karenjones and I want to try and get this Mindfulness group going again. I practice multiple forms of mindfulness but just chose Centering Prayer as one way to start this discussion off. I had been using a form of centering/meditation called Lectio Divina for many years before I quit smoking on May 15, 2017. It was extremely disheartening for me in the early weeks of my quit when I experienced (as many do) difficulty in focusing and paying attention. I still went thru the motions of my daily meditation ritual, but really did not receive much benefit from it. I nearly gave up my quit because I was afraid I would never be able to meditate again.
One form of mindfulness that helped immensely in those early days was practicing "awareness". Instead of being overcome and totally consumed by those terrible craves, I focused on them. I analyzed them. I fully experienced them and became totally aware of the sensations and feelings they were creating in me. As the craves and lack of focus faded away, I am happy to say I was able to return to my daily centering/meditation.
Here's a good book for beginners and regular meditators alike:
https://www.amazon.com/Centering-Prayer-Daily-Life-Ministry/dp/0826410413/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=gustav...
Would be happy to discuss it in this blog, or create a new one for it. Here's a book I've heard great things about. I'd love to get a few people to read with me and start a discussion:
https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Centering-Prayer-Christianity-Practice/dp/1611803144/ref=sr_1_1?hvadid=...
