Did you know it takes 21 days of repetition to form a new habit? Not 19. Not 25. I don’t know precisely how the experts arrived at the magic number of 21, but I’ll go with it. Personally, I think if you build momentum and are very determined, you could form a new habit in 19 and a half days. But I could be wrong.
Anyway, I’ve decided to form the new habit of contemplating my navel. Why, you say? Let me count the reasons:
1. There is nothing good on TV. I’ve checked. Surfed the whole 423 channels. Twice. Nada. So, that’s the first reason. Contemplating my navel offers a new horizon in entertainment (sort of).
2. The navel is an often ignored part of your anatomy. Think about it. When’s the last time you paid it any attention? You cleaned the lint out of it in 1992, and since then…poor, lonely navel. And, it is in a good place for contemplation, being located in the middle of your abdomen. Also, it doesn’t move around much. Other than the basic in and out when you breathe. Which is actually conducive to contemplation. Try it. You’ll see what I mean.
3. According to all the wise persons (well, they are not all men) and mystical traditions, contemplation and meditation are good for the soul (see my post about meditation, “Monkey Mind and the Conscious Consumption of Craisins“). If that is true, then learning the new skill of contemplating your navel would, it logically follows, also be good for soul development. Hence my enthusiasm for learning this highly beneficial new skill.
4. It’s trendy and makes one appear positively guru-ish. Assume the cross legged position on your cushion on the floor, or sit Indian style if you can’t make your legs into the pretzel shaped meditation position. You can add music that’s weird and other-worldly, like the sounds of migrating whales and digeridoo (I have no idea how to spell that word, but it‘s the Australian Aboriginal instrument that sounds like a cross between a harmonica and a kazoo). Candles and incense can further add to the mystique. Of course, if you’re over 50, this could be hazardous to your health and well-being, not to mention your knees (just sitting on the floor in this position can be!). The cushion can always be in a chair, so you avoid that whole sitting-on-the-floor thing. But you lose trendy points. Just saying.
5. You are positively Facebooked, Twittered, Texted, and emailed out. Your tired eyes, fingers, and thumbs need a rest, not to mention your brain. Contemplating your navel is an excellent restorative exercise, requiring one to desist from all of the above and renew and refresh your being. Kind of like rebooting in tech talk. So, turn your cell phone off. Go ahead. You can do it! Unplug your computer and hide your tablet under the bed. There. You are ready to begin navel contemplation, bigtime. Go for it!
6. It’s cheaper than drugs, legal, doesn’t leave you with a hangover, is restful, and helps to induce a sense of peace in an otherwise really crazy world. What’s not to like? So, here goes. Day one of the 21-day habit-forming path to the new habit of navel contemplation and nirvana. Are we there yet???
Anyway, I’ve decided to form the new habit of contemplating my navel. Why, you say? Let me count the reasons:
1. There is nothing good on TV. I’ve checked. Surfed the whole 423 channels. Twice. Nada. So, that’s the first reason. Contemplating my navel offers a new horizon in entertainment (sort of).
2. The navel is an often ignored part of your anatomy. Think about it. When’s the last time you paid it any attention? You cleaned the lint out of it in 1992, and since then…poor, lonely navel. And, it is in a good place for contemplation, being located in the middle of your abdomen. Also, it doesn’t move around much. Other than the basic in and out when you breathe. Which is actually conducive to contemplation. Try it. You’ll see what I mean.
3. According to all the wise persons (well, they are not all men) and mystical traditions, contemplation and meditation are good for the soul (see my post about meditation, “Monkey Mind and the Conscious Consumption of Craisins“). If that is true, then learning the new skill of contemplating your navel would, it logically follows, also be good for soul development. Hence my enthusiasm for learning this highly beneficial new skill.
4. It’s trendy and makes one appear positively guru-ish. Assume the cross legged position on your cushion on the floor, or sit Indian style if you can’t make your legs into the pretzel shaped meditation position. You can add music that’s weird and other-worldly, like the sounds of migrating whales and digeridoo (I have no idea how to spell that word, but it‘s the Australian Aboriginal instrument that sounds like a cross between a harmonica and a kazoo). Candles and incense can further add to the mystique. Of course, if you’re over 50, this could be hazardous to your health and well-being, not to mention your knees (just sitting on the floor in this position can be!). The cushion can always be in a chair, so you avoid that whole sitting-on-the-floor thing. But you lose trendy points. Just saying.
5. You are positively Facebooked, Twittered, Texted, and emailed out. Your tired eyes, fingers, and thumbs need a rest, not to mention your brain. Contemplating your navel is an excellent restorative exercise, requiring one to desist from all of the above and renew and refresh your being. Kind of like rebooting in tech talk. So, turn your cell phone off. Go ahead. You can do it! Unplug your computer and hide your tablet under the bed. There. You are ready to begin navel contemplation, bigtime. Go for it!
6. It’s cheaper than drugs, legal, doesn’t leave you with a hangover, is restful, and helps to induce a sense of peace in an otherwise really crazy world. What’s not to like? So, here goes. Day one of the 21-day habit-forming path to the new habit of navel contemplation and nirvana. Are we there yet???
