Find peace and calmness in every breath you take. Breathe in serenity and breathe out disharmony. Breathe in the air of change and breathe out stagnation. Breathe in love and breathe out discord. Find the many ways to take a cleansing, healing breath, to find the calmness within that you seek. When the spirit has it in mind that change should happen it may rattle your nerves, but know that it has your best interests in mind and that it is just pushing you toward the next leg of your fantastic journey called life. Take a breath, and in calmness move on into that which is already laid out and waiting for you with open arms.
Habits unchecked, mushroom… – Photo by J. E. Ketchel
The human mind is a vehicle in constant motion. When we drive our car we actually turn the driving over to the subconscious mind, the home of established patterns of perceiving and acting, while our conscious mind journeys freely into other realms of thought and imagination. The array of established patterns stored in the subconscious mind are known as habits.
Some habits are archetypal in nature, meaning they are encoded pre-birth in the subconscious, to direct perception and action according to the needs of a species. Animals function almost entirely at a preprogrammed habitual level. A seasoned hunter actually becomes bored at the ‘sport’ of hunting, as animals are easy prey, traveling the same monotonous patterns daily.
The human animal has the advantage of adding new habits to the subconscious pool through the exercise of conscious suggestion and intent. Most suggestions, however, are obtained from the socialization process. Behavior is largely shaped by the reward and punishment responses from one’s social environment. These reinforced patterns become strongly recommended to the subconscious, eventually taking up residence as established habits.
Sometimes habits are established via completely non-conscious processes. If one experiences a serious trauma during an activity at a particular location, the unconscious reptilian part of the brain takes pictures of these circumstances and directly encodes a message to the subconscious to avoid subsequent locations that look similar. These are experienced as triggers, which are managed via the subconscious habit of avoidance.
The conscious mind may prove quite powerless to overcome these habitual reactions due to the potent energy programmed by the reptilian brain. Habit change at this level requires trauma processing to rewrite and override the program of avoidance. During processing we gradually achieve a neutral response to a trigger, allowing a new program of calm to be introduced and accepted by the subconscious mind, overriding the now anachronistic and unnecessary habit of avoidance.
Beliefs are tremendous influencers upon habit formation. The current social dimension of human interaction is largely governed by belief systems that have become encoded in automatic subconscious reactions. The possibility of calm communication between groups is largely blocked by the automatic perceptions, judgments and behaviors driven by these powerful habits that have been shaped by belief.
Most of our lives are lived via subconscious habits. If we had to instruct ourselves to breathe to obtain every needed breath, we would become exhausted in no time. Habits are not only necessary but quite welcome for good economy of our psychic energy. Nonetheless, habits tend to limit innovation and creativity, as well as keep us frozen in the past.
Intents, suggestions, mantras, and prayers are repetitive techniques to facilitate the formation of new, consciously driven habits. Begin with a definite verb like “will” or “am”. Too often we begin with “I’d like to” or “I hope” or “I want”. The subconscious works best with definite, not ambivalent or begging, statements.
Perseverance is critical in new habit formation. The subconscious is used to its default programs, whether inherited or learned. Unless we are quite persistent in the repetition of our suggestions for a new program, it will move toward the default position. Remain calm and persevering, with no attachment to the goal, to avoid the static of frustrated emotion that then weakens the power of the suggestion.
Suggestions are further strengthened when they are imbued with conscious presence as they are stated. Suggestions are most powerful when not opposed by blocking beliefs or traumatic events still charged in the unconscious. If powerful emotions or triggers litter the mindscape, best to engage in intentional processing to clear the debris, in preparation for establishing new desired habits.
May our habits achieve peak performance through a positive working relationship with our conscious minds. May our conscious minds put themselves at the service of the greater good of the Self, to ensure healthy habits for the betterment of all.
Seek contentment. Contentment arises in finding and maintaining balance between body and spirit, between Earthly desires and Spiritual needs, between that which entices and that which satisfies. The body may seek as much as the spirit to entice you to that which is fulfilling, but whose needs are more important? Both! They are both equal and both necessary, and both require attention and support. Do not neglect one for the other but seek balance. Get to know each one intimately. In so doing know the Self, the Whole Self, and thus achieve contentment.
Being responsible means taking full responsibility for the self, for choices made, even the most harmful and self-effacing, even those made in concert with another, for in the end, if a choice effects you it’s up to you to own it and resolve it. Being fully responsible for the self may mean rethinking choices and deciding to go in a new direction, or it may mean hunkering down and making the most of any given situation that still has merit. In the end, however, responsibility comes without blame or shame but full ownership if it is to be a truly fulfilling, honest and mature responsibility that is going to help you evolve. For in taking responsibility for your part in life’s activities you truly do grow and evolve.
Reset your intentions, your hopes and your dreams each morning. Breathe in the first light of dawn and breathe out the darkness of the night. Breathe in your conscious awake mind and breathe out your unconscious asleep mind. Stir your heart with each breath in, awakening your love, compassion and kindness, breathing out your fears, disappointments and losses. Fill your mind with new dreams, with positive affirmations, and an attitude of determination. Begin each day anew in a new way and reach out for what you desire now in this life you are in. Everything is within reach.
