Meditation/Recovery

Often people ask me: “How long should I meditate? And when? Should I practice twenty minutes in the morning and in the evening, or is it better to do several short practices during the day>” Yes, it is good to meditate for twenty minutes, though it is not to say that twenty minutes is the limit. I have not found in the scriptures any reference to twenty minutes; I think it is a notion that has been contrived in the West, and I call it Meditation Western Standard Time.

    The point is not how long you meditate; the point is whether the practice actually brings you to a certain state of mindfulness and presence, where you are a little open and able to connect with your heart essence. And five minutes is of far greater value than twenty minutes of dozing.

Glimpse After Glimpse:

Sogyal Rinpoche

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Meditation ought to come easy but that is not the case for most people who have been through the mill of drugs and alcohol. This is true especially for those who have been using meth or crack for several years. Starting out on this adventure can be daunting but it is an essential part of recovery and, if we try to pass it by or sell it short, we are in for a rougher road.

     First of all, I didn’t start meditating because I was trying to become a super guru. I began meditation practice because I needed peace of mind. Peace of mind and mindfulness are not exactly the same creature. Peace of mind was needed because I had several decades of guilt and shame to settle if I was ever going to be usefully mindful of others. Meditation isn’t about thinking my way into mindfulness either. Mindfulness is the result of taking the action of sitting with myself once I’ve done some work in the previous Steps of the program.

     The previous Steps are actions… self examination and participating in resolving the outward conflicts the damage my drinking caused others. I can see the reasoning behind placing the Eleventh Step after I had done so; i.e., making a preliminary attempt and atoning for the harm I had done others. Once I did that it was easier to sit with myself and to allow the creative energy of the Heart of Compassion to guide me. I can sit with myself in the morning and I can abide throughout the day with the peace of mindfulness. As I make peace with others I make peace with God and, most importantly, I make peace with myself.

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