Inhabit The Habit
We all live inside habits of body, mind, and emotion. 'Inhabit the Habit' invites you to step inside these patterns with curiosity, rather than trying to break them. By moving with your habits instead of against them, you begin to feel the wisdom they carry. What once felt automatic becomes alive, and in that aliveness, new possibilities open.
Transcript
Inhabit the Habit Welcome,
My name is Rachel and I am going to take you on a little journey today into the practice that I call Inhabit the Habit.
This practice is about getting in touch with the habit that is pointing at where you are leaving your body.
Know that you can choose up front the habit that you want to move with.
For example,
Maybe you recognize nail biting or scrolling on your phone,
Eating sugar,
Overeating,
Maybe chewing on your lips or the inside of your mouth.
It can be anything you do habitually,
And it can be something that you recognize you do when a certain emotion comes up.
For example,
Looking away,
Gazing,
Holding your breath,
Clenching your hands or maybe your jaw.
It can also be a change in a certain posture.
Take a few moments to be with this information and see what comes up,
And already feel yourself getting a little bit more centered into this moment.
Please be aware of the fact that it's really helpful that you create a safe space,
A safe environment that you won't be interrupted during this practice so that you can really get in touch with this practice.
So take your time moving into this practice.
Do whatever feels right and is necessary at this moment,
And feel yourself slowly,
Bit by bit,
Moving into this practice.
Notice where your body is at in the room.
See where your attention is going right now.
Don't make it right or wrong.
Simply notice it.
You already can play a little bit with closing your eyes or keeping them open,
And know that you can also move with this during the practice.
Before I take you into this practice a little bit more deeply,
Take some relaxing breaths.
Notice any sensations that come up.
Feel your attention oscillating from an outside focus to a more inward focus,
Where you again notice the sensations or feelings that arise without you getting involved or attached.
You can decide if you want to stand up or sit down or maybe even lie down,
Depending on the movement habit that you've chosen to work with today.
And you can also play with this,
So you're not fixed,
You're able to move around.
Play with movement and postures.
So,
When you've chosen a habit or a certain type of movement that you want to work with today or maybe not,
You can also take a few steps back and feel if anything comes up when you take a moment to realize if there was a moment in the last couple of days where you tried to lessen what you felt.
So just know it doesn't matter,
You don't have to know what you want to work with.
You can also see if you can stay with what is right here and now for a moment.
Also,
When you feel that there is nothing there at this time,
Keep connecting with your breath,
Sensations and the movement of the body.
See if you can feel that your attention is going more inwards,
Breathing,
Moving,
Sensing.
And try in these next moments or minutes that go by to postpone meaning-making.
Try not to analyze or think about the movement and what comes up.
Stay with the movement.
Stay with the feelings or maybe associations that come up.
Feel where you are in space right now.
Become aware of your body and then slowly connect with the habit or the movement that you want to work with today.
Maybe it's a habit,
A certain movement,
And see if you can explore that for a little while.
Try to place all of your attention on this habit,
On the movement,
On that thing that points out where you are usually checking out of your body,
Where you are leaving your body.
We're going to do the opposite right now.
We're going to explore.
So feel free to make that movement,
Maybe deliberately.
Or maybe it's just that you visualize you are making that movement or doing that habit.
Stay with the image or the movement that you are making and really give yourself the time and space to explore.
Feel yourself,
Feel your body.
Notice any subtle movement,
Impulses.
Just stay with it and explore.
Keep on noticing your breathing.
And remember,
There's no quick fix.
There's no need to rush.
See if you can really trust and respect all that arises in your awareness.
Feel what's going on on the inside of your body.
Notice what your body is doing or wants to do.
And again,
Try to postpone meaning making.
Really stay present with the habit,
With the movement.
And whatever comes up.
When feelings arise,
Be gentle on yourself.
See if you can give that a little bit of space to welcome these feelings.
And at any given moment during this practice,
You can see where your attention is.
And when at a certain point you know that your attention drifted off towards thoughts or something on the outside of yourself,
Simply notice and return your attention back towards the habit or the movement that you are making.
And you can choose to move in a certain way.
Or maybe you can also let it move you.
So as you dive deeper into this habit,
This certain type of movement,
And you are really being with it,
Connecting with your breathing,
Sensing,
Moving,
Maybe feel where the movement wants to go.
Trust your body,
Trust the movement.
Feel what your body is telling you.
Maybe notice any associations coming up like images or memories or certain words,
Sounds,
Could be anything.
And at any given time,
You can choose to move with it.
Or let it move you.
Trusting the process,
Trusting your body,
Trusting the movement impulses,
Wherever they want to go.
And maybe if you want to explore a little bit more,
You can change it up a little bit.
So when you feel that movement that you are making,
The habit that you are performing,
Feel if you can maybe intensify that movement a little bit and see what comes up.
Stay with it.
And at any certain point,
You can choose to maybe let go of that,
Come back to the movement as it was before.
And again,
Maybe choose with making the opposite movement,
Playing with contrast.
And just trust your body,
Feel what comes up.
Keep noticing your breath,
The movement,
Sensations.
And again,
At any given time,
You can choose to let go of that,
Come back to the movement as it was before.
Maybe for now,
The last one that you can play with is maybe generalize it in your whole body.
So it could be something that you maybe do in just one hand or in your arm.
You can choose to play with that movement and bringing it into the whole body.
Stay with it,
Stay present.
Feel what your body is saying.
Don't rush it.
Trust and respect the process.
And at any given point,
When you feel that you are complete within this movement,
The generalizing,
You can let go of that and come back to the original movement or you can choose to let it all go to the background more.
And feel what is here right now.
You just drop the habit or the movement for a little while.
So we are moving into the completion phase of this practice.
And just know that you can stay with it a little while longer.
If you feel you are not done,
Just take your time.
Even when this practice ends,
Just take your time to explore and be aware and inhabit it.
And whenever you feel ready,
You can feel if there is anything you want to do.
There maybe is some movement left.
Just feel what is needed to complete this practice for now.
Notice your breath.
Really honor your body and yourself for taking the space,
The time to move,
To dive deeply into this practice.
And again,
Feel if there is anything left.
Move into completing this practice for now.
And I want to invite you to,
When you open your eyes maybe in a little while,
Just honor your experience and feel if there is anything you need to do to feel more complete.
So maybe transition from the inward focus to the outward focus and give yourself that time.
Maybe you want to write about your experience.
Just be gentle with yourself.
Again,
Trust and respect the body and your experience.
And keep on staying present with all that arises in your awareness.
