January 12, 2012

The Power of Prayer and Meditation

This past nine months has been an unprecedented place of uncertainty for our family. I don't dismiss the feelings, but instead of dwelling on my troubles, I meditate on my Higher Power's strength, power and love for me. The peace I have gained by taking a few minutes each day for Acceptance,  has been immeasurable. Living in this one day, and not picking up all my problems at once has been a powerful practice.  So has choosing to use one program tool at a time. Focus is one of my character limitations.

Prayer and meditation allow me to focus on the solution, not the problem.

There was a time I truly believed talking to God continuously about my problems was a form of both prayer and meditation.  Yet, I didn't find the sense of tranquility I sought. It wasn't because I could not tune out distractions;  actually,  I was too good at tuning out reality

It helped me today to come across a reading in which a 12-step member found themselves running a stop sign, while being so single-focused on pleading with God, that they did not even hear the siren or see the flashing lights of the police car.

I  also read of a person who ruminated so much on his troubles that he "often didn't hear the solutions offered at meetings." He shared his realization: that if he could not get himself to focus  on recovery at the meeting, he was not going to have the discipline to practice recovery work at home!

I can ask myself this. When I sit in a meeting and the preamble is happening, where is my  mind?  Do I have the habit of picking up my problems and thinking about them, instead of preparing myself to receive guidance?  If I can put my problems down for a few minutes, I can practice having faith in my HP. I can turn my heart to God, and focus my mind. Let me  begin by concentrating on the experience, strength and hope shared at the meeting.

Do I make a daily  quiet time just for self-care and for resting in God's good?  Let me meditate, just for today. All it takes is a  few minutes, wherein I gently  focus all my attention on God. 

And, when I take my problems to my HP in Step Three,  let  me practice leaving them with Him. 
 
"Meditation is the life of the soul: Action, the soul of meditation, and honor the reward of action." Francis Quarles

Inspired by HFT, 1/8

4 comments:

  1. Thank you for this post. I find that meditation has helped me with focus. Counting my breaths from one to ten, then begin again...Sitting with myself not having to run away, coming back into the moment. Gratitude for the program and one of it's tools.

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  2. Yes, I find it very helpful that sitting with the tough emotions is a gentle way to take a stand. Not run, but look right at the demons. Sometimes with a shout out or a stare. Other times with a quiet smile. I shall endure. I shall endure.

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  3. Last night, there was a lot of laughter in the meeting. Yet, many people were in pain. I think that the peacefulness of the moment of silence and the Serenity Prayer helps to get me "centered".

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  4. I think if one is very to defeat addiction, depression or whatever self-defeating behaviors that we inflict to ourselves, our path to recovery is reachable through recovery assistance and a strong support group.

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I welcome your thoughts. Keep me honest~