Good Morning!
I have been choosing to blog AND I have continually allowed my "duties" to preclude this choice! Finally, I am just blogging nearly first thing on this Labor Day. A good long round of affirmations, Good Mornings, prayers and poems made me ready to leave my bed, haha. My Master's words are the prescription I required to overcome feelings and thoughts of lesser worth.
The most important revelation I have had of late is the uncompromising, overpowering power of HABIT. I do believe habit is the life-molder, for good OR ill, that is the most subtle yet perhaps strongest force in determining the short-term and long-term painting on the canvas of one's life.
I observe myself. I watch the habit of Temple attendance growing and waning, depending on how assiduously I monitor my choices. Right now it's in the waxing phase. Dennis and I are going nearly every night and we shape our lives around the Temple Calendar. Why? Purely because we feel happier, more God-filled (which means Joy-filled, Peace-filled, Love-filled) when we do.
Yesterday I awoke in a mood. I am not sure exactly why...that's just how it was. I am used to being cheerful and I don't like how I feel, or reflect, when in one of these nasty things. We went to the early meditation and stayed right through until Sunday Service.
I reluctantly went to a hatha yoga class only because I have not missed a day since I started (habit), and know if I do, I will experience resistance the following day. Listen folks, most everyone at these classes are decades younger, and absolutely gorgeous. I am the one maintaining the presence of the silver-haired generation, haha! Yet, I know it's good for me on ALL levels: body, mind, and soul. Ego-flattening always is.
I visited Master's hermitage and prayed. I still felt stuck. I went to the Gita class which was really powerful, as well as the accompanying meditation. When I left I noticed the mood had finally lifted. That's how long it took!
Still, if I hadn't done each of these things which probably were progressively chipping away at it, perhaps this mood could have hung on for DAYS. Who knows?
I read some of an SRF Lesson before going to sleep and that too assisted.
I believe we each have "stuff" lurking subconsciously underneath our conscious life experience. It's going to come out one way or another. If we have strong, healthy, soul-fortifying HABITS in place when it does, we have a much better chance of being victorious!
Daily meditation, energization, affirmation, attendance at soul-lifting activities are all just HABITS. Involvement does not really indicate a more spiritual temperament. I believe we are ALL spiritual. It only indicates we have turned wise choices, happiness-affirming choices, into HABITS.
The negatives in our lives are just habits too. We must atrophy them with non-use. First introspect. What habits are dragging you down, bumming you out? Next, water the opposite/positive habit with repeated use, no matter how difficult that may be in the beginning. Keep doing this until you have created a stronger positive/opposite habit. Stay aware...the other stuff still has some footage in the subconscious. Lurking there, it will jump out to derail you any time it thinks the opportunity is ripe.
If this happens, put yourself in the most uplifting environment you can. Sometimes that will be through books or teachings of the Masters and Christ. Sometimes that will be physical places like churches, temples, meditation gardens, or incredibly beautiful natural settings. Sometimes it will include association with God-inspired others. DO THE NECESSARY!
Whatever it takes, keep watering your good habits with repetition and you will be victorious over the ego and it's hidden store of bummer bombs.
I personally believe the most important habit is meditation. It brings you in contact with your True SELF....which is Pure and Perfect. If there is much "accumulated darkness of ages" you may have to keep chipping away for a while to get to the "good stuff". So what? It's under there, shining, and waiting for you to rediscover it. Keep digging and you will find a geyser of Happiness burst through the ego-veil at last!
Habits of church activity attendance, spiritual reading including daily Lesson study... or Bible reading for Christians and Jews, affirmations and prayers, retreat, chanting, and interaction with spiritually-directed others, are incredibly helpful. Right diet and daily exercise certainly have their place too.
I don't think any of it is rocket-science. Cultivation of Soul-revealing Habits will eventually reveal your true nature of everlasting BLISS.
Loving you always, k
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