Tag Archives: meditation

Daily Reading from Recovery Days January 4th by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – breathe calmly


Negative comfort zones


The barriers in the way to full acceptance are all of
our own making – denial, avoidance, pride and selfwill.
Many of us struggle with denial because we
cannot bear the emotional pain of the reality that
lies behind it. Our inflated egos are a part of the
negative comfort zone we have constructed to
protect us. Dismantling these barriers to reveal our
true selves may involve some short-term pain but,
finding the courage to do so is a step towards
emotional maturity. Have I left my negative
comfort zone?

Acceptance is about living with ourselves with all
our imperfections. But, before we get too negative,
we should remind ourselves that we are also good
people who are struggling with an illness that we
did not choose. Certainly, we have work to do but it
is our basic goodness and the help from our Higher
Power that will lead us to success, so that we
eventually become ‘better than well’. May I find the
honesty and courage to accept short-term emotional
pain, in order to receive long-term benefit.

Daily Reading from Recovery Days January 2nd by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – sit comfortably


Letting down defences


When we fully accept ourselves and life on life’s
terms, we will no longer feel vulnerable because we
have nothing more to hide. By letting down our
defences, we feel a sense of relief. The important
thing is how we have responded. By showing to the
world how we deal with our faults and defects, we
become a power for good. Demonstrating how we
manage our imperfections is a far more effective
example to others than trying to portray ourselves as
faultless. Have I fully let down my defences?

One of the paradoxes of recovery is that when we let
down our defences and become vulnerable, we also
open ourselves to change. We must be completely
willing to change.
When you really want something, the whole
universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.
Paolo Coelho.
The idea of change may seem daunting, but we only
need to take small steps because recovery is a
journey, not a destination. May I release myself from
the self-inflicted pain of my resistance to reality;
may I learn to see and accept life as it really is.

Daily reading from Recovery Days January 1st by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – feel the moment

Acceptance


How could you have done it? This ‘morning after’
question carries the same grim familiarity as the
splitting headache and the bloodshot eyes. We keep
asking ourselves this question, to which we have no
answer. Except of course, the only true answer:
because I’m addicted, and I need help. Only when
we get honest and accept the reality of our situation
will things start to improve. Acceptance begins with
admitting our faults honestly. ‘We admitted’ are the
first words of Step One. The founding fathers of AA
understood this. We are powerless over our
addiction. Can I fully admit my powerlessness?


I cannot change the past and I cannot predict the
future. I can only change myself. But first, I must be
realistic. I am what I am. My response is what
matters and that begins with acceptance. It is the
foundation on which my commitment to change is
built. With acceptance and the help of my Higher
Power, I can look forward to a new life of sober
contentment.
God grant me the serenity to accept the
things I cannot change, courage to change
the things I can, and the wisdom to know
the difference.
Reinhold Niebuhr.

Daily Reading from Recovery Days December 30th by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – Feel your muscles from top to toes

Procrastination


Procrastination is often said to be the thief of time,
but it can also be the slayer of opportunity.
Underneath this attitude is often fear of negative
consequences. It is a form of denial that some of us
will recognise in addictive behaviour and like most
denial, it merely postpones the inevitable. We
damage relationships with others, and we often
damage our own mental and spiritual health when
we procrastinate. At first it may seem the softer,
easier option but it can lead to far worse situations.
Am I resolved to banish procrastination?

Not only am I prone to procrastination, I am also a
very impatient person. This kind of paradoxical
character is normally found in very small children,
and they usually grow out of it quite easily. Now
that I am in recovery I must grow up and put away
childish things. Opportunities appear and I must
grasp them. I am blessed that I have a second
chance at life, but few other opportunities are
offered on a repeat basis. From now on my motto is
carpe diem (seize the day). I live life to the fullest.
Today I ask for wisdom to make maximum use of
my second chance at life.

Daily Reading from Recovery Days December 28th by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – breathe slowly


A quick fix is the goal of the immature person. A lot
of people are able to stop addictive behaviour while
outside pressures are not great, but when things get
difficult, they do not have the resources or the
maturity to handle the situation and the quick fix of
their drug or behaviour of choice seems to be the
only solution. That is why recovery from addiction
requires mental and spiritual adjustments as well as
physical ones. Just as crash dieting and hastily
cramming our heads with knowledge don’t usually
provide lasting solutions, so addiction recovery is
best when not rushed. Have I learned that the quick
fix is never an answer to my problems?

In recovery, I am establishing a new relationship
with myself – the most important relationship that I
have. I must proceed with care and insight. I must
learn to love myself because unless I do, I will not be
able to love others. I must be comfortable with my
own company so that I can travel alone with myself,
in perfect contentment. I ask my Higher Power to
guide me to be comfortable inside my skin.

