Holistic Healing for Addiction

Meditation

            Profound study validates the effectiveness of meditation to quell manic bouts of anxiety, mental anguish, and stress. What was once perceived madness in the absence of activity- what we, as Americans are programed to do in all points of the day (even if it is manic scrolling)- is necessary to help attain inner peace and grasp an acute look of our innate nature. Tim Kreider notes meditation as a vehicle to pursue our ultimate ends,

"The space and quiet that idleness provides is a necessary condition forstanding back from life and seeing it whole, for making unexpected connectionsand waiting for the wild summer lightning strikes of inspiration- it is,paradoxically, necessary to getting any work done."

In contrast to what many ascribe as a mere focus of breathing, meditation is a state of mind wherein introspective analysis occurs, processing emotions, thoughts of the present, and aspirations of the future come to heel. The active process of meditation entreats successful manifestation of our aspirations by catapulting us beyond our stymied development. In terms of recovery, meditation may be wielded as a means of transformation, and perhaps a powerful deterrent for relapse if practiced in the pursuit of inner knowledge, and has a release of unbridled emotions.

My father is a master of the martial arts, heralding an 8th degree black belt in Ju Jit Su, 4th degree black belt in Oyama Karate, a 3rd degree black belt in both Wu Su and Judo, and a four stripe red belt in Taekwondo. Practicing meditation every single morning, he prepares himself to conquer the day, describing his sessions as "me time," to evaluate, prepare, and rest; to let go of the trials of days past; arm himself for the day to come; and to guide what is to come in directions situating himself in the best possible progression towards the channels unlocking the doors to internal and outward progression.

When I was seven my father gifted me a dragon pendant. I wear his gem around my neck every day and night without fail. The pendant was given to him by his sensei, Master Little John, when he was also seven, and escaping from the waste of Harlem. Which should have rendered him hopeless against the fate of chronic addiction, thievery, homicide, and a young, painful death as an African American growing up in the tides of the Civil Rights movement of the 60- enduring aftermath in the 70s. My father found solace in martial arts and meditation.

This unfathomable treasure, gifted to him by the man who saved his life, is the anchor reminding me to always honor my father and his legacy. Conversely, the Dragon is emblazoned with a simple stone of onyx, which serves as a protection talisman- and I regard it as an "access point" where I can tap into a deep reservoir of personal power in moments of dire circumstance.

You too can benefit from a symbol which helps you to submerge yourself into the depths of your spirit to revel in the untapped tides of personal strength trapped by your inability to value the one person who can save you from yourself: you. Meditation will help you realize your full potential, and make you aware of the self-inflicted inhibitors preventing the haste of an assured recovery. Do not mistake me, meditation ought not be rushed, and should be practiced with the dedication to master a skill you will use for a lifetime of self-elucidation- to pass on to future generations. Yet, for the purposes of this introductory text, you will come away with a working knowledge of meditation and how to employ the other holistic healing arts found within the pages of this book.

Apart from the profound psychological donatives of meditation, there exist measured neurological boons of the practice- many of which overlap into pathways directly conducive of recovery. Ferris Jabr states meditation is responsible for augmenting "sophisticated mental abilities, like abstract thoughts and introspection." The development of creative skills, and the ultimate pursuit of higher thought helps to stave off relapse, for people in recovery who are active after their time in rehabilitation focus their attentions to other means of fulfillment. Incidentally, Jabr notes meditation increased "the volume and density of the hippocampus" a region of the brain in direct control of memory. Subsequently, bolstering the hippocampus "thickens regions of the frontal cortex that we rely on to rein in our emotions; and it stymies the typical wilting of brain areas responsible for sustaining attention." If you recall from an earlier chapter, we assessed improving cognition and working memory is an essential component of helping to prevent relapse- one way to achieve those ends is practicing frequent meditation.