MEDITATION 101

How do I keep the power? Prayer and meditation. I pray and ask God for direction, and I meditate to hear the answers.

Hope, Faith Courage Volume II, page 38

What is this “concept of Meditation”?

I was one of those addicts without a spiritual “clue” when I arrived here. I had to be shown everything, even how to pray. Something as simple as learning to ask for help was huge. I was, perhaps, the most challenged in trying  to  figure out the concept of meditation. After reading and re-reading pages 86-88 of the Big Book. Along with Step Eleven in the Twelve and Twelve, I was still confused about the best way to add prayer and meditation practices to my program.

No Hard and Fast Rules.

The beauty (or curse, depending on how you look at it!) is that there are no hard, fast rules for sorting this out. Many practice meditation in a variety of ways – some even using different methods at different times of the day. Similarly, the means by which I am able to select my own Higher Power, prayer and meditative practices are highly personal. We are free to find words and methods suited to us alone. With practice, these become modified and fine-tuned as we progress along our spiritual path.

Several Ways to Meditate in Recovery

Reading a meditation book is one common method, either in the morning or evening. I use this almost daily since I came into the program. As a result, the readings consistently remind me about recovery  principles, help me focus on what’s in store for  the  day ahead, or debrief my activities before I retire. You might listen to songs or sounds to stay relaxed and serene. Others use prayer, either by itself or in combination with quiet time, to meditate.

Meditation Goals

Above all, it was explained to me that my goal in meditation, no matter how, where or when I practice it, is to quiet myself and my thoughts, for the reason that I become – and remain serene, connected to my Higher Power. Furthermore, I tune into God and myself, focusing on our sacred connection, as well as on the many miracles In my recovery. Hence, I seek to improve my conscious contact with God through meditation. I am pleased to catch a glimpse of the answer, insight, vision, inspiration or healing action I seek.

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Finally, early on, I heard it said, quite simply: Praying is how I talk to God. Meditating is how God talks to me.