The Habit of Self-realization
Habit is what we're good at, so let's use it to wake up! Advice for reluctant practitioners.
Do I hafta?
People often ask: Do I have to practice every day?
Of course not. But if you want to enjoy the taste of the fruit, you must grow the fruit.
During her lifetime, Anandamayi Ma met tens of thousands of householders—people living busy lives with families and jobs. Most of the people she met had no desire to dedicate lots of time to spiritual practice.
Ma’s exhortation to these less-than-enthusiastic people was always the same: Set aside a small amount of time each day—just ten or fifteen minutes at the same hour—for repeating one of the names of God (mantra japa).
Anyone can sit for 10 minutes, right?
Some mantras you can chant are Om Mā, or Om Namo Nārāyani, or Om Namah Shivāya. Go here for instruction and recordings.
We rise by that which we fall
The momentum of our habits is strong. We are, as they say, creatures of habit. Habit is the overwhelming flavor of our lives. We suffer from habitual emotions, thoughts and activities.
The Tantras teach us that we rise by that which we fall.
Or as Ma put it: the hand that we fall on is the same hand we will use to push ourselves up.
We are “good” at habitual behavior and, for this reason, forming habits is a capacity that we can employ to relax and refine our energy.
The habit spectrum
Habits are on a spectrum. At one end are compulsion and effects on our lives that we may not enjoy.
In the middle of the spectrum are ordinary habits. These are generally healthy even though we may still experience them as somewhat restricting.
At the other end of the habit spectrum is where habit turns into ritual.
For instance, we can replace our usual morning routine with the Ayurvedic ritual of Dinacharya. “Dinacharya” means wise daily conduct.
We can establish rituals of seated spiritual practice and movement practices from our traditions.
Eventually, our body, energy, and mind begin to harmonize. Then we can begin to experience all of life as more graceful and dance-like.
The key is to use our skill at forming habits to form new habits that move us in the direction of greater spontaneity and freedom.
Resistance
Our ordinary habit patterns, a.k.a. karma, represent quantities of bound energy. They have momentum in time. This is why it is sometimes difficult to change even minor habits such as our morning routines.
The feeling of resistance happens when we attempt to move energy in a different direction. So actually, resistance is a symptom of our willingness to change.
If we establish even a small new habit in the direction of self-realization, energy is “stolen” from stale habit patterns and re-deployed to support us in becoming more free.
And habits of self-realization always have more power than habits of limitation.
Why bother?
If you engage in formal practice for only 10-15 minutes a day, the relaxation of karmic tensions will creep up on you incrementally over a long, long period of time.
But no matter how slowly you go, your efforts are never wasted. You will begin to discover greater clarity, freedom of expression, adaptability, and intimacy with life.
The key is consistent repetition. Sit for practice whether it’s easy or more difficult, whether you’re busy and stressed or on vacation. Just sit every day through all conditions and circumstances.
No matter how bound we are, no matter how small our efforts, they will eventually break apart what binds us like clear, sweet water dripping on rock.
However, if the water drips only intermittently, the transformation will not take place.
Ten or fifteen minutes of japa or other spiritual practice done each day at the same time consistently throughout one’s life is a powerful gesture. It will have a much larger effect than stopping and starting or going on sporadic spiritual retreats.
You don’t need a Guru or any money. And you don’t need to take my word for it. You can try it yourself and find out.
Let’s go!
with infinite love,
Shambhavi
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