new way of doing things in recovery. It is hard to enjoy a contented and meaningful sobriety if you are still basically a doormat. Am I prepared to assert my right to receive respect from others?

If you want others to be happy, practise compassion.
If you want to be happy, practise compassion.
The Dalai Lama.
Some relationships turn into a ritual over time. The participants know their roles and the expected outcome and are often accepting if not happy with the situation however negative that may be. I must break the pattern if I wish to grow spiritually. I ask today for courage to change the things I can.