Habits

[Thinker108]

what is the importance of habits in spiritual journey? Osho says both good and bad habits are obstacles. I think there is a huge difference in two words habitual and natural. What the great members think? I am eager to know.

[jiraiyaNOmonogatari]

I agree with Osho, Bruce Lee said: "Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water.
If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes
the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash.
Be water my friend."

By becoming formless, you become ready fro change, flexible, and able
to adjust yourself to any condition.

[Eudaimonist]

I disagree with Osho. Habits are important tools. Yes, even good habits should be discarded when necessary, but they are helpful while they are useful.


eudaimonia,

Mark

[Medium_Laura]

what is the importance of habits in spiritual journey? Osho says both good and bad habits are obstacles. I think there is a huge difference in two words habitual and natural. What the great members think? I am eager to know.

Habits are a repetitious behavior. I can see where Osho is going with that. Being tied to something you do every single day can be harmful to your spirit. Even if it's something like brushing your teeth at 10 a.m. exactly every single day. It can inhibit your "free will" ability. What if you're camping and can't brush at 10 a.m.?

Having flexibility and going with the flow is balance :) (as the water was suggested! Great analogy!)

[jackie-b]

I agree with Osho from a spiritual point of view but on a more practical level, if I didn't habitually go to work every day, I wouldn't be able to pay my rent or support myself in any way...though I have to admit that the thought of being in the moment with no habits at all sounds very exciting.

[Medium_Laura]

Yes there are necessary habits but what Osho means is that habits are more for our body and not our spirit. Sure we have to go to work every day or we can't eat, but on a spiritual level, habits hinder spiritual growth :)

[jiraiyaNOmonogatari]

I believe it serves both body and spirit.
Being formless doesn't mean not going to work everyday, or reducing any
of your productive daily activities, it applies on the things you are used to
which will give you a hard time adapting if you suddenly stop or had your
environment change, like sleeping on a bed, or eating at certain times, how
much you eat, or when you go to sleep. With age, experience, and routine
the mind tends to become fixed on certain stuff, being formless is being open
to new ideas, like a child always learning and evolving.

[Lisa]

I like daily routines and habits as they keep me from thinking.

When I go on a trip- I gotta think about everything!

[Thinker108]

thanks for kind views. Good habits are necessary but at one stage we should leave them as I think. But the meaning of leave is different. It means ego of doing good.

[lucia.abuin001]

i think what osho means is that a habit is not a conscious process.... we stop thinking about these things and eventually they become automatic, and the whole point of becoming conscious is stop being in automatic-mode, and go to being fully aware of everything you're doing.
Another thing of habits is that they're not usually ours. we acquire them always from somebody else, our parents, teachers, friends.... so we dont stop to question them... so for example, you enjoy eating pizza, but is it because you really enjoy it, or because it was something that you learned from someone else? you never stop to think how it really makes you feel.
the mind is always old, never creative.
we have to get rid of habits, traditions, and do thing that we actually want to do and enjoy.

[Humm]

Habits do seem to be at odds with 'Live consciously' - or at least the habit of living consciously... :D

[Mountain-Goat]

what is the importance of habits in spiritual journey? Osho says both good and bad habits are obstacles. I think there is a huge difference in two words habitual and natural. What the great members think? I am eager to know.
Everything is potentially important in spiritual journeys.
To be on a spiritual journey is to acknowledge the potential importance of everything.
What the person chooses to classify as important or not on their journey is useful to them and not what others think is important or not.

Just because someone says something, doesn't make it true.
AKA don't believe everything a teacher, guru, spirit guide, ascended being, or god says.

What is important is knowing oneself, understanding oneself within the context of habits.

[jorddy]

what is the importance of habits in spiritual journey? Osho says both good and bad habits are obstacles. I think there is a huge difference in two words habitual and natural. What the great members think? I am eager to know.


Habits have the roles of being good or negative.
What is a habit comprised of? A perspective, creating a theory that ____ is good for ___ reasons, so you do ___ in order to get ___.
That being said, there are two general types of habits. One that is pressured onto an individual from an outside force (many are subconsciously pressured) and the habit that is created through the individuals own perspective.

Habits can lead to being close-minded, or they can lead one into person development and growth.

Most important thing to do is continually evaluate yourself through your life and as you do, every habits you do will eventually only be positive :)