There is no specific way to do a meditation to quit smoking. Just normal “mindfulness” meditation will work.
If you’ve tried meditation before and felt that it isn’t for you then it is never too late to start again. In fact, an old Buddhist monk told me once that no one actually “meditates”, people only “practice meditation”. You won’t sit down, close your eyes and immediately empty your mind straightaway, experience the enlightenment and become Buddha.
You try, you practice. And with practice, you get better – just like anything else.
So, don’t worry if you think you aren’t making any progress or if you think you are wasting your time. No time spent practicing meditation is a waste. You are always improving. Teaching your mind mindfulness.
What to do if my mind starts to wonder?
You may be sitting with your eyes closed and realize that, instead of meditating, you have been thinking about what groceries you need to buy. But don’t worry if that’s the case, we all do these things! Just put your mind back on your breathing.
Concentrate on the sensation of the breath going in and out of the nose. Watch your breathing and watch your mind. If you are completely in the moment of now – not dwelling on the past breath nor anticipating the next breath – you are doing it right.
It can be frustrating at first that your efforts in mindfulness are continually clouded by everyday thoughts but as long as you keep putting your attention back onto your breath you will start to improve you concentration.
How do I meditate in order to quit smoking?
There is lots of advice about what to affirm or imagine while you are meditating. For example, at the hiatus of your relaxation with the meditation you can affirm “I breathe easier and feel healthier every day” or visualize a mountain stream with crystal clear pure water. However, this is closer to self-hypnosis, as if you are affirming or imagining anything the you are not meditating.
Just the meditation alone will help you stop smoking. Remember to always meditate first thing in the morning before you’ve had a cigarette. Your lungs will be at their cleanest and you’ll will start to hate the thought of having your first cigarette after the meditation that has left you feeling so pure and clean.
Pretty soon, you’ll not want to smoke at all and leave out that first cigarette of the day. Maybe you’ll make it to lunch without having had one. Then see how you feel after lunch, see if you would want to smoke after the meal as normal.
But maybe you don’t want that one either! And so it goes on. See how long you can go without smoking. If you really want one, you can have one. But see if you can make it a full day without smoking.
If you can do that – last a whole day without smoking – then it’s likely that you won’t ever have another cigarette ever again.
