CHARACTER BUILDING AND THE OVERCOMING OF HABIT.
Character building is the greatest object in life. It has been said
that character is the only thing we can take with us when we depart
this life. This is perfectly true, therefore the object of all
religion (not religiousness), mental training and development should
be the building of character. A religion that does not build up
character is worthless. Those who think that they can "flop" through
life, avoid, as far as possible, its discipline, make no effort to
improve their character, and through believing in a certain creed
can miraculously become perfect, simply by dying, are deceiving
themselves. We do not become "perfect," _i.e._, of a strong and
perfect character, either by believing in a creed or through dying,
but by attainment. God helps those who help themselves, and those
people who will not strive after better things cut themselves off
from all the glorious and wonderful possibilities of attainment.
Before, however, thinking about such lofty things as entering the
Path of Attainment, and becoming changed into, and modelled after
the Divine Image, the average person may wish to know how to overcome
bad habits and weaknesses of character which are keeping him down
in life, and, possibly, undermining his health. Most people are
conscious of some wrong habits that ought to be overcome, and
weaknesses of character which should be eradicated. Possibly they
have fought against their habits or weaknesses for years, prayed until
they are tired of praying, made innumerable attempts at turning over
a new leaf, yet all in vain, for they are as firmly in the toils as
ever. Many people give up the struggle and endeavour to lead a sort
of Jekyll and Hyde existence, being outwardly a Christian or righteous
person, but inwardly something quite different. Yet they find no
satisfaction in this dual life, for they know that they are drifting
towards an abyss.
Yet there is a way of escape that is open to all. The Infinite One
has provided man with powers that are apparently unlimited: powers
which can be used either to build up the life and character or to
destroy them. These powers are those of the sub-conscious mind. This
mind is a reservoir of unlimited, tireless forces, and becomes, if
we use it aright, our best friend, or, if we mis-use it, our worst
enemy.
Every time a bad action is indulged in, wonderful changes take place
in the nervous system, and energy becomes stored up in certain cells,
so as to make it easier to do the wrong act on a future occasion.
It is equally true that every time a good action is done, similar
changes, but in a reverse direction, take place, that make the doing
of the same action easier in the future. This explains the tremendous
power of habit. Our body, brain and nervous system become changed,
either for the worse or the better, according to the type of action
indulged in.
We do not yet fully realize what a wonderful adventure life is. We
are entrusted with tremendous powers, and by their use or mis-use
we can either destroy ourselves or build up our character in every
possible direction. What a responsibility, yet what a glorious
opportunity!
In order, however, to find a way of escape from evil habit and
weaknesses of character, we must go deeper than actual deeds, for
actions are effects of hidden causes. The cause of all action is
thought. A thought, someone has said, is an action in the process
of being born. It is true that we possess primitive desires and
impulses, but these can be transmuted into noble actions and high
achievement simply by directing the thoughts and attention to higher
and better things. For instance, the powers of sex become transmuted
into brain power if the thoughts and attention are completely
transferred from sex to intellectual pursuits. If, however, the
thoughts are allowed to dwell upon sex or passion, then the kingdom
becomes divided against itself, and man begins to drift towards the
abyss. The strain of modern life is filling our asylums, yet there
are those who can work fifteen or even eighteen hours a day and thrive
on it, although engaged in severely-trying brain work. These have
learnt to transmute their lower powers into higher. This is not done
by means of esoteric or occult practices, but by obeying the Divine
Injunction to set our affections on things above. In other words,
to keep our thoughts and attention fixed upon higher and better aims,
ambitions and pursuits.
It is impossible to overcome bad habits by fighting them, for the
more we fight them the stronger they become. The injunction to "resist
not evil" is very applicable to habit. The way of escape is not by
fighting evil or wrong habit, no matter what its character may be,
but by concentrating upon building a good habit that shall cut the
ground from under the feet of the bad one, or by turning the attention
to higher and better things.
Whatever we fix our attention upon, or whatever it is that we
idealize, our sub-conscious mind endeavours to actualize and make
real in our life. By fighting a habit we direct sub-conscious
attention to it, and this is fatal. If, however, we turn our whole
attention to something entirely different and which is higher and
better, all the powers of the sub-conscious are directed towards the
production, in the life and body, of the new object of attention.
We see, therefore, that we do not have to overcome habit. If we did
our task would be hopeless, for the human will is helpless before
the power of the sub-conscious mind. The sub-conscious powers can
be led by the imagination, but they cannot be coerced by the will.
