Many individuals who have successfully maintained long-term
sobriety from sex addiction acknowledge their recovery is helped by the
practice of daily meditation. If you would like to add this practice to
your program of recovery from sex addiction, the information in this
article will give you some basics to get started.
There are many different forms of meditation and, as with prayer, you are free to choose a practice that you are most comfortable with. You may find using a meditative practice from an established tradition suits your personal style, or you may prefer to create a method of your own to help you in your recovery from sex addiction.
Meditation is an opportunity to set aside the hectic activity and demands of daily life. It is a chance to turn your thoughts from the work and difficulty you may experience on your journey in recovery from sex addiction and to enjoy a period of calmness. While you may not feel any different during the time you set aside to meditate, you will find after some time, that the effects of this practice are more apparent in your day to day life. You might find you are able to respond to sex addiction triggers or difficult situations with a new level of calmness. You may find that you begin to think clearer and come to value yourself and your abilities in a new way.
If you choose to apply this effective practice to your recovery from sex addiction program, you'll probably have quite a few questions in the beginning. You might find it helpful to discuss meditation with other people that are sober from sex addiction and find out what has helped them maintain their sobriety. While meditation may be uncomfortable in the beginning, stick with it.
Meditation can take place anywhere. You may want to dedicate a particular room or seat in your house to the practice, or perhaps you would be more comfortable outside by a river or in a field. The classic meditation posture is to sit with legs folded and hands on the lap or knees, but whatever makes you the most comfortable is completely acceptable. You may find it helpful to keep your eyes open, leaving all of your senses open, or you may close your eyes, find what's best for you.
The goal of meditation is not to fall asleep but to be in a state of relaxed alertness. For most practices, you will want to keep your eyes open but unfocused on anything in particular. Many people in recovery from sex addiction find it most helpful to set aside a specific time each day to meditate.
To get you started, here are a few basic types of meditation practices. Choose which one of these works best for you and start slowly. Remember, any effort you make toward meditation will support your recovery from sex addiction.
Guided Meditation
Guided meditation is a technique that helps you to focus on and direct your imagination toward a conscious goal. While there are CDs and tapes available to assist with guided meditation, it is also possible to do yourself. Take time to imagine yourself free of sex addiction and living in healthy sexuality. Take the time and make a special place for your meditation practice and let others know you'll be meditating for a period of time and please not interrupt you.
Focus On Your Breath
This form of meditation is the most widely known. Exhale strongly a few times to start and then, once you begin, focus on your breathing alone. If your mind drifts, especially to thoughts of sex addiction, gently bring it back to the sensation of breathing in and of breathing out. It helps to just start by focusing on your in breath, breath in slowly and feel the oxygen filling up your lungs, counting as you inhale and then holding the breath for a second or two and then exhaling slowly with the goal of your exhale, twice as long as your inhale. So if you inhale for 6 seconds, you'd want to exhale for 12 seconds and repeat this a few times until you decide on how many times you want to practice.
Observe an Object
Allow your mind to rest on a particular object. This might be an image of your Higher Power or any other object that has meaning for you, and is not related to you sex addiction. It could simply be a spot on the wall, a tree, rock or any object to keep your attention fixed and not wandering.
Recite a Mantra
For this practice, choose a mantra that holds meaning for you within your understanding of God. You might wish to recite the rosary. Perhaps you'd prefer to recite the Serenity Prayer, a common prayer for those in recovery from sex addiction. You can simply ask your Higher Power for calmness, peace, serenity, or one I like to use from John Gray, "God, Higher Power, my heart is open to you, please come sit in my heart" Speak quietly and pay complete attention to the words you are saying and the breaths you are using.
Adding the practice of meditation into your daily life will help to keep you balanced throughout all of the ups and downs that life brings, both inside of your recovery from sex addiction and without. Begin with a few minutes a day and see if you can work your way up to a 20 minute period of meditation. You may soon begin to look forward to, and long for, this period of quiet and clarity away from your recovery from sex addiction.
There are many different forms of meditation and, as with prayer, you are free to choose a practice that you are most comfortable with. You may find using a meditative practice from an established tradition suits your personal style, or you may prefer to create a method of your own to help you in your recovery from sex addiction.
Meditation is an opportunity to set aside the hectic activity and demands of daily life. It is a chance to turn your thoughts from the work and difficulty you may experience on your journey in recovery from sex addiction and to enjoy a period of calmness. While you may not feel any different during the time you set aside to meditate, you will find after some time, that the effects of this practice are more apparent in your day to day life. You might find you are able to respond to sex addiction triggers or difficult situations with a new level of calmness. You may find that you begin to think clearer and come to value yourself and your abilities in a new way.
If you choose to apply this effective practice to your recovery from sex addiction program, you'll probably have quite a few questions in the beginning. You might find it helpful to discuss meditation with other people that are sober from sex addiction and find out what has helped them maintain their sobriety. While meditation may be uncomfortable in the beginning, stick with it.
Meditation can take place anywhere. You may want to dedicate a particular room or seat in your house to the practice, or perhaps you would be more comfortable outside by a river or in a field. The classic meditation posture is to sit with legs folded and hands on the lap or knees, but whatever makes you the most comfortable is completely acceptable. You may find it helpful to keep your eyes open, leaving all of your senses open, or you may close your eyes, find what's best for you.
The goal of meditation is not to fall asleep but to be in a state of relaxed alertness. For most practices, you will want to keep your eyes open but unfocused on anything in particular. Many people in recovery from sex addiction find it most helpful to set aside a specific time each day to meditate.
To get you started, here are a few basic types of meditation practices. Choose which one of these works best for you and start slowly. Remember, any effort you make toward meditation will support your recovery from sex addiction.
Guided Meditation
Guided meditation is a technique that helps you to focus on and direct your imagination toward a conscious goal. While there are CDs and tapes available to assist with guided meditation, it is also possible to do yourself. Take time to imagine yourself free of sex addiction and living in healthy sexuality. Take the time and make a special place for your meditation practice and let others know you'll be meditating for a period of time and please not interrupt you.
Focus On Your Breath
This form of meditation is the most widely known. Exhale strongly a few times to start and then, once you begin, focus on your breathing alone. If your mind drifts, especially to thoughts of sex addiction, gently bring it back to the sensation of breathing in and of breathing out. It helps to just start by focusing on your in breath, breath in slowly and feel the oxygen filling up your lungs, counting as you inhale and then holding the breath for a second or two and then exhaling slowly with the goal of your exhale, twice as long as your inhale. So if you inhale for 6 seconds, you'd want to exhale for 12 seconds and repeat this a few times until you decide on how many times you want to practice.
Observe an Object
Allow your mind to rest on a particular object. This might be an image of your Higher Power or any other object that has meaning for you, and is not related to you sex addiction. It could simply be a spot on the wall, a tree, rock or any object to keep your attention fixed and not wandering.
Recite a Mantra
For this practice, choose a mantra that holds meaning for you within your understanding of God. You might wish to recite the rosary. Perhaps you'd prefer to recite the Serenity Prayer, a common prayer for those in recovery from sex addiction. You can simply ask your Higher Power for calmness, peace, serenity, or one I like to use from John Gray, "God, Higher Power, my heart is open to you, please come sit in my heart" Speak quietly and pay complete attention to the words you are saying and the breaths you are using.
Adding the practice of meditation into your daily life will help to keep you balanced throughout all of the ups and downs that life brings, both inside of your recovery from sex addiction and without. Begin with a few minutes a day and see if you can work your way up to a 20 minute period of meditation. You may soon begin to look forward to, and long for, this period of quiet and clarity away from your recovery from sex addiction.
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