What A Drug Addict Could Teach Us About Meditation

This weekend I received a call form my friend, she was sounding very worried. She told me that one of her cousin was into drugs and was recently hospitalized. She wanted me to visit him and motivate him to see his life with new perspective.

I was about to say in shock and surprise, “What the..! What do you think am I? A saint?” but this urge went away as swiftly as it came. I herd myself saying, “Alright! I’ll try.”

One could tell my looks and the mess around that he wasn’t very sound. Anyways, I sat down and we began talking. He was very resistant and seemed too arrogant. But I knew that behind these hard protective layers were some wounds which were not healing easily.

That day I learned a lot from him, really a lot. And today I want to share it with you, my fellow meditators.

I Don’t Give A Damn

That’s what he shouted. He said that he knew who I was and he didn’t need any psychiatrist. I told him that I was just a high school student. Then we started talking. He told me that he started taking drugs because he couldn’t bear to be bothered about life’s hardships anymore. He couldn’t keep up with all the troubles of being this and that, facing this and that he said he was tired and taking drugs gave him a break.

My immediate reaction was, “Are you gone nuts? Drugs?! Try meditation instead, you can have the same break and it won’t make a mess out of it.” But just before I could utter these words something in me restrained me and I was calm again, just listening.

It Feels Wonderful

He continued, he said that he started feeling wonderful under drugs’ affect. So he started talking more often to the extent where when was doped all the time. It was just pure addiction. He felt like so light and absolutely ‘wonderful’. He knew he was killing himself but at least he was enjoying it.

I was furious. I wanted to shout, “You fool! You have the power to feel wonderful 24×7 without those drugs. You have that power now. Meditate, Read, Travel these things would make you feel wonderful and won’t leave you rotten like drugs do. They won’t kill you either.” But again, persistent feeling of peace covered my mind. I choose to listen more.

Life is Absurd, People Hateful

He told me about his past, he resented being born in a dysfunctional family of people who were themselves so hurt and kept on hurting others. It was like he had no other choice but to either hurt or get hurt. Betrayal, fights, violence was common as television. He stated cutting himself and even attempted suicide a number of times. Tears were flowing down his cheeks like a raging river released form a dam.

I felt relieved with him, at last he trusts me, at last the feelings are flowing out. I could have said that “You have power to choose, you can change your life no matter where you are. You have that power in present.” But I knew that at moments like this, such words have no meaning.

Why?

Then he asked me why was it that he had to face all this? Was no one could understand him? WHY? He shouted at top of his voice, hit himself and started crying even more. For a moment I was shocked and horrified but I knew this was just his feelings coming out, he was releasing it all.

All this time I spoke nothing, I kept sitting and my sense of gratitude and love grew inside me. I was meditating on this wonderful human who was practicing his power of control. Like a child who falls while trying to walk and then get’s up again.

Soon his crying got less and less. He was asleep.

Can We Be Friends?

I got up and went back home. I told my friend that his cousin will be alright. Later I received a call from him and he thanked me for listening to him. He told me that there was no one in his 20 years of life who listened to him without judgement. He asked me if we could friends. I said, “Sure!”

He was a bit surprised as if he wasn’t expecting that. He asked, “Won’t you ask me to promise me to leave drugs or anything?” “No”, I said, “My friendship is unconditional.” I was amazed at my reply.

A brief meditation with this person changed me so much. From a person who gave instant answers I was becoming and realizing the true meaning of listening. He taught me patience, unconditional love, and above all – true meaning of oneness.

We are good friends now and he haven’t taken any drug since than. His health is recovering fast. He even meditated (again).

He taught me that when two people meditate together, knowingly or unknowingly, wonderful things happen and both end up being more than what they were earlier. That’s the power of co-creation.

Once then when he cried, and now again when he smiled, teaching us all so many lessons. Let’s thank this wonderful being who taught us so many things. I am full of gratitude to him, to show me how meditation can bring out a person from hopelessness to pure bliss.

Thank you, my friend.

Tagged as: addiction, crying out loud, healing drud addcition, meditation drug addcition, new perspective, physiatrist