Mindfulness in Recovery

One of the hardest challenges in recovery is finding new, safe ways to cope with stress.

Guided meditation can help by providing instructions and prompts to assist in navigating the process. There are all types of guided meditations designed to help different types of thinking and address different topics. An example may be to try focused breathing for 30 seconds, and as it becomes more comfortable, try it for 1 minute, and so on.   It takes practice, so keep it simple and short. 

If guided meditation is something you would be interested in trying to see if it could help you, check out our new guided meditation recordings in the media section of our website. We will start providing new recordings posted on a regular basis. 

Meditation Transcript

Visualization can be a great tool for some people. You may or may not be one of them. No one imagines in the same way. You may see clear images, or perhaps you imagine with words or feelings. Whatever way you experience things in your mind is fine. If you have difficulty during this visualization, that is fine too. Just try to relax and let your imagination do the work for you.

To begin, sit or lie down in a relaxed position. Close your eyes or soften your gaze. Focus on your breathing. Slowly, deeply breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Feel the air moving up your nose and filling your lungs. Notice the temperature and pressure of the air moving over your lips as you exhale. (5-second pause)

Breathe in….and out…..in……and out.

I’d like you to visualize yourself sitting by a gently flowing stream. Observe the color of the water and the speed at which it flows. Hear it lap against the rocks along the shore. As you look upstream, you see a large tree with leaves slowly falling into the water and drifting by. Notice the color and shape of the leaves as they fall. Smell the water in the air.

For the next few minutes, I want you to focus only on this scene. Any thought that enters your mind, any distraction you may encounter, gently place it on a leaf and watch it float down the stream.

Focus on the flowing water, allowing it to move at its own speed. If you have a thought or feeling arise, acknowledge it without judgment, and place it on a floating leaf. Anything that may distract you is neither good nor bad, it simply is. (5-second pause)

Keep breathing. As you sit by the steam, you may find your mind pulling you away from this moment and the stream. If so, gently bring yourself back to the water’s edge. Place the distraction on a leaf and watch it float away. (5-second pause)

If you notice any pain or discomfort in your body, you may readjust and place that tension on a leaf. (5-second pause)

Should you wish to retrieve any thought or feeling you’ve released, you may do so after your time of rest is complete. They will all be waiting for you at the end of the stream if you wish to retrieve them. Or you may want them to stay there. It’s your choice. (5-second pause)

Once you have allowed all distractions to float by, enjoy this feeling of peace and serenity. Allow yourself to be calmed by the water and the floating leaves. (5-second pause)

Thank yourself for taking the time to rest your mind. When you are ready, you may open your eyes and remember that you can return to the stream at any point to place your worries and cares on a leaf.