Saturday, May 10, 2008

My Unconscious Ritual

Last night, I discovered that I have been doing this unconscious ritual whenever I intend on embarking on something new, for example, ramping up my exercise routine, going raw, fasting, and doing tasks that I found to be stressful, like job hunting, traveling, etc. It's a 3-point process that goes like this:


1. I work on envisioning actually doing it and having it as a part of me. This isn't like visualization, but more like getting myself to the point that I can actually identify with it. It's "me." This can be quick or take a long time.  


2. I go into this hydration routine where I drink lots of water and, often, fresh juices. It seems to make me more alert and does something to my emotional energy levels. 


3. I sleep. I find that getting an abundance of sleep makes me more prepared to accept something new into my life. I think it, too, has something to do with mustering lots of vital energy to put toward the project. 


This process might take several days or weeks, even; I'm not sure. As a matter of fact, until last night, entirely aware that I was even doing it. Let me explain...


For the past couple of weeks, I've been thinking about refining my Natural Hygiene "practice" because I think I've been slacking a bit. I've only been partly aware I've been thinking about doing this. Thoughts pulling me in this direction have just been kind of mulling around in my head as I've been doing something else, like dusting or washing dishes or doing Sudoku puzzles or otherwise solving the world's problems. 


Then, last night, when I was watching TV and my brain was in "incubation-mode," I suddenly got this urge to drink a whole bunch of freshly-squeezed orange juice. It wasn't a craving, but rather just a mental note to make a load of oj in the morning. Then, I dreamed making orange juice and drinking it. Why? I wondered. Well then it came to me: I'm in my (unconscious) ritual mode! 


Upon reflection, I realize that I've been doing this ritual for some time. I think it might have to do with summoning up lots of vital energy and preparing myself for the change of habit. Of course, I can't prove that any of this works. I just do it. 


Do you have a similar ritual you go through?  

1 comment:

Via811 said...

I've never consciously thought about it, but yes I guess I do have similar "visualization" methods. I'm not completely familiar with the definition of this term-but I take it to mean that I see myself as doing something before actually doing it and this prepares me for it. Makes sense?