Welcome to day 10 of our 22 day guided meditation series,
Navigating recovery and overcoming adversity.
Addiction to alcohol and drugs,
As well as the other negative habitual behaviors we engage in,
Often develop as an effort to reduce feeling uneasy and never satisfied.
When people desire a change in their emotional state and don't know how to bring about the change from within,
They reach for something outside of themselves.
In essence,
The reason most people engage in addictive patterns is to reduce a sense of ease and comfort.
With that said,
The reason we end up often feeling restless,
Irritable,
And discontented and seek relief in our negative patterns and addictive behaviors is because our happiness is dependent upon things outside of ourselves.
However,
The only thing we have real control over is our actions,
Thoughts,
And words.
We do not have control over how other people will react or the outcome of our choices.
Even though,
Still,
So many of us spend so much time trying to control how life will unfold when it is uncertain.
Ultimately,
Most of the time,
Our addictive behaviors serve the purpose of relieving this anxiety that is generated because we are fearful of the unknown,
Meaning our happiness is dependent upon things outside of ourselves.
Reaching outside of ourselves though,
To bring about a sense of ease and comfort,
Will only bring about short term relief.
Therefore,
The key to our happiness lies in detachment and acceptance.
In order to detach from worrying about the known though,
And accept life on life's terms so we can be happy regardless of our circumstances,
We have to find a way to connect with a sense of peace that nothing can disturb.
This is where meditation comes into play.
Through meditation,
We are able to access the silent space between our thoughts and enter into the field of unbounded awareness.
Behind the screen of our thoughts is the peace of unbounded awareness.
This unbounded awareness is the silence that we experience in meditation,
In the gap between our thoughts that is not disturbed by thoughts of the past or concerns for the future.
By regularly practicing meditation,
This inner peace that is not dependent upon external circumstances becomes established in our lives.
This means that having a regular meditation practice will make it easier for us to maintain our peace which will allow us to more effortlessly detach from the known and accept life on life's terms.
Finally,
Having this more tranquil,
Less reactive mind which meditation creates that detaches and accepts will then make it less likely for us to seek a change in our emotional state through reaching for something outside of ourselves.
Now let's prepare to meditate.
Begin by finding a comfortable seat and closing your eyes.
Now begin to become aware of the breath,
Not focusing or concentrating.
Just simply watch the breath as it effortlessly flows in and out.
Now begin to easily and effortlessly silently repeat today's mantra,
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Continue to repeat this mantra,
Om Anandam Nama.
Whenever you notice yourself distracted by thoughts,
Noises,
Or physical sensations,
Simply return your attention to silently repeating the mantra,
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
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 Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
Om Anandam Nama.
