The following cards (#13-30) are additional spiritual principles and practices that can be essential in recovery.
Splash of a raindrop
Who hasn’t stayed up too late trying to finish a project only to suffer the consequences the next day? Or, who hasn’t rushed around fulfilling obligations then suddenly felt irritable from hunger after missing a meal? Mindfulness allows us to pause and check in with ourselves no matter what activity we’re doing. While meditation is a more formal practice that helps us train the mind, mindfulness is the practice of purposefully paying attention to our thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment in the middle of everything. This reconnection to the present takes us off autopilot as we experience each moment objectively as a witness. Instead of getting stressed out by the narrative we’re writing about what is happening, we simply watch each moment as it unfolds. We stop wandering around in the past or the future and simply observe the present moment with curiosity. Such attention can ground us and bring clarity, keeping us from acting impulsively. For instance, we may notice our thoughts are hastily constructing a snide remark; we can choose to pause and check our motives (and what lies beneath them). Such mindful spot-checks can keep us in the present while allowing us to navigate life with awareness.
The little moments? They aren’t little.
~ Jon Kabat-Zinn
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