Welcome,
Today's sixth fellow meditators.
Addiction is one of the most widespread problems in our society.
The psychological and bodily pain experienced by people with addictions and their families is too great to be calculated or estimated.
Addiction often engulfs all whose lives touch the sufferers.
The lives of the family and friends of those who suffer from addiction are often filled with tragedy,
Chaos,
Worry,
And fear.
Addiction as defined by Tommy Rosen is any behavior you continue to do despite the fact it brings negative consequences in dear life.
Addiction has caused almost all of us to suffer in our own individual way.
And it is the level of the intensity of the need for whatever we are addicted to that is likely to determine how much we are going to ignore how our choices affect others.
Whatever our addictions are though,
They arise from looking for fulfillment in all the wrong places.
It is easy for this external search for happiness,
Peace,
And safety to become addictive.
It is at these times when we are not feeling fulfilled that the fearful voice of our ego shows up and convinces us that we require something outside of ourselves for happiness.
Then,
In our ego's desperate search to satisfy our desires,
We fail to consider how our choices affect others.
By focusing only on what we need,
We end up causing others pain.
At times,
The pain afflicted on others by those dealing with addictions may be unintentional,
But at other times we recognize that our choices cause discomfort to others.
But the need to relieve our addictions is often so strong that this lack of comfort takes a front seat over creating comfort for others.
Ultimately though,
As long as our awareness is constricted to the individual self,
Our ego,
We will continue on this desperate search for happiness in all the wrong places that often ends up clashing with the needs of others.
Through meditation however,
We can expand beyond our ego and discover the source of happiness that lives deep within each of us.
When we expand our awareness,
Not only are we able to access our own inner source of fulfillment that doesn't vary with the ups and downs of everyday life,
But our expanded awareness also causes our perceptions of the world to begin to shift.
Then,
As our perceptions begin to shift,
We become more compassionate because we realize that we are all inextricably interwoven with one another and that because of that,
Our choices affect others.
Finally,
Then as a result of this expanded awareness that brings about the realization that we are all non-locally connected,
We begin making evolutionary choices that offer the greatest possibility of fulfilling our needs and the needs of others.
Now let's prepare to meditate.
Begin by finding a comfortable seat and closing your eyes.
Now begin to become aware of your breath,
Not focusing or concentrating.
Just simply watch the breath as it effortlessly flows in and out.
Now easily and effortlessly begin silently repeating the mantra,
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha,
Om Shreem Namaha.
Continue to repeat this mantra,
Om Shreem Namaha.
Whenever you notice yourself distracted by thoughts,
Noises,
Or physical sensations,
Simply return your attention to silently repeating the mantra,
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Please continue with your meditation.
I will watch the time and when it's time to end our meditation,
You will hear me ring a soft chime.
When you hear the chime,
Stop repeating the mantra and continue sitting quietly with your eyes closed.
Enjoy your meditation.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
Om Shreem Namaha.
