The Path Of Practice - Verse Forty Six

We recognize internal knots and latent tendencies
so we can transform them.
When our habit energies dissipate,
transformation at the base is there.

Internal knots are blocks of pain or suffering in our consciousness. When we encounter unpleasant experiences or cultivate negative habits like smoking, they may form internal knots. Internal knots lie in the store consciousness and we begin to act motivated by them.

If we cultivate the habit of smoking we become addicted to it and then we are driven by the urge to smoke. Every hour or so we may want to smoke.

If we are hurt or abused, it may form an internal knot and next time we encounter similar conditions we may react with anger or out of fear.

Most of the time we are driven by habits that we have cultivated. They take over our lives. Latent tendencies are habits that we haven't completely transformed. They remain dormant and may become active if supporting conditions arise.

The practice of mindfulness helps us transform our habits and guard against formation of negative habits. We recognize the formations and look into them, into the conditions that are causing them.

When we are watchful, we are better prepared. We can practice conscious breathing when we experience urges like the desire to smoke. It is an addiction, a deep rooted habit, but the urge lasts only for a few minutes. If we can learn to deal with it, we can transform this habit. Initially we experience the urge frequently and as we learn not to give in to the urges by practicing mindful breathing and by bringing to mind cigarette's negative impact on our health, their manifestation reduces. After practicing mindfulness even for a few weeks, we can be completely free from habits like smoking, drinking, overeating etc. After some time the urges stop arising completely.

When we practice the five mindfulness trainings, we learn to think if our action or words may bring harm to us or others. If we feel the urge to eat non vegetarian food, we should bring to mind the fact that we will consume and add to suffering. We can order vegan food and practice mindful eating. While eating our attention must be on the food. We must be able to recognize food as a gift of nature and not a result of cruelty. Practicing in this manner we can give up non vegetarian dietary habits very quickly.

There are two kinds of habit energies. First are those formed by actions and the second is the habit of grasping duality. If we sleep late for a few days, it may become a habit. This is an example of a habit formed by action. The other habit, of grasping duality, is our habit of looking at everything from the perspective of self and others.

When these two kinds of habits are transformed we experience the fruits of our practice. This is known as transformation at the base. In order for this to occur we must practice the five mindfulness trainings and always bring to mind the interbeing nature of reality. We must always keep in mind that we are not separate from others.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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