The mediator between the conscious and the unconscious

Often described as the crossover from our conscious to unconscious minds, breath is the path into the unknown, the undiscovered.

I have trapped myself in the cage of my cognitive mind, mistaking the petty for the pristine, fear for fortune, resentment for realisation. I am intoxicated by my own small world...

Meditation on my breath is helping me "get out more..."

Here's a good take from Kevin Griffin's book: One breath at a time. Buddhism and the Twelve Steps.

Alcoholism is a disease of faith. Alcoholics (and all addicts) often develop a cynical attitude toward life, not seeing anything to believe in. When you persistently feel the need to change you consciousness through drugs or booze, you are expressing a luck of trust in yourself, in your ability to tolerate life undiluted, to find value in your own, unadulterated experience.

This same difficulty confronts the beginning meditator. Meditation is even more unadulterated than sobriety. Intentionally stopping activity and any diversion can be intimidating. Many people say, "I could never sit still for that long - 20 minutes!" Even without drugs or booze, many of us are trying to control our consciousness with food, TV, music, reading and other daily habits. Stopping ALL activity as we do in meditation is like a new layer of sobriety: ultimate abstinence (a new X Game?). Trusting the process is frightening, whether you are an alcoholic or not...