Creatures of Habit
By JJ Gormley
We all form habits as we go through life. Some of our habits may be good and some bad, or perhaps society judges them as bad. It is not the bad habits that I want to discuss in this article, but the good ones. For any habit keeps us from growing spiritually. This is because habits are by definition an attachment to a pattern of behavior, or a form of dependence, which at times could spill over into an obsession, however seemingly “good” the habit might seem.
One of the principles of yoga is to break our attachments. This includes not just our attachments to material objects, but also attachments to belief systems. Breaking our attachments to material possessions seems obvious to most people. We readily accept that hanging on to material possessions is not going to get us anywhere in terms of our spiritual growth.
And perhaps we even accept that breaking attachments to our belief systems can help us grow spiritually. We know that being more open and accepting to other’s opinions and beliefs helps us avoid being judgmental towards friends. This keeps our ego in check as we drop the idea that what we believe is the righteous way, when in fact there are many ways up the mountain toward achieving spiritual growth or enlightenment.
But that’s easier said than done. That’s why it’s so important to examine our behavioral patterns or habits. This step toward spiritual growth includes looking closely at—even habits we feel are good or neutral. Say we have the “good” habit of practicing yoga asanas in a particular way. Those of us who have been in the yoga community for a while are aware of an elitism practiced by some yogis who follow a particular style of yoga. They believe that their chosen method of yoga is the best. They then adopt a habitual way of practicing yoga, and frequently, too, an accompanying belief system. Both of these must be looked at for true spiritual growth.
Most yoga beginners tend to be drawn to a particular type or style of yoga, which actually can prove to be more unbalancing than steadying for them. For example, most westerners are drawn to a more rigorous style of yoga like Bikram or Ashtanga. These yoga styles, while they have their benefits, may not be most appropriate for the body needs of the beginning practitioner. Others may be drawn to a more meditative or sedentary style of yoga, when what they actually need is the Bikram or Ashtanga style to balance their particular body-type. Sometimes yoga has its own way of working and these practitioners begin to see that they need something different, leading them to try a different style. Or perhaps simple curiosity brings them to experiment with a different style and they find that new style resonates with them at that particular time. Those of us who are always reevaluating where we are in our growth, may begin to realize that the type of yoga we are practicing is no longer balancing for us and we then begin a search for a more suitable yoga. This is one reason why I like to hire teachers who’ve studied from more than one tradition and are not currently aligned with any one particular style or guru. This shows me someone is looking deeper at the method behind the yoga and whether or not it is a good match for them. It is when we continue to stay on with a particular style or with a particular teacher, when that style is not right for our growth that we are stuck in a habit.
When we realize that we are creatures of habit and that those very habits, even the good ones, keep us stuck in patterns and we begin to break those habits and to try different things, then true spiritual growth begins.
To borrow a line I just read in Alex Levin’s paper for the 700- hr Teacher Training Program, “habits allow us to not think about what we’re doing . . . giving us the illusion of ease.” I’ve tried many styles of yoga and liked them all. Each one has taught me something different and added to my cumulative yoga experience. As long as any particular yoga style continued to satisfy my own growth, I’ve stuck with it. In the beginning I was searching for the system that would be the One for me. Never having found it, I keep moving on. Some might argue the old adage that digging different wells never gets you to the water. But many years ago a spiritual teacher of mine taught me that as long as you are digging in the well of yoga, keep changing shovels. As the old one gets worn, change to a new shovel with a sharp edge. Then you will not only get to the water faster with the sharper shovel, but the hole will be dug quite well. I’ve tried to stay within the discipline of yoga (although I must admit an interest in other things along the way like t’ai chi, Buddhism, etc.), while not letting other disciplines capture me to the point of distraction, but only using them for comparison purposes.
The trick therefore is to learn a) what is a habit with attachment (i.e., are you staying in the same well with a dull shovel, in which case the habit is no longer serving you); b) what is moving away from a habit because of a distraction (i.e., jumping out of the well and beginning to dig another hole); and c) what is a habit without attachment (i.e., staying in the same hole, but changing shovels when you realize you may becoming dull)?
Staying in the same hole with a dull shovel is where many of us are in our practice or some area of our life. We are under the illusion of ease, not thinking about what we’re doing. Breathing the same old way, moving the same old way, thinking the same old way. I invite myself all the time to step (think) outside the box, not step out of the well, but realize when it is time to change shovels.
Namaste,
JJ
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