Introduction to Mindfulness_349810_bookemon_ebook.pdf Coaching and Practising Mindfulness | Page 90

Gradually the individual becomes trapped by their addiction as they cling to whatever refuge they have discovered, as though it were the only way to manage the pain of being human. According to Buddhism, people resort to addictions, not because they are morally weak or physically diseased, but out of a misguided (“ignorant”) intense form of attachment to something that appears to offer refuge or temporary immunity from suffering. They want what everyone wants: well being, freedom from pain, an experience of transcending the confines of their lives. But they are simply going about things in a misguided way. They want to avoid suffering; they fail to see that it is their addiction is causing most of their suffering. All of the practices involved in mindfulness training (e.g. yoga, sitting and walking meditation, body-scan, self-monitoring) are designed to enable a person to track the dynamics of their addictive thoughts, feelings and behaviour and to see them for what they are. Through facing the truth of what they do when they allow themselves become swept up n these behaviours, from a stable position of being grounded in the present moment and connected to their bodily experience, they discover they have choices other than to yield to the seduction of addiction. Specifically, the potential benefits of mindfulness to a person in recovery include the following: 1) Mindfulness training teaches the client to develop a detached awareness of the thoughts and cravings, without over-identifying with them to the extent they feel compelled to give in to their cravings. He or she learns to relate (with kindness) to their inner cognitive and emotional dynamics without having to react to them. 2) The practice of mindfulness enables the client to see that every human experience is impermanent. Through observing their minds, they notice that their thoughts, feelings and sensations are constantly changing. Pleasant sensations and images rise and pass; and the same is true of unpleasant experiences. This insight is liberating for the 89