Meditations

Please note: Submissions will not be returned to the author.  All submissions will undergo review and not all will be included in the published book.  Those that are will be subject to editing, which may alter the wording but hopefully not the intended message of the original submission.  Included meditations will not be attributed to the author.  Each submission will be treated anonymously throughout the review and editing process.  Your unique thoughts and feelings are highly valued and a true gift to EDA.  Please ensure that no part of your submission includes copyrighted material other than literature published by EDA.  The General Service Board of EDA, Inc. will hold copyright to the final text.

Things to keep in mind: 

• EDA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution. Meditations that include references to specifics will be edited accordingly.
• Abstinence vs. Balance
  • Abstinence is about avoidance of what we don’t want (negative goal)
  • Balance is about embracing what we truly love and need (positive goal)
• Milestones vs Numbers
  • We don’t count calories, weight/size/ounces/pounds, miles, or anything else of that sort
  • We don’t officially recognize days, weeks, months, or years of recovery because:
    • All any of us have is this moment, this day.
    • We want everyone to feel safe claiming their truth exactly as it is.  If we make mistakes, we need to own them and learn from them, not obfuscate because we are embarrassed.
    • No one is ever in a one-up or one-down position with respect to any other human being
    • No matter the durability and strength of our recoveries, we are all equals
    • Each of us has our own journey: our own light, love, hope, and joy to share
    • We are here to support one another as best we can
    • We are all enough—empowered to do amazing things—exactly as we are: getting caught up in “I don’t have enough recovery to do that” is the wrong mindset.
  • Unofficially, many of us do share years of recovery because so many people never thought we could maintain full recovery from our eating disorders for years: it is very hopeful to hear about it! We just want to be clear about the point: focusing on what we are doing right is a key to recovery.  
  • We count Milestones—however we define them: the things we ourselves have done that are supportive of our own recovery—each and every day
  • Focusing on the positive helps reduce obsession with negative thoughts and habits
  • Celebrating one another’s milestones helps us recognize all the small things we think and do that make all the difference!
• Full recovery
  • Even once we understand what recovery really means, it often takes a year or more of solid effort for people to build enough trust in themselves and God/Higher Power/higher purpose to be completely free of their eating disorders
  • If and only if we are willing to take risks to build this trust, we will have recoveries that are durable and resilient—not vulnerable to “weird mental blank spots” or “triggers.” 
  • Full reliance on God/Higher Power/higher purpose to bring peace and perspective results in full recovery. It is totally worth taking the time, patience, forbearance, and willingness to admit and address our problems so we can find solutions. There are solutions to every problem, and all that stubbornness can come in handy: we are resilient and determined lot. We do find solutions that work for us, regardless of circumstances.   
• Not about food
  • The problem (an eating disorder) is not about food/weight/body image or exercise. Neither is the solution!
  • Recovery is about feelings, and full recovery is not about control, but about surrender and acceptance. We cannot simply “cage the tiger and let it out three   times a day to eat.” We ARE the tiger: caging ourselves doesn’t allow us to live free.
  • Recovery is not rigid
  • Full recovery means we eat when hungry, stop when moderately full, and focus on how we can make the most of our time here on earth.  Our bodies can be trusted to tell us what they need… if we are willing to build that trust by taking small risks over time and learn from our experiences.