Distraction wastes our energy, concentration restores it.

When you're wide open, the world is a good place.

Some people have a mistaken idea that all thoughts disappear through meditation and we enter a state of blankness. There certainly are times of great tranquility when concentration is strong and we have few, if any, thoughts. But other times, we can be flooded with memories, plans or random thinking. It's important not to blame yourself.

We need the courage to learn from our past and not live in it.

Dedicating some time to meditation is a meaningful expression of caring for yourself that can help you move through the mire of feeling unworthy of recovery. As your mind grows quieter and more spacious, you can begin to see self-defeating thought patterns for what they are, and open up to other, more positive options.

The meditation traditions I started and have continued practicing have all emphasized inclusivity: anyone can do this who is interested.

Meditation teaches us to focus and to pay clear attention to our experiences and responses as they arise, and to observe them without judging them.