Old Habits

So... given the breakfast conversations of the past couple of blogs... how to change old habits!!?? Although it seems like changing the breakfast eating habits is a relatively smooth transition... the spiritual habits are not so easy for some reason. At the same time, while changing breakfast eating habits is going well, the other eating habits aren't doing so great! There are all sorts of temptations out there, cheezies and chips and chocolate and... The same for spiritual practices... all sorts of temptations to just let the silent meditation go by the board and read the news on the internet or watch TV... or check the mail or do a bunch of other things. It seems like with the spiritual things, time becomes an issue for me, and I decide there are more valuable things to do with my time than those things... With the eating though, it's not a time thing... it's pure and simple gratification... eating something salty or sweet seems to fill a void in my tummy, at least temporarily... Although they don't really fill the void, because my body till wants and needs the nutrition that comes with healthy eating. So, with all the stuff that I do to avoid the meditation... perhaps the same applies. Those activities (watching TV, etc), fill the void in my spiritual life but only temporarily. My body still wants the nourishment that comes with meditation and quiet time... I'm actually starving my spiritual self when I "do" all those frivolous things... but I think that I'm taking care of myself. Nasty!!

So, how to change those old habits? Just get really clear on how screwed up they are? How un-nutritious they are for me? I changed by dental hygiene virtually overnight thanks to a little wake-up call from my dentist. But what sort of wake-up call is there for spiritual malaise?? Or is this it... just my awareness is enough to allow me to step into altering it? If I hold it as all those things that I "do" are attempting to fill a void... but can never manage it... then perhaps that is enough of a kick in the butt for me to change those habits!