Habits

“The chains of habit are generally too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.”

Samuel Johnson

To me, September has always felt more like the beginning of a new year than January.  It began when I was a child getting ready for the first week of school, and continued into adulthood when I became a teacher and later married one.  There’s a tangible change in the energy of our household.  It feels like a fresh start, a new beginning, a time to make Fall Resolutions.  Or perhaps it’s less daunting to think of them simply as ‘habits.’

I remember noticing how agile the elderly were in India.  They were always squatting.  They’d squat to visit, to eat, to work, to empty their bladders and bowels, and they appeared to have no difficulty transitioning from a squatting to a standing position.  I shared my observation with my hostess, Maduri, and she simply replied, “Habit.”

What are the habits that I would like to form this year?  And what are the habits that I would like to break?

One habit that my Indian family had developed was to meditate every day, three times a day with their children.  I’m not sure if three-year-old Baby was really meditating during these times, in fact I’m sure that she wasn’t, but she was still and quiet and she knew that it was a sacred time for her family.  I liked that.  After their meditation, they usually did a few stretches together.  I liked that too.

So this fall, I’m going to start a little morning ritual with my daughters.  At some point every day, we’re all going to go into the living room, put on some meditative music and do a few simple stretches.  I know that it’ll be great for my body, great for their little bodies, and perhaps it will help us all to feel centered as we progress through the day.

A habit I’d like to break?  My morning coffee.  No, it’s not the caffeine-habit that I’d like to kick, (I already drink de-caf,) it’s the damn cream and sugar!!!  I blame my husband for the cream.  I hadn’t known the beauty of a silky, creamy coffee before I met him.  And the sugar?   Honestly…there’s nobody to blame for that one.  I’ve tried drinking it black, which made me realize that I don’t actually like the flavour of coffee.  It’s just the warm,  soothing, sweet beverage that I find so enjoyable.

I think I’ll use a replacement strategy for breaking this habit.  I’ll still enjoy a hot drink in the morning, but I’ll find a yummy decaffeinated herbal tea to replace my creamy coffee.  I’m open to suggestions.  Any favourite teas you’d like to recommend?

So those are my Fall Habits; one to form and one to kick.  Anybody out there want to join me?  Let me know what you’re going to form and/or kick.