Rituals Versus Habits . . . is one better than another?
I opened my eyes this morning excited and literally jumped out of bed! It was New Year’s Day! Yippee! I am pumped for a fresh start and a new year. I am also thrilled that I am not hung over and didn’t want to bolt out of bed because I was unsure of who was sleeping next to me. Oh, the joy of getting slightly older! As I sat in my hammock with my new journal, my 2015 ‘Life is Beautiful & So Are You’ calendar and a cup of coffee it occurred to me that I have a very ingrained morning routine that sets me up for a successful day. It includes coffee, reflection and writing and wraps up with meditation and gratitude. I have my rituals that I use for clarity and inspiration and then I have my habits which I truly love. Is one better than the other? I will let you decide.
My morning always begins with the grinding and brewing of coffee. During this time I restrain from any electronics, phones or internet. I believe that intuition is always strongest in the morning after sleep. And seriously, do I really need to check facebook or email at 5:00 am?
While the kettle boils and I embrace the smell of freshly ground coffee beans, I reflect on energy of the day by using two key tools: my ‘Life is Beautiful and So Are You’ calendar that I just opened this morning for 2015 and my Mayan Day Keeper/ Energy Tone Chart from www.astrodreamadvisor.com.
I read the calendar quote and usually smile (today’s was, you can achieve anything) and then look at the Mayan chart and figure out the day keeper/tone (today’s was Crystal Yellow Seed) and read the description. I enter this into my journal and then sip my delicious coffee and proceed to my hammock to write my early morning thoughts.
I usually write until my coffee is finished but there is no timeline… sometimes it’s a two cupper journal morning, sometimes not. Once the journal closes, I light a candle and meditate. Upon completion I set my intentions for the day. Again the meditation is not timed, it just flows . . . sometimes longer, sometimes shorter. Occasionally I’ll do some yoga postures while other times I just sit in lotus. Once I am done, I ‘Ohm’ three times and connect to the earth and the universe. With that last Ohm I am ready to ROCK!
As I went through this process this morning I could not decide which part was a ritual and a good thing, verses a habit and a not so good thing. I couldn’t decide because I love it all. I love the smell of the coffee beans, I love the warm cup in my hand and to be honest, I crave the sipping of coffee early as I slowly wake up. I also love just reading something simple and beautiful first thing in the morning and I love sitting (it’s such a treat to just sit and be uninterrupted) and being able to contemplate the energy of the day and how I want to show up verses what I need to do. However, those damn To Do list thoughts can sneak into my mental space. Here’s a tip: I write those things on my hand and then add them to my To Do list when I am done my meditation; that usually pacifies the hamster in my head at least for a little while. But to be honest ,the thing I crave the most is my meditation. If I don’t do it, I am crusty by 10:00 am and my day just doesn’t flow or feel the same. Kinda like when I don’t have my morning cup of coffee! So being logical I decided to Google the definition of ritual and habit. Here is the comparison:Definition of Rituals:
- A religious custom
- An action repeated on a schedule.
- A repetitive action motivated by a compulsion
Definition of Habitual:
- An acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary
- Customary practice, custom or usage
- Addiction, especiallyto narcotics
My Conclusion
So, I guess habits can be a good thing! When considering whether to let go of something, just ask yourself these two questions: 1. Does it liberate or limit you? 2. Does it reduce or raise your energy?
I hope those two simple questions will help you with your New Year purge! I also hope that all of you can create some amazing rituals this year that inspire you and bring you all of your hopes and dreams!
Happy New Year/feliz Año Nuevo
Cheers,
Marjie Martini
More info on my key tools:
The “Life is Beautiful and So Are You” calendar was created by an amazing woman who truly inspires me, Sarah Love. Each month features a different artist and each day has a beautiful reflect quote. I was lucky enough to be given one of her calendars four years ago; I loved it so much it just became the first thing I read on my fridge every morning. It now goes with me and my journal everywhere. I have also given them as gifts every New Year’s to my BFFs! You can find the calendars at www.istandforlove.com
The Mayan Day Keeper/Energy Tone Chart I found more than five years ago when I was introduced to Mayan astrology through a good girlfriend. I personally find it to be more accurate than other forms of astrology I have followed on a daily basis. You can print the chart and usage directions at www.astrodreamadvisor.com. I would also highly suggest that you check out her personal wavespell page at http://www.astrodreamadvisor.com/Mayan_Dreamspell_Astrology.html
This is also a tool that I use every year. You have a 13-day cycle (or wavespell that occurs every 260 days) which includes your galactic birthday. During these 13 days I use the questions that are provided and reflect on the past 260 days and set intentions. it is a hugely transformative time every year!
