Addiction: A Different Approach
and Samadhi are the final limbs of the eight limb path. The final two limbs are about surrendering. Dhyana means meditation and through meditation comes mindfulness. As stated earlier, everyone yearns for this state of mind; athletes, artists, and performers know about this state of mind through their devotion and dedication. It is this realm of energy that truly spiritual people will feel in their practice. Dhyana leads to the final phase of the yogic spiritual path known as Samadhi, which means surrender to God. It is what Buddhism calls Enlightment. It is what the late John Newton wrote about in the popular Christian hymn Amazing Grace: “I was once lost, but now I am found, was blind, but now I see”. Samadhi is nothing that is forced upon; it is what happens naturally when one finds their own spiritual path. It is here when we can finally move through the dance of life with rhythm and flow. This is what grace is.
In closing, I think the most essential aspect to the road to recovery is beginning the journey. I believe spirituality is not only true in addiction, but in life itself. Many of the problems that exist in mental health are what Lozoff (2007) calls “spiritually clumsy…wisdom and joy come only when learning how to see a wider, more wondrous would; the power comes only from the Spirit within” (p. 3). I admire groups such as AA/NA for incorporating spirituality into recovery, however, I still think AA puts too much emphasis on the addiction itself. I do not think that an addict has to live with the label “I am an addict” for the rest of their life. I also believe that most alcoholics can learn to manage their alcohol problem without abstinence. If the true goal is abstinence, than it will happen with spiritual growth; it can’t be coerced, or manipulated, it is a natural process. Just how addiction becomes engraved through repeated patterns, so can it be set free through repeated patterns of mindfulness. Once new ways of well-being is established, old habits will be replaced by a joyful way of life.
References:
Gates, R. & Kenison, K. (2002). Meditations from the mat. New York: Anchor Books
Lozoff, B. (2007). We’re all doing time. Durham, NC: Human Kindness Foundation.
Peele, S. & Brodsky, A. (1991). The truth about addiction and recovery. New York: Simon & Schuster
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