A popular topic of conversation nowadays is about people wanting to live a healthy lifestyle. This can include any number of methods. Some individuals will place great focus on his or her food consumption. This could look like a person following a certain type of dietary plan, perhaps making sure that everything he or she ingests is organic, or locally grown, or becoming a vegetarian, or a vegan. People may focus on achieving the proper amount of daily or weekly exercise for his or her body. Others may focus on a more internal shift to attain a healthier lifestyle, practicing meditation or yoga. Some people will not focus on just one area and will try to implement a number of different methods for an all-around healthier lifestyle.

Meditation is known to be the practice of turning inward. Some people find it extremely challenging to sit quietly and connect with and honor one’s inner thoughts. When a person practices meditation, he or she is forced to become acquainted with his or her own mind. Often people think that meditation is someone sitting down and thinking nothing, or having a completely blank mind. This can be immensely difficult, and for some may feel impossible. In reality, meditation is actually honoring one’s fleeting thoughts and then allowing those thoughts to continue to float away. There are many benefits to meditation. Through the practice of meditation one can help to increase his or her mental clarity, increase one’s patience, further develop one’s concentration abilities, and help an individual foster a calm and positive state of mind.

There is one singular constant that is true for every person in the world and that is change. Throughout life, people change. One’s meditation practice will also shift and change with an individual as he or she matures and grows. The reason that meditation is referred to as a practice is that no matter how long a person practices it, there will always be new information learned. An individual is not meant to master meditation to the point of completion. The practice of meditation is meant to be integrated into one’s life forever.

The driving force behind an individual turning to drugs or alcohol will vary depending on the individual and is or her background. It is, however, not uncommon for one of the aspects behind an individual turning to drugs or alcohol is that of an emotional or mental escape. If a person is intoxicated, he or she is unable to authentically connect to his or her true self. With a person addicted to drugs or alcohol, a substance is used and abused to make sure an emotional or mental escape occurs. The further and further a person gets from an unfavorable emotion, memory, experience…etc. through drugs and alcohol, the more it burrows into one’s mind. Through substance abuse and addiction, an individual actually rewires his or her brain which can have a great impact on one’s sense of self and one’s ability to connect to oneself. There are many ways in which an individual in recovery for substance abuse or addiction can benefit from meditation.

One benefit for people in recovery for substance abuse and addiction is that meditation requires a specific type commitment. Individuals in recovery must focus on the present moment, and this is the exact type of commitment needed for meditation. When an individual is amidst his or her meditation practice, the entire practice is that of being in the present and committing to connecting to one’s inner thoughts.

It is not uncommon for people to find meditation boring, or seemingly impossible, particularly as a beginner. If a person is new to meditation, make sure to implement kindness and patience. It is important for a person to start one’s meditation practice slowly. There is no reason for a beginner to feel pressured to meditate for two hours in his or her first sitting, especially if the practice feels intimidating. The important thing to remember about meditation, is that the length of time of engagement is not important. An individual will experience benefits from meditating for any length of time, even if he or she simply sits for one minute a day.

If an individual is in treatment for substance abuse or addiction, he or she should feel free to seek further information on how meditation can help with one’s recovery. Now that meditation has become a bit more mainstream, there are many locations that will offer meditation workshops, classes, or access to a private meditation guide. There are also many online resources available.

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