BLAB 01: Focus on Meditation - Sobriety, Recovery and BeyondBLAB 01: Focus on Meditation - Sobriety, Recovery and Beyond
The SHAIR Recovery Podcast
A live recovery discussion centred on meditation, with Omar Pinto, Marcela Diaz and others sharing simple ways to handle mental chatter and build a personal practice. The conversation also touches on prayer, balance, and keeping sobriety ahead of career ambitions.
49:38•28 Jan 2016
Focus on Meditation: Quieting the Noise in Sobriety, Recovery and Beyond
Episode Overview
- Meditation doesn’t have to stop your thoughts; the aim is to notice them without getting pulled into the story.
- There’s no single ‘right’ way to meditate – candles, nature walks, guided audios, or focusing on someone you love can all work.
- Prayer is described as talking to a higher power, while meditation is more about listening.
- A regular time and place, especially in the morning, can make it easier to build a steady meditation habit in recovery.
- Chasing success is fine, but putting it ahead of recovery and core values can lead back to old patterns and emotional relapse.
“Meditation is not supposed to make it stop. What you do is just not get attached to it.”
How do people cope with the challenges of staying sober when their mind just won’t shut up? This SHAIR Recovery Podcast BLAB session digs into exactly that, with a relaxed, funny, and very real chat about meditation as a tool for sobriety, recovery, and everyday sanity. Host Omar Pinto teams up with co-hosts Michael Hilton and Stephanie Schilling for a live online meeting, joined by Omar’s wife and featured guest, meditation student Marcela Diaz.
Most of the group admit they’re restless beginners too, which makes this feel less like a lecture and more like a recovery coffee chat you’ve dropped in on. Marcela breaks down meditation in plain language, answering questions from people who can’t sit still, overthink everything, or keep nodding off mid-meditation. She reassures everyone that, “Meditation is not supposed to make it stop.
What you do is just not get attached to it,” explaining how to notice thoughts and noise without getting dragged into the drama. You’ll hear simple ideas like focusing on someone you love, watching a candle flame, walking mindfully, or using apps such as Calm.
The group also talks about the difference between prayer and meditation (talking versus listening), timing (why early mornings can help), and how mindfulness can create that tiny pause between trigger and reaction that’s so crucial in recovery. Later, the conversation widens into balance: how to chase career goals without letting them outrun sobriety, spiritual principles, or family life. This one suits anyone in recovery who’s curious about meditation, frustrated by it, or convinced they “suck at it”.
Expect honesty, laughter, and plenty of practical tips you can try today. Could a few quiet minutes really change how you show up in your sober life?
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