I’ve been thinking about habits this week, especially ones I have taken for granted … ones that have been invisible to me in their quiet longevity and familiarity. Habits I’ve chosen, some I’ve inherited – or was taught – or absorbed by default to fit in with …whomever.
I’ve been trying on some new, conscious, GOOD habits these last two weeks. And the process has reminded me of what it feels like when I shop for, say, a shirt. It’s Fall here in Ohio, so I’m thinking flannel, fleece, corduroy – something like that. There are many that look good on the rack, but when I try them on, some look good, some don’t, yet I know in an instant which one is going to be my favorite go-to shirt – the one that’s a perfect fit for me.
The “shirt” – aka habit – that is my new favorite is what we in MKMMA call “the sit”. Sitting, silently – without moving at ALL – for 15 minutes or more. Daily. I’ll admit, I struggled with this habit the last time through this course. I just never found a way to deliberately schedule this and embrace its magic. (Excuse … not real … tsk tsk) THIS time is different – and effortless (sort of).
The first week, as instructed by Haanel, in “The Master Keys”, we were simply to control our bodies while sitting. No twitching, itching, sniffing, wiggling – nothing. SIT STILL. It can be a challenge, but at least the first week, I could let my MIND wander and entertain any thoughts that rambled through while I was consciously NOT moving my physical self!
This week – take last week’s exercise and ADD – “inhibit all thought” (29). “This exercise is valuable, because it will be a very practical demonstration of the great number of thoughts which are constantly trying to gain access to your mental world.” (30). SERIOUSLY!! Why do this? Because the conscious mind is the “watchman at the gate” for our subconscious mind. Our “subby” is instinctive, intuitive, automatic. It doesn’t reason or prove. That job is up to the conscious mind. Let only the good stuff through. So … to sit this week and observe just how MANY thoughts can enter and how QUICKLY they can race through my mind, darting and weaving and going off on tangents was enlightening.
But the favorite part was observing how I could also BLOCK those thoughts, consciously and deliberately, and maintain glimpses of “nothing” was empowering! I’m hooked. I want more. 
Thanks for visiting. More next week. I promise.
Deb, I have enjoyed reading your blog. I really like the analogy of your favorite shirt. It is challenging to to create these new good habits but, like adding a new shirt to our closet, it can be fun.
You have a nice blog Deb with all the pictures and you have a little more mastery at this over the newcomers. Probably the 2nd time through, you see the importance of each ,especially the breakdown of the “sitting still” task. 30 minutes is a long time! You’re doing better than I at this.
Thanks Dawn! I didn’t “get” the impact of the sit the whole first time through the course – so … it will come for you too. The time was right – my attitude and intention were right – and the sit just fits in now. Funny how that works, huh? 🙂