Find Your Light: Practicing Mindfulness to Recover from Anything

by Beverly Conyers

Overview

Author Beverly Conyers—one of the most respected voices in wellness and recovery—has guided hundreds of thousands of readers through the process of recognizing family roles in addiction, healing shame, building healthy relationships, releasing trauma, focusing on emotional sobriety, as well as acknowledging self-sabotaging behaviors, addictive tendencies, and substance use patterns. With her newest work, Conyers shows us how the practice of mindfulness can be a game-changing part of recovering from any- and everything.

Early in our recovery journey, we focused on healing. Further along in the process of recovering, we dare to believe it’s possible to embark on a new chapter, but often feel stuck. At times, we wonder...how do we create the breakthroughs we want?

With a mindfulness practice—meditation and other habits of awareness—we develop the courage to look within. As we hold space for ourselves, we find the light within that can spark change, personal growth, and self-compassion. Mindfulness is an irreplaceable part of the health and healing toolkit because it illuminates our true selves; as a result, it illuminates our recovery.

Conyers gives us an approachable mindfulness book with carefully designed reflections and practices that set us on a path forward. Her insight guides our way whether recovering from unhealthy relationships, addictions of all types, compulsive habits, anxiety and stress, workaholism, disordered eating, or mental health and emotional challenges—and whether we follow the Twelve Steps or not.

Discover why Beverly Conyers’ books have been a mainstay for support groups the world over, and why so many have turned to her insights and guidance. As the author of the recovery classic Addict in the Family, she has inspired hope and healing in a way few others have managed to match.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781616498030
Publisher:	Hazelden Publishing
Publication date:	11/26/2019
Pages:	168
Sales rank:	485,518
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Beverly Conyers, MA, is an editor and freelance writer who lives in New England. She is also the author of Addict in the Family, Everything Changes, and The Recovering Heart. David Sheff, bestselling author of Beautiful Boy, wrote of Conyers' first book: “When my eldest son became addicted to crystal meth and heroin, I could barely function. I would not have survived without Beverly Conyers’ Addict in the Family, which provided guidance and hope. I realized I wasn’t alone on my hellish journey. The book helped me get through interminable nights when I was terrified that his addiction would take his life. It offered a path to healing.”

Table of Contents

Introduction: What Now? 1

Why Mindfulness? 3

1 Present Light 7

Finding the Light 8

What Do You Intend? 11

Less Impulse, More Intention 15

The Power of Non-Doing 16

Just Breathe 20

Mindfulness and the Twelve Steps 21

From Powerlessness to Mindfulness 26

2 Waking Up 29

Thoughts and Awareness: What's the Difference? 31

Shedding Light on Our Preconceptions 33

Adjusting Your Default Setting: Avoiding Five Mental Traps 36

Seeing without Judging 41

Clarity through Humility 46

3 Enlightened Self-Awareness 51

What Is Happiness? 53

Enlightened Self-Awareness 56

A Fresh Take on a "Fearless Moral Inventory" 59

The Stories We Tell Ourselves 63

What Shame, Guilt, and Anger Can Teach Us 67

The One We Feed 72

4 The Healing Light of Compassion 75

Why Is There So Much Suffering? 76

Finding Meaning in Pain 79

What's Compassion Got to Do with It? 82

Difficult Relationships 85

Choosing Forgiveness 88

Why Self-Compassion Matters 92

5 The Beacon of Virtue 99

The Values-Happiness Connection 101

Lighting a Moral Path 103

The Eightfold Path 107

Freedom through Self-Discipline 111

What about Karma? 115

6 An Illuminated Life 119

A Power Greater Than Ourselves 120

The Illusion of Separateness 123

The Eternal in the Here and Now 127

Having Had a Spiritual Awakening 129

Rediscovering Joy 131

Afterword: Lightening Up 135

Acknowledgments 139

Resources 141

Notes 143

About the Author 149

Editorial Reviews

A different approach for people seeking a different path to recovery and overcoming addiction. Drawing on eastern traditions, the practice of mindfulness described here does not require religious belief, which will appeal to those looking for something less Christian-centric than Alcoholics Anonymous. Includes practice exercises with various prompts. 4 stars out of 5

Erin Gordenier

This slim little book packs a punch. Barbara Conyers takes you on the journey of self discovery of what it means to practice mindfulness in your life. She saddles up the 12-steps alongside going through what mindfulness is and isn’t. Ms. Conyers gives helpful exercises throughout the book to help you explore what being actively mindful is like. She also shows how addiction plays a role in our lives and how being mindful of what addictions we have and how to confront them is vital.

OpenlyBookish.Blog

Find Your Light is a short but powerful book that focuses on integrating mindfulness practices within the Twelve Step programs. Published by Hazelden Press, it is part of their literature dedicated to the recovery movement. It can be a helpful work for those involved in a personal recovery process who find the traditional Christian-focused language of the 12-step movement uncomfortable. The author does an excellent job of introducing simple mindfulness practices (meditation, compassion, being in the present moment) in a way that will enhance and supplement 12-step practices. Resources and practices that the reader can follow are provided as well. The author uses personal examples from her life as well as quotes from both recovery and mindfulness literature to help the reader learn more about the steps she advises. I think this will be a very useful books if one is interested in a 12-step program but not comfortable with Christian or traditionally religious language. 5 out of 5 stars

Nannette Stearns

This is a really nice book. I was lucky enough to attend an 8 week mindfulness based stress reduction class while I was working. There were strong ties to a local university as well as diversity with different practitioners. I agree with a previous reviewer who stated this book may be used for any type of addiction such as in my case internet shopping. I had let my mindfulness practice suffer due to chronic health problems. This book has reminded of the importance of mindfulness in self care. I would recommend this book to anyone who may be experiencing addiction or having difficulty letting go after a difficult life change. Family members struggling with a loved one’s addiction would also benefit from this book. 5 out of 5 stars

Leslie Wright-Bobholz

An introduction to mindfulness aimed at those in recovery from addiction, which for the purpose of this book means anyone who uses unhealthy distractions in an excessive way (from drugs and alcohol to food or the internet). This volume succeeds at offering ways to add a little mindfulness to everyday life - and reasons why you should make the effort - in readable text and without judgement or blame. Definitely recommend this for anyone who needs to make a change in their life, no matter what their struggle. In fact, going to buy this one for my sister! 5 out of 5 stars.

Erin Childs

Find Your Light is an excellent book for those in recovery for addiction who are interested in mindfulness. Well written. 5 out of 5 stars

Heather Bennett