Meditation for beginners

“For some, prayer is asking for God’s help; meditation is listening for God’s answer… Quieting the mind through meditation brings an inner peace that brings us into contact with the God within us.” – Basic Text, pp. 46–47

“Be patient when you’re learning to meditate,” many of us were told. “It takes practice to know what to ‘listen’ for.”

We’re glad someone told us that, or many of us would have quit after a week or two of meditating. For the first few weeks, we may have sat each morning, stilled our thoughts, and “listened,” just as the Basic Text said — but “heard” nothing. It may have taken a few more weeks before anything really happened. Even then, what happened was often barely noticeable. We were rising from our morning meditations feeling just a little better about our lives, a little more empathy for those we encountered during the day, and a little more in touch with our Higher Power.

For most of us, there was nothing dramatic in that awareness — no bolts of lightning or claps of thunder. Instead, it was something quietly powerful. We were taking time to get our egos and our ideas out of the way. In that clear space, we were improving our conscious contact with the source of our daily recovery, the God of our understanding. Meditation was new, and it took time and practice. But, like all the steps, it worked — when we worked it.

Just for Today:

I will practice “listening” for knowledge of God’s will for me, even if I don’t know what to “listen” for yet.

From the book “NA Just for Today”. © 1991 Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

A sense of humor

“We find that when we lose self-obsession, we are able to understand what it means to be happy, joyous, and free.” – Basic Text, p. I07

The laughter in our meetings often surprises the newcomer. As a group, we appreciate the healing that healthy laughter brings. Even if we are deeply troubled, the joy that often fills the meeting rooms allows us, for a time, to have some fun with our recovery. Through humor, we can be temporarily relieved of our obsession with self.

Life on life’s terms is often anything but funny. But if we can keep a sense of humor about us, things that might overwhelm us can be made bearable. How often have we allowed ourselves to be upset by incidents that, taken with a bit of humor, are not all that intolerable? When we become annoyed with people and events, a search for the humor in the situation can put things in a brighter perspective. An ability to find humor in a difficult situation is a gift to develop.

Just for Today:

I will look to find the humor in adversity. When I make mistakes, I will find a way to laugh at the humor of my imperfections.

From the book “NA Just for Today”. © 1991 Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Indirect amends

“lndirect amends may be necessary where direct ones would be unsafe or endanger other people.” – Basic Text, p. 4I

When we used, we allowed nothing to stand in the way of that next high. As a result, many of us didn’t always know precisely whom we had injured, either financially or emotionally. When it came time to make amends through our Ninth Step, we found that there were so many people we had victimized that we might never remember them all.

With the help of our sponsor and other recovering members of NA, we found a solution to this obstacle. We vowed to complete these nameless amends by making restitution to our communities. We focused our service efforts on helping the still-suffering addict. In this manner, we found a way to give back to society.

Today, with the love and guidance of members in NA, we are giving back to the world around us rather than taking. We are making our communities better places to live by carrying the message of recovery to those we encounter in our daily lives.

Just for Today:

I will make indirect amends by reaching out to an addict who may need help. I will strive in some small way to make my community a better place in which to live.

From the book “NA Just for Today”. © 1991 Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc.