If you were to ask me what daily habit has supported my sobriety the most over the last nine years, meditation would be it! This is why every Sun & Moon Sober Living meeting incorporates meditation and developing a personal practice is a major emphasis of the Holistic Sober Living Course.
Below are five key ways meditation will help you find freedom from addiction and sustain sobriety for the longterm.
DECONDITION YOUR MIND
Many of us have been conditioned to believe that alcohol will help us relieve stress, cure social anxiety, gain confidence, celebrate, process grief, get to sleep and so forth. Meditation allows us to see past our programming, and question the true impact alcohol is having on our lives from a clear perspective.SWITCH OFF AUTOPILOT
How many times have you told yourself you were going to quit drinking or make a behavior change only to find yourself repeating the same old habit again the very next day? Through regular meditation practice, we learn to interrupt our conditioned responses, habitual behaviors and thought patterns so we can make choices that are in alignment with who we truly want to be.RELIEVE STRESS AND ANXIETY
Meditation is a powerful tool for stress management and nervous system regulation. This is important to sustaining sobriety because we are far less reactive and susceptible to craving triggers when we are in a calm, relaxed state. It’s also beneficial for those who were previously dependent on alcohol for short term “relief” from stress to develop skills that are effective without longterm consequences.PRESENT MOMENT AWARENESS
With an untrained mind, it’s easy to start ruminating on the past or conjuring up fears about the future, which can put our sobriety at risk. Meditation keeps our awareness grounded in the present, where we can take life moment by moment.IDENTIFY EARLY WARNING SIGNS
Through daily practice, meditation allows us to develop an intimate relationship with the physical body, as well as the more subtle aspects of the mind and emotions. Because of this, we can identify when something is off, such as feeling agitated or reactive, and respond accordingly before we become high-risk for relapse.
If you’re interested in exploring this further, you can access my breathwork and guided meditation bundle here, apply for 1:1 coaching, or join the waitlist for the next round of the Holistic Sober Living Course, which incorporates a wide range of tools and practices.
