The power of meditation is available to everyone. Women, especially, experience its unique benefits while in recovery from addiction. From daily habits to space for self-care, women can create their own work to help them navigate the daily challenges they face. Recovery is stressful on the mind and body. Mindfulness practices can really help women find a space of calm and center where they can gather their thoughts and find some healing for themselves.
Supplementing for Health
When people talk about supplements, they usually mean vitamins. Meditation is also a viable supplement, without taking a pill. Mindfulness and meditation actually help people find their center and focus on being present in the moment. Recovery is especially tough. It is easy to look back or look ahead and fixate on what cannot be controlled. The only thing women can control right now is what is in front of them. The power of meditation lies in owning the present moment, releasing distraction, and getting grounded.Practice Makes Perfect (Almost)
No amount of practice will make a person perfect. The meditative mind and body is always becoming, going on a journey of growth and discovery. Something new can be found out if the person is open to it. The best approach to mindfulness is with an open mind to sitting in stillness or being in a space where stillness is an option (like walking meditation). Some ideas to get started:- Find quiet space
- Focus on the moment, even in moving meditation
- Focus on breathing
- Sit quietly with a straight back
- Bring attention to the breath
- Let the mind wander if it wants, but don’t follow it
- Start slowly and build up from there
Healthy Habits
It may feel hard to practice healthy habits on the road to recovery. Rehab and addiction treatment is helpful for women, but they may struggle with how to navigate all the ins and outs. To keep up with healthy habits in recovery, there are different ways to think about it. For example, it can be from the point of the exercise: doing something for the mind that keeps it busy, and learning how to stay healthy overall with nutrition. With so much to think about, meditation may feel like just one more thing to add onto the list. However, healthy recovery is a holistic process that means trying different ways of meditating to stay healthy long-term.Mindfulness
Mindfulness meditation originates from Buddhist teachings. This type of meditation is the most popular and helps women with focus and concentration. There is also focus on the breath and what is happening in the body or mind. Mindfulness is about clearing the mind of clutter and arranging a time to focus on the present moment right then and there. Looking into the past or the future can cause stress or anxiety. Present moment thinking helps bring important awareness to here and now.Spiritual Meditation
Spiritual meditation is similar to silent prayer that brings women into a deeper connection with God or the Universe. A higher power is not everyone’s cup of tea, but it can help in recovery for some women. Essential oils may be part of the experience, while practicing at home or in a setting with others. Finding the right combination of oils, meditation, or even location can be important to the journey of discovering what works in meditation.Focused Meditation
This type of concentration uses the five senses. It can help to listen to a gong, stare at a candle flame, or try something else in practice that can help bring peace. Beginners may find it difficult to hold their focus for longer than a few moments. The mind is prone to wander, so it helps to work on re-focusing. This practice is ultimately ideal for women who desire additional focus in their life and increased attention.Moving Meditation
Yoga is seen as a type of moving meditation, but the practice can include anything from meditation paths, gardening, tai chi, and other forms of movement. This active form of meditation is difficult for some because it takes immense concentration to mindfully be in a place without being somewhere else. Women especially can enjoy this if they love being outside or using their bodies to move as a way to calm the mind.Moving Forward
Some women love using mantras when they meditate, while others enjoy moving their bodies. Women of all ages have the opportunity to explore meditation in ways that work best for them in recovery. It might be fun to try different kinds of meditation to see what works in any given moment. Maybe one sticks and that is the one a woman does for a long time because it helps her feel centered. No one thing is going to be perfect, either. This is not a healing pathway out of addiction. It is a way to discover how to support the mind and body on a better journey, wherever it may take an individual. Whatever a woman decides, mindfulness can be a great compliment to any recovery program she is doing and decides to do in the future.Casa Capri helps women find healing and hope in recovery. Mindfulness is one component of a larger picture of holistic recovery for women. Our staff and support teams can be available for women who are struggling with addiction, ultimately helping to guide their journey forward. Please call Casa Capri today: 844-593-8020
