In our life without realizing we start to get into many habits. By the time we are into teenage, all these habits start to become conditioned in our subconscious mind . We see a lot of younger kids and also many adults, and they are addicted to these habits so deeply that they are unable to change. The biggest problem is lack of understanding of ourselves, especially the way the mind functions.
We all tend to think that habits are mind and the mind is who we are. And unfortunately, that is not the case. To understand where the habits come from and how the mind functions and who you really are helps to get all the core of these habits very quickly. In fact, I still remember my early days when I was learning Sookshma Meditation under the ancient sage Sunita. She always used to say, “You are different from the habits, the mind, all this stuff that is happening in your mind and the vices that you get victimized to. They are different from you. You are different from your mind.” It was really hard for me to understand that, because we all identify with the mind on a moment to moment basis. So, how can I separate myself from my mind? I did not get to understand it until I actually had to experience my ‘true self’. But this is not as easy as it is said. And that is where ancient sookshma healing meditation helps us to actually experience our true self. Because once you realize your true self, then it becomes so easy for you to separate the mind and the vices; you can become objective and see them separated from who you really are. In fact, a good analogy would be the concept of equation in Math.
We all learn math and we all know how equations work. In the equation, there is always something which is ‘Constant’, and there are variables that change. So the ‘constant’ that is never changing in that equation is the real you, that true self is the constant in that equation; whereas the variables that keep changing constantly is your mind, the emotions and the thoughts.
Another analogy is that the thoughts and emotions are like clouds that come and go. But the Sun is always there. There are times when you see cloudy afternoons on a cloudy evening sometimes for a few days. Then afterwards you do end up seeing the Sun because it has always been there. It did not disappear. It’s there. But the clouds have covered it. Similarly your mind and emotions, and thoughts and all these vices that are blocking the vision of your true self. The moment you realize that you are in charge, the one beyond the mind, habits,and emotions, then the game is over; because then you can take charge of your life. You can win over the conditioned bad habit as you are now embedded in your true self. True Self can help you build new habits with their foundation in virtues, while letting go of the vices.