“Break your bad habits
By dropping them.
Strengthen your good habits
By treasuring them.”
– Sri Chinmoy
We are creatures of habit. We identify with and define ourselves through our tastes, beliefs, prejudices – and habits. We employ habits to plug deep psychological holes, to clothe and occupy ourselves, to give us a sense of security and protection from the void.
To change ourselves, we must change our habits. Meditation is absolutely the best, most effective and certain means to conquer any and all bad habits – including the habits we know about, and those we are not yet aware of.
A ‘bad’ habit is a repeating behaviour that springs from some weakness within us. Common weaknesses that produce bad habits include stress, worry, addiction, desire, self-deception, insecurity, jealousy, resentment and pride.
Meditation transforms us gradually from within. As we drink and bathe in peace, light and bliss through regular meditation practise, our limiting mind gradually surrenders to our expanding heart, and all our inner weaknesses – the source of bad habits – are supplanted by inner strengths. Slowly but surely, desire is replaced with aspiration, humility evicts pride, inner peace dissipates stress, light disperses confusion, confidence throws out insecurity, the positive takes the seat of the negative.
As meditation illumines us from within, it also brings daily fresh inspiration, enthusiasm, energy and growth, which open us to ever-new pursuits, passions and pass-times. As our horizons expand, our meditation introduces us to new habits to consolidate our happiness and expedite our spiritual growth.
As our weaknesses are illumined and transformed, the source and lifeline of bad habits dries up; as we grow in inner peace, light and delight, new habits sprout. As bad old habits are extracted by their roots, new good habits flower gloriously in their place.