This meditation is called Smoking Management Surfing the Urge.
So taking a moment to stop whatever you're doing,
Pause,
Let your attention come back to your body,
Right here,
Right now.
Notice your feet on the ground,
Your breath moving in and out.
And this is your chance to pause before reacting,
To step out of autopilot.
You might sense the strong urge to smoke or notice restlessness or tension in your body.
That's okay,
You're simply noticing what's here.
No judgement required.
Now gently name what's happening in your mind or body.
You might say to yourself,
My brain is wanting nicotine,
My body is remembering smoking.
Or you may just name restlessness,
Tension.
Naming it helps separate you from the craving.
It brings it into awareness,
Something to witness,
Not obey.
Now seeing if it's possible to imagine the craving,
The urge,
As a wave of energy moving through your body.
All waves have a rising,
Might be that tightness,
Restlessness,
Pressure,
Irritation.
And they always have a fall as well,
A softening,
A changing,
A passing.
All sensations,
No matter how strong,
Will pass if you don't feed them.
You can breathe and ride this wave,
Steady,
Grounded,
Kind.
If thoughts appear,
Like just one won't hurt,
Notice them gently.
Remember this is your brain trying to protect you from the discomfort,
Often of nicotine withdrawal.
It's a well-meaning thought,
But not a true one.
If you've quit smoking,
Remind yourself,
Just one usually restarts the cycle and I'm already on the path of freedom.
If you're using nicotine replacement,
This might be a good time for your gum or your lozenge or your spray,
Using it mindfully as a part of your plan.
Or if you prefer,
Move your body,
Do one minute of squats or push-ups or sit-ups or run up and down the stairs.
Channel that energy into strength,
Not smoke.
Pause the recording if you need a little bit longer.
Otherwise,
Taking a breath now and reminding yourself,
I'm a non-smoker now.
My lungs,
My blood,
My breath,
They're healing.
This craving is just a wave and I'm more than the wave,
I'm the ocean.
Feel the pride,
The relief,
The freedom in that truth.
Each urge you surf or ride through makes you stronger and more at peace in your body.
And this final stage is optional for those who are in the cutting down phase of smoking,
Who are on medication.
So if you do choose to smoke,
Do it with full awareness.
Notice every part of it.
The feel of the cigarette,
The smell,
The taste,
The sensations in your body.
Ask yourself,
Do I actually enjoy this?
Or is it just habit,
Repetition,
Need,
Autopilot?
Awareness can loosen the hold.
And taking one more deep breath in,
And a long,
Slow breath out.
You've just strengthened your freedom,
Not by fighting the craving,
But by understanding it.
This is how change happens.
One mindful moment at a time.
