not employ your higher human qualities, such as intellectual, artistic, and spiritual activities.

Doorway Six: Cultivate healthy relationships to discourage addiction. Many people become addicted in part because of painful and unsatisfying relationships. In turn, addiction can destroy even the best relationship. As you become more mindful of relationship patterns, you can begin to change them, reducing the need to indulge your addiction.

Doorway Seven: Explore dreams to expand your view of who you are beyond the limited point of view of your conscious, rational self. Dreams offer clues about what is missing and what is out of balance. Often these are blind spots which we have difficulty seeing consciously.

Doorway Eight: Practice mindfulness at work. A mindful life involves mindfulness in all areas of life. Practicing mindfulness at work can help you stay calm and centered there as well.

Doorway Nine: Learn to hold and embrace difficult emotions to ensure successful recovery. There are well-established methods for dealing with difficult feelings. If you need extra help, therapy may be a useful aid.

Doorway Ten: Practice, practice, practice. An intellectual understanding of how to change your life is just the beginning. Direct experience brings the peace, health, and wholeness you seek.

Mindful Recovery: A Spiritual Path to Healing from Addiction

Thomas Bien