Daily Reading from Recovery Days December 26th by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – Feel your muscles from top to toes

Self-care


It’s interesting how quickly the Christmas spirit can
disappear once the great day is past. If we are not
careful, goodwill to all mankind can quickly revert to
selfishness and unpleasantness. Before I expect
others to behave well, I have to make sure that I
myself am doing my utmost to uphold the principles
that will make the world a better place. If I show
myself as someone who is kind, trustworthy and
seeking the best in others, then some of my attitude
may rub off on those I am in contact with. Am I
living my life according to principles?


Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in 1843.
The story tells how Ebenezer Scrooge, a nasty old
miser, is visited by the ghost of his former partner,
and the spirits of Christmas past, present and future
who transform him into a wholly admirable person.
Thenceforth in his life he continues to embody the
spirit of Christmas.
He had no further intercourse with spirits and lived on
the Total Abstinence Principle, ever afterwards; and it
was always said of him, that he knew how to keep
Christmas well.
May I retain the spirit of Christmas as well as Mr
Scrooge.

Daily Reading from Recovery Days December 24th by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – breathe slowly

Peace


The Christmas carol Silent Night was first
performed in the parish church of Oberndorf, near
Salzburg, in 1816. Its simple message of peace and
hope was appreciated by the little community that
had been ravaged by the recently ended Napoleonic
wars and dreadful weather conditions. The
popularity of the song spread across the world.
Many people thought at first it had been composed
by Mozart or Beethoven, but its origin was much
more humble. A Catholic priest named Joseph Mohr
wrote the words and asked his friend, a primary
school teacher named Franz Gruber, to write the
music. Like most great works of art, it has the
power to calm and renew. Am I grateful for the
simple things in life?


It is sad that there is so much strife in the world
when there are so many people who just want peace
and kindness. But that does not mean that we
should give up trying. The power for good is greater
than evil and when things seem bad, I must not give
up:
It’s coming yet, for a’that,
That man to Man, the world o’er,
Shall brothers be for a’that. Robert Burns.
Today I give thanks for my unconquerable soul.

Daily Reading from Recovery Days December 21st by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – close eyes briefly


Music

When words leave off, music begins.
Heinrich Heine.


Sometimes, in moments of great stress we can’t
handle words, they’re just too much for our tortured
brain. But music has the power to soothe us beyond
words. If you’re withdrawing from drug addiction or
just unable to sleep, music can be the balm that
soothes your troubled soul. Therapists have long
known the power of music to penetrate where words
are not meaningful or even welcome. In times of
meditation and reflection, we learn to find and enjoy
inner peace. Am I willing to use all the tools of
recovery that are available?

Much of recovery requires positive action as well as
understanding of what needs to be done. We
succeed because we believe that the changes we
make are right. You can train a horse to dance but
humans cannot simply be trained, they need to be
persuaded. Self-improvement is a complex business
involving heart, mind and spirit. Music has great
power to change. Today I give thanks for the music
that is in me.

Daily Reading from Recovery Days December 20th by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – breathe slowly


Pride

Pride is one of the character defects that stops us
making progress because it tells us that we do not
need to make the effort. The other, more honest
block to progress is fear. These are both major
problems for a lot of people in recovery and we will
probably need help in addressing them. If we are
lucky enough to be in a Twelve Step fellowship,
then we can work on pride with our sponsor as we
do the Steps. Reaching out to others and
consciously seeking honesty, humility and
gratitude are fundamental to spiritual growth. Do I
understand the need to address my pride so that I
can look at myself honestly?

Pride is a part of my ego that stops me from looking
at myself honestly. If I cannot manage my pride, I will
not be able to admit to myself that, in the great
majority of my difficulties in life, it has been me
that was the problem. Humility is an important
factor. Without humility, success will always be in
doubt. Today I ask for humility in all my affairs
because it is my best tool for ego management.

Daily Readings from Recovery Days December 19th by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – sit comfortably


Envy

Envy is a pointless emotion. Philosopher Emmanuel Kant said: Envy is the tendency to view the success of others with distress even when it does not detract from one’s own. A lot of what upsets us about the behaviour of others is to do with the closeness that their lives relate to ours. A person we know, who is of perhaps the same age and background, but who is a lot more successful than us in some way – say financially, is likely to drive us mad with envy, whereas someone we hear about but whom we’ve never met, will probably affect us much less. Why? Because someone we are not close to is not seen as a rival. We just don’t like the thought of someone we know doing better than us. A preferable attitude is to study the success of others and learn from it. Can I view the success of others positively?


Envy can turn into resentment if not addressed. I must first ask myself if my feelings of envy are based on fact or simply assumptions. It may well be that, if I take the trouble to understand how another person achieved their perceived success, I might question whether it was worth the effort. Again, if I analyse their situation and decide that their success is admirable and beneficial, I may decide to use that person as a role model so as to enhance my own wellbeing. That is a much more positive approach. Today I ask to free myself from envy.