Mindful Recovery: A Spiritual Path to Healing from Addiction A Spiritual Path to Healing from Addiction

"This wise book provides practical exercises that will help us to develop conscious awareness and inner understanding, and the ways and means to free us from unsatisfying habits, addictions, and unconscious behavior patterns. I recommend it highly."
Lama Surya Das, author of the bestselling Awakening the Buddha Within

"Anyone interested in finding a kind, spiritual guide to recovery that focuses on flexibility rather than the ‘one true way’ will benefit from this enjoyable and helpful book."
Maia Szalavitz, coauthor with Joseph Volpicelli, M.D., of Recovery Options: The Complete Guide

In Mindful Recovery, you’ll discover a fresh and effective method for healing from addiction that can help you handle important challenges, from managing anxiety and resisting cravings to dealing with emotional and physical imbalance.

Drawing on both ancient spiritual wisdom and the authors’ extensive clinical psychological work with their patients over many years, Mindful Recovery shows you how to use the simple Buddhist practice of mindfulness to be aware of and enjoy life in the present moment without the need to enhance or avoid experience with addictive behaviors. Mindful Recovery guides you step by step through ten powerful "doorways" to mindful recovery, giving you specific strategies that can help you cultivate a sense of calm awareness and balance in your life.

Filled with personal stories of recovery, practical exercises, instructions for meditation, and more, Mindful Recovery accompanies you on a journey of exploration and healing that will help you find the strength and the tools to change, leading you to a fresh new experience of everyday living.

Foreword by G. Alan Marlett, Ph.D.

Acknowledgments.

Part One: Mindful Recovery.

Introduction: Getting to Here and Now.

The Process of Change.

Part Two: The Ten Doorways to Mindful Recovery.

Doorway One: Seeing the Magic of the Ordinary.

Practice: Be Aware of Your Breathing.

Practice: Reclaim the Magic.

Practice: Establish Moments of Mindfulness.

Practice: Stop Making Hope an Obstacle.

Practice: Recognize Enough.

Doorway Two: Telling Life Stories.

Practice: Write Your Own Obituary.

Practice: Claim Your Freedom.

Practice: Weigh the Pros and Cons of Sin/Redemption.

Practice: Contact the Hero Within

Doorway Three: Journaling.

Practice: Learn to Write without Censoring.

Practice: See Mistakes as Part of Living.

Practice: Identify the Chapters of Your Life.



Practice: Write Your Own Unique Life Line.

Doorway Four: Meditating.

Practice: Establish a Meditation Practice.

Practice: Experience the Breath as Happening of Itself.

Practice: Learn Not to Struggle.

Doorway Five: Recreation and Nature.

Practice: See Yourself and the World as Not Two.

Practice: Use Television Mindfully.

Practice: Shop for True Necessities.

Doorway Six: Loving.

Practice: See It from Their Perspective.

Practice: See Each Other at Meals.

Practice: Listen Deeply.

Practice: Enjoy Mindful Touching.

Doorway Seven: Dreaming.

Doorway Eight: Working.

Practice: Meditate on Work as Blessing and Curse.

Practice: Find Alternative Ways to Restore Yourself after Work.

Practice: Transform Your Thinking.

Doorway Nine: Transforming Negative Emotions.

Practice: The Five Remembrances.

Practice: The Four Noble Truths.

Doorway Ten: Living Moment by Moment.

Practice: Imagine Nothing.

Recommended Reading.

Index.

THOMAS BIEN, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and public speaker with experience running workshops, lectures, and seminars on addiction and spirituality. BEVERLY BIEN, M.Ed., is the executive director of La Vida Felicidad, an agency that provides services to people with disabilities; she co–leads the workshops, lectures, and seminars on addiction and spirituality with Thomas Bien. She holds a master's degree in counseling psychology. Visit the authors' Web site at mindfulpsychology.com.