Hari Aum.
There are so many things that we would like to do with our lives. But as we get older, and our responsibilities build, time becomes a real issue.
"I have no time" we say as we rush from one thing to another during the course of our day. "I would love to try that but not now, perhaps another time in the future". But the future is inherently unpredictable and there is no telling whether we would actually have the time and ability to fulfil our dreams then.
As Sivananda used to be fond of saying, "Do it now!". Make a start on whatever you feel you want to achieve in life now, he would say. Do not put it off as the perfect time may never come.
This of course applies especially to spiritual practices such as meditation. It also applies to any other skill in life, whether a hobby or professional interest. The more we practice, the better we become. Practice makes perfect; this may take a while, but in the end, we will get there if we keep at it.
I was having a discussion recently with a dance teacher. She told me that there was only one criteria that she absolutely insisted upon in her students, and that was daily practice. She said she would not exclude students based on age or their fitness level as these were no bar to enjoying and developing skill in dancing. But, she said, success depended entirely on regularity of practice.
Every day, she said, every single day, she wanted her students to put in some effort in practicing what she had taught them-- even if this was only for a brief ten minutes a day. Over time, she said, this would condition the body, improve fitness and flexibility and, most importantly, open the mind. The body influences the mind, and the mind influences the body-- there is a mutual connection.
We say this in the world of yoga too. As one stretches and bends a little daily, the body gradually becomes more flexible. And slowly, the mind too begins to respond; it becomes more flexible too.
Equally, the mind that is taught to meditate daily, becomes a useful instrument; it becomes capable of better control of the movements of the body.
Whether it is yoga asanas (postures), meditation or dance, 'little and often' seems to be the key. In the world of health and fitness, there is increasing evidence that even a little exercise done daily produces far-reaching benefits.
When we want to start something new, building a habit is the most tricky bit. If we take up meditation or dance and do it for a few weeks, and then stop for another few weeks, we will not really benefit significantly. We will find that we have to start virtually from scratch every time we have a break; we end up going back to square one (or very nearly anyway).
So, the secret of success in building a new positive habit is very much to commit to only a small amount daily, but then to do it every single day.
And preferably, to do it at the same time every day. We are creatures of habit. I also came across this idea some time ago that it helps to 'tag' our new habit onto a firmly established existing one. For example, if we want to dance or exercise daily, we could 'tag' it onto our existing habit of morning meditation. We could say that after doing our morning meditation, we will spend just ten minutes doing a mini-dance or mini-exercise workout.
Over time, as ten minutes becomes easy and natural to us, and as we become very consistent at it, we may find ourselves increasing this to fifteen minutes, then perhaps twenty and maybe even thirty or longer. The mini-session is beneficial in itself, and also lays the foundation for a potentially longer one in the future.
So, to anyone who wishes to start a new habit, but who feels they have too little time, this could be something to consider. It would be useful to begin with just ten minutes a day, at around the same time every day (if possible). And also keeping a record of this consistent practice helps motivation. When we look back at our record of previous weeks and months and see that we have done the practice every day, we can feel a sense of satisfaction at our progress, that we are getting somewhere with building our new habit.
Although I am fairly regular with my meditation and mini-yoga asana practice (by the grace of God, I have not let a day pass without mantra japa for over a decade), I must admit that I have not been able to find the time to dance every single day. To motivate myself to do so, I recently signed up to a regular weekly group class which begins soon. I feel that being around other people dancing will help my own practice; as I've discovered that, although I very much enjoy dancing, it really is not easy to find the motivation to practice daily without a support network.
Like meditation and yoga asanas, dancing too involves repetition. One has to repeat the same moves over and over again until they are perfected. This can feel tedious at times. Knowing others who are engaging with the same process, dealing with the same challenges, is very helpful.
And this is why the Gurus and Krishna Himself say that a spiritual support network or 'satsang' of like-minded individuals is the single most important thing on the spiritual path, the path of meditation. Building a group of friends or acquaintances who also practice daily, who can relate to the joys and challenges of the practice, is extremely valuable. It helps to exchange notes on what is going well, and what is not and tips and tricks to keep the mind engaged on the path. The power of similarly-minded people cannot be over-exaggerated in any field, particularly in the field of spirituality.
Birds of a feather flock together, as the saying goes. So in summary, to build a habit of meditation or dance or anything else, it helps to: i) do a little and often ii) keep a daily record of the practice that is done and iii) have a supportive network around one (including an inspirational teacher and other motivated students).
Sivananda used to say satsang is like a fortress in spiritual life. It protects the unwary seeker from becoming a victim of their own lower mind, which is easily persuaded to give up spiritual life and focus only on the material aspect of existence. A group of friends are capable of keeping each other going on the spiritual path; when one feels demotivated, the others provide encouragement (and in time, the favour is often returned).
So, from tomorrow, I have decided to wake up just a little bit earlier and have a go at 'tagging' my mini-dance practice on to my existing morning meditation and yoga asana practice. I also hope that forging a new network of dancing buddies will help keep me motivated on this path!
On that note, I will conclude this post by sharing a link to a Bharatanatyam performance depicting a famous childhood lila of Lord Krishna where He takes on the poisonous snake Kaliya and banishes him from the waters of the Yamuna. I hope you had a wonderful Janmashtami.
May Lord Krishna bless us all.
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya.
Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya.
Hari Aum Tat Sat.
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