working on good habits: Good habits, bad habits

When you want to create a good habit or destroy bad one, concentrate on the brain cells, the store- house of the mechanisms of habits. To create a good habit, meditate; and then with the concentration fixed at the Christ centre, the centre of will between the eyebrows, deeply affirm the good habit that you want to instal. When you want to destroy bad habits, concentrate at the Christ centre and deeply affirm that all the grooves of bad habits are being erased.

By concentration and will power, you can erase even deep grooves of long-standing habits. If you are addicted to smoking, for example, say to yourself, ‘The habit of smoking has long been lodged in my brain. Now, I put all my attention and concentration on my brain and I ‘will’ that habit to be dislodged.’ Command your mind thus, again and again. The best time to do this is in the morning, when the will and attention are fresh. Repeatedly affirm your freedom, using all the strength of your willpower. One day, you will suddenly feel that you no longer are ensnared by that habit….

Suppose your problem is that you frequently get angry, and afterwards, feel sorry for having lost your temper. Every night and morning, make up your mind to avoid anger, and then watch yourself carefully. The first day may be difficult, but the second may be a little easier. The third will be easier still. After a few days, you will see that victory is possible. In a year, if you keep up your effort, you will be another person.

January 5 is Paramahansa Yogananda’s birth anniversary