Mantras...

[[lo...]]

Hey everyone...

I'm trying to heal, and what I've noticed is that my biggest obstacle to healing seems to be my own thinking. When I was younger, I sometimes had mantras - I'm sure other people just call them sayings or aphorisms - that I would say to myself throughout the day to try and give myself a clearer picture of reality. I can't promise that this will help anyone, because I'm not sure if it's going to help me, yet, but starting today, I'm resolving to replacing any thoughts I have that are negative, self-defeating, untrue, or designed to hurt with a mantra. Here's a few that I'm going to try starting out with:

 

Thank you for my healing.

 

Thank you for my recovery.

 

I will always do the right thing [even if I'm not sure what that is].

 

The last one has to do with something that I'm sure many of you have also experienced. As many of you are probably aware, benzos can sometimes have the effect of obliterating one's "conscience" or sense of moral decision-making. I've often been "stuck" because I constantly put myself down because of this. I need to remind myself that I am capable of acting in a thoughtful, kind way. I guess some other phrases that might help might something like WWJD/What would Jesus/a Jesus-like person do? Or just pick out a role model, or refer to your old self, just someone who you know is kind, thoughtful, and giving.

 

Do any of you use mantras, or have a favorite saying that gets you through? I've seen a few common posted on the forum, such as "If you are going through hell, keep going!" and "You cannot change the past, but you will change the future." Any thoughts?

[[ji...]]

We have a crap load in AA

"Let go and let God" is one of my favorites. It reminds me that I need to turn it over to a higher power and have faith things will ultimately reveal the truth of this world

also "soap and water wash the outside tears wash the inside" is another one I like

[[Ju...]]

Good topic! My mantra is in my signature line..the part about this setting us up for life.  I have to think nothing, NOTHING, will ever be this bad, so if I can get through this relatively unscathed, I will be "set for life."

[[el...]]

One that I have said thousands of times through this w/d is: “I am healing. I am healing. I am healing.”

 

Throughout my w/d, especially when it was bad, I would run the AA phrase through my head: “Nothing changes if nothing changes.” It reminds me what this is all about.

 

Life was getting pretty crappy very rapidly on booze and benzos. I wanted the “happy, joyous and free” life that I heard about in the AA rooms. I made the change of ending the drink and pills so that I can have the wonderful change in my life. W/d is in between these two changes. Being 18 months out now, and having survived the horrid, black, seemingly endless depression, the second change is in sight - the happy, joyous and free stuff. When I get waves here and there, I keep reminding myself that I made the first change and it’s only a matter of time till the second change sings out loudly in my life.

 

eli

 

[[Th...]]

There are a couple mantras that I use all the time, neither one is in english so they seem more exotic and important than they would otherwise.  The first is Om mani padme hum, which roughly means infinite radiance and compassion for all sentient beings and is something that invokes memories of college and all the time that I spent with Zen/Buddhist teachers. I was so idealistic and happy back then and repeating that mantra brings me back from bitterness and depression.

 

The second is Possunt quia posse videntur, which means they can because they think they can and is really about the power of positive thinking. I used to be a very negative person and will stray there from time to time, but I have learned that when I stay positive and believe in myself I can achieve great things. I feel so empowered by my decision to get off of Klonopin that I have begun taking on other goals that seem nearly impossible. It's just so cool that I can now go camping and not have to live in constant fear that my pack will get lost, my klonopin will somehow get wet and dissolve, etc. etc. and I don't have to worry about finding a doctor/pharmacy if I go somewhere for longer than a month!!

 

In addition to those mantras I use a technique for dealing with negativity by closing my eyes and telling myself to let go and to stop clinging. I then imagine positive results and practice positive reinforcement. That has helped a lot.