The will must be used not to fight the habit, but in raising and
directing the attention to something higher and better. By this means
a new habit is formed. The attention of the sub-conscious mind is
taken away from the bad habit, and all its powers directed towards
the creation of a new and better one. The sub-conscious does not care
what the habit is. It is indifferent as to whether it is good or bad.
It is just as willing to produce a good habit as a bad one. We, each
of us, therefore, hold our fate in our own hands. We can, by
controlling our thoughts and imagination and by directing our
attention to better things, focus all the powers of the sub-conscious
on the building up of good habits, or, on the other hand, we can,
by allowing our thoughts and mental pictures to dwell upon undesirable
things and our attention to be directed to low or weak ideals, fall
into undesirable habits. The power that produces the habits is the
same in each case; it is the way in which this power is directed that
is the vital and essential thing.
It is very necessary to point out that right thinking and correct
use of the imagination must be accompanied by corresponding right
action. Many people make use of auto-suggestion and expect it to
destroy their bad habits and build up better ones, but it never will,
or can do so, unaided. Auto-suggestion is useless if it is not
followed by constructive action. Young people should expend their
energies in physical culture and games. Older people should interest
themselves in hobbies and intellectual pursuits. It is only advanced
students who can control their thoughts so that they can govern their
life forces by mental means. Those less advanced, when attacked by
evil or weak thoughts, must get up and _do_ something quite different,
and thus get their minds off the forbidden subject and interested
in the new object of attention. It is a case of directing the desires
and life forces into different channels, by controlling the thoughts
and attention. Here is seen the value of true religion, for it brings
fresh ideals into the life and directs the attention to higher and
better things. The writer realizes that a change must take place in
the heart of the individual before he can desire these better things.
When, however, this change has taken place, the battle has only just
begun, for each one has to work out his own salvation.
At first, then, most people will find it necessary to do something
in order to attract their attention and guide their thoughts to
something quite different from the forbidden subject. Later on,
however, when they become more advanced in the science of right
thinking, they will be able to direct their thoughts into any desired
direction. This necessitates constant vigilance. Each thought has
to be carefully scrutinized before being allowed to pass the threshold
of the mind. By reversing every negative or unworthy or ignoble
thought into its opposite, a change is wrought in the brain and
nervous system. The cells formerly used for wrong thinking and for
the production of wrong action go out of use as new cells are brought
into use for the production of right action.
This stage leads to one higher still, when it becomes a settled habit
to reverse bad thoughts into good ones and perform right actions
instead of bad or weak ones. The power of the sub-conscious mind,
which at one time seemed so evil, produces right action more or less
automatically. When once the habit of cleaning the teeth is
established there is experienced an uncomfortable feeling until they
have been attended to. When once a dirty person has learnt to wash
himself thoroughly and keep himself decent, he will feel uncomfortable
if he gets dirty. The same rule applies in the more important things
and habits of life. If those who are in the bondage of habit will
only direct their thoughts and attention to the building up of good
habits, their old weaknesses will die a natural death.
It must not be thought that the victory over life-long habits is easy.
It may seem so at first, but sooner or later temptation will come
with added force, which may result in a sad fall. If this should
happen it is most important that too much attention should not be
paid to the incident. Instead, the beginner should pick himself up,
and, making a mental note of the immediate cause of his downfall,
thus benefiting by the experience, press on again towards freedom.
It is most helpful to realize that not only is the sub-conscious mind
willing to be guided aright, if we will only persevere long enough
(until persevering itself becomes a habit), but that we also have
behind us all the Spiritual powers of God. The Infinite One sees to
it that the odds are not overwhelmingly against us. Our difficulties
are not insuperable, although they may appear to be so. We can always
win through if we faint not. Heaven looks on with sympathetic interest
and rejoices with the struggler when he succeeds, and mourns with
him when he fails. The struggle is a stiff one, for it is only by
this that the seeker after God can become strong in character, but
the victory can always be won. When the situation appears hopeless,
let the struggling one remember that there is a way of escape
somewhere, and that God, who is his freedom and deliverer, will reveal
it to him if he faints not. If all who seek deliverance will realize
that the Power of the Infinite is on their side, and that they are
bound to become victors if they will only keep on, they must succeed.
And what a joy is theirs! There is no happiness quite like that which
comes to one who has fought the good fight and overcome habit and
weaknesses of character.
May every reader experience this supreme joy of overcoming.