Bad Habits

 

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Bad Habits

We start doing certain things which we know are not good for us and in course of time this becomes a habit which is hard to break. It could be smoking, drinking, chewing cud, or doing something compulsively without realising that one is doing it – pulling one’s lips or ear when in stress – these are all reflex actions which become habits.

Some of these habits are looked down upon in society – but that really doesn’t matter – what is important is for us to realise is that we have got stuck, and we need to find a way to come unstuck!

Our habits drive our lives, and that is why it is important to bring the bad habits into our conscious awareness and replace them with good habits and move on in life. The first step is to recognise that we have got bad habits and we need to work on eliminating them or replacing them with good ones.

Becoming consciously aware when we are about to indulge in the bad habit and trying to stop ourself, but nonetheless giving in, is a sign of weakness which needs to be overcome.

When I started meditation, the only bad habit I had was chewing cud, though I was also a social drinker during weekends. Sometimes these drink sessions would become binge drinking sessions. So, in a way this too was a bad habit. Over a period of six to seven months the drinking stopped completely, but chewing cud was an issue.

I offered this bad habit after every 8-days meditation camp at the lotus feet of our Guru, and every time after a couple of weeks the habit would return. The third time when I did this, within an hour of surrendering the bad habit and indulging again, I got blisters in my mouth – they were so bad that I could hardly open my mouth to speak. I was in terrible pain, and I immediately realised that this was the stick approach of the Guru – after letting me off twice and allowing me to change my bad habit voluntarily – the third time I was punished by the Guru-energies. I immediately promised myself and my Guru that this was it, no more. So, that is how the Guru-energies made me get rid of my last bad habit.

Meditating and living in conscious awareness in the moment truly helps us in analysing ourselves and putting a brake on anything we may end up regretting later. A time comes, when no wrong happens through us and life just becomes a continuous flow of consciousness, filled with joy and happiness.