I've been thinking about Step 11: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood him, asking only for knowledge of His will for us and the Power to carry that out.
I think that I understand the difference between prayer and meditation, yet it seems that during meditation, one could also be involved in prayer. For example, saying the Serenity Prayer over and over is a kind of meditation for me when I am in a stressed situation. It relaxes me and provides a way for me to approach my HP. The calming effect comes with a "solution" to whatever is on my mind. I can then reflect on what the issue is and turn over in my mind how I will resolve the issue and how I can put it into action in my life.
I especially like being on the boat or on the beach and going off to a quiet place to sit and just stare at the water. I have also experienced a closeness to my HP during my morning prayers. I want to take in all that's around me and enjoy the sensations. It's as if a stillness comes over me, altogether comforting. I've read that others simply tell themselves to "Be still" so that they can approach God. I need to clear my mind of all the distractions that are rushing in and the best way for me to do that is to force them out with the mantra of the Serenity Prayer.
I think that over time with prayer and meditation, I will have closer contact with my HP and the message that I receive will become clearer.
Hey Syd! I'm Celeste and I'm an Al-Anoner, co-dependent and child of adult children of alcoholics.
ReplyDeleteRe: meditation--my meditation comes in weird places, too. Get this--I meditate as I DRIVE. Crazy, I know! But when I'm driving, I have to keep my hands and feet in certain positions. I have to focus on the road. On good days (the best days), I can turn off the music/news and simply DRIVE. And I don't even LIKE driving - but as the place where I used to do some of the worst of my stinking thinking, it has proven an excellent space in which to really observe what I'm doing in my head, to detach, to become/listen to that Greater Other that Jung and Campbell tell us about. I've successfully identified a host of awful, non-productive habits this way. It's like an ongoing 4th step.
Anyway, I just googled for Al-Anon blogs/forums and found you. You've inspired me to find yet another meditation method.
Best to you,
Celeste
South Louisiana
weird..I was just walking home with little bear in the rain and thinking about how much my morning meditations help me start my day with a clear or semi cleared head..
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You are so thoughtful in your sharing Syd :)
If everyone would give so much thought to everything, the world would be a better place. You are doing a good job Syd. XXXOOO
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