With the amount of surmounting evidence pointing toward meditation being a life changing practice, there is little reason not to participate in meditation when you are trying to change your life. Many a wise philosopher and spiritual thinker have said, in one way or another, when you change your thoughts you can change your life. Men who have faced addiction in their lives know this to be true. In the moments before choosing to go to treatment, get sober, and build a lifestyle of recovery, there is a change of thought. What might be desperate, hopeless, helpless thinking of never being able to change suddenly changes. There is a flash of hope, a fleeting glimmer of freedom. We look to those who have walked before us who are encouraging that truth. Recovery is possible. Change can happen. You just have to believe that is true. All it takes is a change in thought and what was impossible seems possible.
Are these moments considered meditation? According to one part of the definition of meditation, they are. Any moment we spend in “continued or extended thought; reflection; contemplation” is a moment of meditation. The moment when we are sick, chemically dependent on drugs and/or alcohol, thinking about what has happened in our lives and how we can change- we are contemplating. We are thinking. We are reflecting. We are meditating.
Once we are on the other side of active addiction we can put more focus into our meditation practice and find that when we do, the effects are infinite. Meditation is scientifically proven to reduce stress in our minds and our bodies. Emotionally, meditation can help us develop a range of skills and tools to help us sustain our recovery ongoing.
Resiliency, compassion, focus, and empathy are all tools that a man of recovery needs in his daily life. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is missing a condition. If something doesn’t kill you then it can make you stronger. Resiliency is the strength it takes to “bounce back” from a life altering event. Cruel words, rejection, mistakes, failures, relationships, disappointments- anything that knocks us down gives us the opportunity to stand back up with more wisdom. With compassion, we can seek understanding in the event and let go of resentment. Focus keeps us on task for our recovery both immediate and long term. Empathy encourages us to be gentle with ourselves, maintaining perspective of our human limitations and abilities. Meditation helps us be better men.
Sustainable change leads to sustainable recovery. Built on sustainability, Tree House Recovery in Portland, Oregon takes cues from the naturally resilient environment of the Pacific Northwest and uses inspiration to create a challenging, transformative treatment program for men. Our programs help men find freedom from addiction and create lasting recovery. Call us today for information: (503) 850-2474
