Yesterday I was having a tea date with some of my friends, and one of
them showed me an iphone app called “Lift”. It is a free app that keeps track
of your healthy habits (eg. exercise, drink more water, floss, meditate, take
vitamins, inbox zero etc). You just check off daily that you did the item, and
then over time it will show you a graph of how often you followed through. It
seems like it would be a really easy way to develop a healthy habit once you
get started. And for those of you that are like me, you would feel like you let
yourself down if you didn't “check off that box” for the day, so that would keep me going :) I think I will
give it a try, thanks Zoey for sharing!
Today’s meditation was all about creating healthy habits. Whenever we
have an experience, the mind is in one of three states: unconscious, aware or
self-aware. The mind’s two main modes of operation, "unconscious" and "aware" are
highly developed. When we act in the unconscious mode, the brain is able to
take care of the body without needing specific detailed instructions - processing
the five senses to keep us aware of our inner and outer worlds. However, in the
unconscious state, health and well-being are generally left to chance and the
critical mind-body feedback loop operates automatically without any awareness.
For example, if you light your fifth cigarette of the day without
thinking, you are doing something unconsciously, which is the mode of operation
that underlies habits. If you see yourself lighting the cigarette then you are
aware. As you light that cigarette, self-awareness can step in - in that moment you may ask, “What am I getting out of this?”
When we begin to ask ourselves questions, we reflect on our behaviours,
look at the larger picture and invite the answers to come to us - we may move even more into the place of self-awareness. When we are self-aware we begin to pay
attention to our true self. The true self is where values and answers come
from. Self-awareness moves us beyond the pathways in the brain that support
fixed unconscious habits.
Imagine a situation in which you are angry, in that moment when you
recognize you are angry you are having an aware thought. But knowing where your
anger comes from invites a component of self-awareness into the situation, allowing
you to recognize a pattern of behavior. You realize that old habits (eg.
past outbursts) likely haven’t served you well, and you begin to take steps to
transcend those habitual responses. Reality shifts when self-awareness enters and we start to take control
with the help of our spirit. Becoming self-aware opens the door to lasting
change and empowers us to make the healthy choices in every moment.
Centering Thought:
With awareness, I create healthy habits.
Sanskrit mantra:
Om Kriyam Namah. - My actions
are aligned with cosmic law.
Mindful Moment:
Throughout our days, we tend to repeat the same activities without
thinking much about them. At some point, though, we become aware of these habits
and, later, we may even become self-aware, wondering why these habits are part
of our lives and deciding whether they benefit us. Our entire journey together over these three
weeks is one that will lead us to greater self-understanding. Examine your
habits today. Ask yourself, “Why did I begin doing this?” and “does this
benefit my body, mind, and spirit?” If you find yourself habitually engaging in
activities that do not support your healthy lifestyle, begin taking steps to
change those habits that do not serve you.
Interesting Links:
"Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your
own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes." —C.G.
Jung
