Mindfulness

See Urge Surfing

Recommended Reading

• Mindfulness: A Jewish Approach by Dr. Jonathan Feiner
• Suggestions by themindfulwoman.org

Notes

Henry Steinberger, Ph.D. lists Mindfulness as the #1 relapse prevention strategy:

Learn to willingly accept your mind – The first step to preventing relapse is to understand and accept your mind. The presence of whatever your mind produces such as thoughts, beliefs, images, memories, feelings, or sensations is temporary. Even if you don’t like them, if you understand that the ideas your mind creates will change, you do not need to act on what your mind is thinking. This goes for urges and cravings. Note how they simply come and go. They may seem like a problem, but avoiding them through addictive behavior appears as the real problem in the long run. Consider learning and practicing “Mindfulness” to increase your ability to “sit with” or “ride out” urges without acting on them.

From GYE Members

• A thread about mindfulness - https://guardyoureyes.com/forum/2-What-Works-for-Me/327296-Sholoms-Mindfulness-Recovery-Path
• I have found that MINDFULNESS has helped me. When I get the urge to fall, I treat each urge like a cloud, a thought, which can be put in a "box" and will soon enough blow away on the wind. Rather than something I have to act on. #ColinColin

Torah Sources

• See concept of מנוחת הנפש in ספר חשבון הנפש, לפין, סי' קפד and in a few other places in the sefer as a solution for dealing with emotions and habits. Also in his introduction he talks about a person learned to focus on one thing for a long time, and it helped him improve his life drastically (Ch. 16).
  • מנוחת הנפש for improper thoughts - Ch. 109
• This might be related to the concept of "Hatzlacha Bizman" (see the Lubavitcher Rebbe, 20 Shevat 5730, Torah Menachem vol 59, p. 186-8).

Resources to Explore

• Jewish Meditation Explained