A Mindful Method for Recovery From Craving and Addiction
Rewiring habits begins with observing and allowing cravings to pass.
Posted June 1, 2026 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan
The kinds of cravings and addictions that exist in the world are numerous—from "soft" addictions like shopping and food bingeing to the more risky addictions like sex , drugs, and gambling. The thing that anyone struggling with a craving or addiction can tell you is this: The craving can be overwhelming. Many believe it's impossible for them to stop.
What we need to know is that addiction and cravings are habits that get more strongly hard-wired into the brain. After this hard-wiring is in place, changing it can feel difficult, but it's not impossible.
Research shows that mindfulness can greatly reduce cravings and addiction. Many studies support the work of researcher Alan Marlatt's Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention program.
Marlatt's work shows that even persistent, hard-to-stop cravings could be managed using mindfulness. Basically, Marlatt used a mindfulness approach that lets individuals "surf" their urges, or watch how cravings rise and subside over time.
Once someone learns how to do this, they can more easily accept the feelings of a craving without having to act on it. In essence, this practice rewires the brain.
In my own workshops, I often tell a simple story about "how to capture a monkey." It focuses not so much on the craving but emphasizes what happens to us when our craving is out of control, how craving causes suffering and addiction, and how awareness can help us get free. Here's the story.
How to Capture a Hungry Monkey
One way of capturing monkeys is to hollow out a gourd or container and place some tasty, fragrant food inside. The gourd is actually a trap. That's because its opening is barely large enough for a monkey’s hand to reach inside. Once the monkey grasps the food with a clenched fist, its hand is too large to remove from the gourd. It is stuck and caught in the trap.
Yes, the monkey could get unstuck from the gourd by unclenching its fist and letting go of the food. But the unstoppable, iron grip of craving for that tasty morsel holds it in place.
This is a powerful metaphor for our own “stuckness” anytime we are trapped by craving. If our craving is strong—and we're desperate enough—we may literally feel as though we can’t let go of it. We may also experience feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, making us ask ourselves, “Is it really possible to get free of craving’s iron grip?” The loss of hope can even lead to destructive actions that make the problems of addiction even worse.
Fortunately, you can learn what a monkey caught in a trap does not know: The secret to getting free from craving is learning to relax and let go.
Meditation for Getting Free From Addiction and Craving
You can begin this simple meditation by first considering the strength of your own craving. For example, this could be your desire to avoid the uncomfortable feeling of being alone, so you eat food at night. Or it might be a desire to be thin or weigh a certain amount at all costs. Whatever the craving, let yourself reflect right now on the question, “How strongly do I grasp my craving?” Or maybe it is more accurate to ask, “How strongly does my craving grab onto me, onto my mind, onto my emotions?”
Close your eyes for a moment and visualize your craving as being located in that gourd that traps monkeys. Now, imagine extending your arm, squeezing your hand through the gourd's narrow hole, and grabbing onto your craving. Notice how tightly your hand is clenching your craving. Feel how tight and painful it is to hold on like this.
Now, ever so slightly, give yourself permission to let go. Spend at least a minute letting yourself release this craving. You might say to yourself, “In this moment, I can relax my mind as I relax my fist." Feel how the blood returns into your hand.
Notice how your hand has freedom of movement. Observe the pleasant sensation that comes from letting go. Now, slowly remove your hand from the “monkey trap,” leaving your craving behind for the moment.
Use this meditation each day to help you deal with feelings of craving, either when you notice them starting or when you want to stop them. By paying attention , you are rewiring your brain and using mindful awareness to live a life of your own choice.
A dedicated mindfulness practice can help you make the changes you want in your life. My book Simply Mindful: A 7-Week Course and Personal Handbook for Mindful Living is a practical training guide that bridges the teachings of traditional mindfulness with modern approaches.
Remember, too, that repetition changes how the brain is wired. So don't give up and expect cravings to disappear suddenly. Discipline and effort are part of any mindfulness practice, as is stopping a destructive craving or addiction.
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Donald Altman , a psychotherapist and former monk featured in The Mindfulness Movie and Living Spiritual Teachers Project , is the author of the new book, Travelers.
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This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.