the problem with habit

 

the problem with habit

is not its consistency,

nor it efforts made,

nor deeds that get done.

the problem is the habitualness,

how that rides on awareness,

how that gets put on automatic,

how every time 

and ever so slightly, 

less of a conscious self

accomplishes what appears to be the goal,

how the goal pays off the esteem,

how the goal is less of an accomplishment,

and more of the tedium of task 

in the barking,

how routine become mindless humdrum.

and although the habits is strong,

the level of full-being present

becomes absent.

new background philosophies have to arise.

reframes have burdensome task 

of delivering orientation

for benefit to be the inner activity 

of outward evident habits in play.

the need for mischief and play 

to be the underscore.

great levity of spirit has to become witness.

some are zealous by physical involvement

while others find magical 

their private reward.

but habit by the herding 

as necessary to move through the day

eventually finds humdrum and boredom.

mindless and phased are as possible 

to the next task.

hard to have an earnestness that presents

with each and every next habit involved.

automatic of action does not yield 

joy of movement.

accomplishment does not yield 

each moment richly possessed.

habit needs an overview,

a deeper witness of self,

a philosophy that in summary blesses it all,

otherwise habit is bent on 

medicine cabinet intervention.

if habit is to be artful

then each action, each movement

has to have resonance 

of conscious being in play.

a buoyancy of being that finds the levity,

that seeks a greater embrace 

than the method of task,

that has witness with great overview. 

otherwise habit is a wardrobe in the closet

of everyday projection

and there is nothing to wear

that is current or dapper 

or joyous of presence.

it is all such a small slight of mind

but it cumulatively adds up

to when behavior has nothing to say

about the presence of your being

and habit is the humdrum 

that marches off

into the sunset 

of less self as aware . . .