Compass of the Times 249

To Create Habits

Keiko Takahashi

The Moment We Notice Our Unconscious Behavior

Since the turmoil caused by the pandemic subsided, Asakusa, where the GLA headquarters is located, has seen more tourists from Asia, Europe, and the United States than ever before as it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan.

Many people experience some kind of culture shock when they travel abroad to a place with a different cultural background from their own country. For example, visitors to our country unanimously point out the following:

The city is cleaner than they imagined, even though there are no trash cans to be found.

On train platforms, people line up in an orderly fashion and give priority to those who get off before boarding the train.

Despite so many cars on the street, few people honk their horns.

Clerks at stores smile and say, “Welcome.”

Restaurants and other eating establishments have seats reserved exclusively for one person.

Many people noisily slurp their noodles at soba or ramen restaurants.

People follow traffic rules to wait for the light to turn green even when there are no cars coming by.

The list is endless, but there are many more “discoveries” that tourists point out.

What we unconsciously take for granted is made conscious by putting ourselves in a place in which the culture is different. It is then that we become aware of the unconscious behavior that had become so familiar to us.

We could call that unconscious behavior “habit.”

Habits are behaviors that have become unconscious without us knowing it. By habituating behaviors that we repeat, we save energy for the more essential aspects of life.

Habits Create Our Life

From the moment we wake up in the morning to the time we go to bed at night, most of our daily lives are made up of habits. We get up, get dressed, get on the train to work, and tackle our jobs one at a time.

All of these daily activities are deeply connected to habits. And it is not only those behaviors that are related to habits.

We perceive things as we show interest in them and react to certain situations. We influence the world as we value, judge, and act on these things.

Each of our mind’s functions of reception and transmission are reproducible and repetitive, worthy of being called habits.

Whether we are aware of it or not, our lives are made up of a myriad of habits.

To Create New Habits by Bodaishin

Habits make up a major part of our lives. Habitual behavior becomes unconscious behavior that cannot be consciously controlled. Therefore, it is not easy to change a way of life that has become habitual.

And yet, once we develop a new habit, it can become part of a new way of life and a force for creating a new life.

There is a difficulty in creating new habits, however. This is because habits belong to the subconscious dimension, and we cannot always control them by simply thinking about them.

For instance, it is often the case that it is difficult to establish a habit even though we wish to do so.

This is because, even though we think we wish for it, our subconscious shows significant resistance to movement of concepts from the conscious. There are many cases like that.

The creation of a new habit will not go smoothly unless it is something we truly wish in our hearts.

If that is so, the habit of Bodaishin¹ in the depths of each of our minds is what we should be seeking now. This is especially true for those who are tackling the Bodaishin Challenge² in the Global GENESIS Project³ studies.

As we are near the end of 2024 and foresee the year 2025, I encourage you to consider creating new habits based on the 12 Bodaishin⁴.

Editor’s Note:

1. Bodaishin

Bodaishin is a Buddhist term originally used to refer to the “mind that seeks enlightenment.” I would like to define Bodaishin more broadly as a “mind that seeks one’s true self, loves others, and contributes to world harmony.” Bodaishin is a mind that not only seeks to develop and perfect oneself but also expands one’s boundaries to care for others and work for the good of the whole. The major problems of our time, such as global warming, world poverty, and social inequality, cannot be truly solved without Bodaishin at work. Bodaishin is what is essential for our lives and the world to truly shine. (Excerpt from p. 4-5 of Twelve Bodaishin: The Way That the Soul Shines Brightest, currently available only in Japanese)

2. Bodaishin Challenge

In 2024, the year of the 55th anniversary of GLA, the 31st Commemorative GGP was opened on the basis of the 30-year history of the GGP studies. The annual theme is “Bodaishin Challenge,” which is a challenge for each one of the participants to set Bodaishin and nurture it within them so that they can face real issues, problems, and trials with that Bodaishin and open a new path in a concrete way.

3. Global Genesis Project (GGP) Studies

The Global Genesis Project Studies is a place of practical learning where “study” and “volunteer work” are combined into one. Participants can learn the wisdom of the front lines of the Study of the Soul once a week while also gaining an experiential understanding of the Divine Truth through Project activities (volunteer work at GLA).

4. Twelve Bodaishin

In the Study of the Soul, “Bodaishin” is defined as a “mind that seeks one’s true self, loves others, and contributes to world harmony.” We cannot possibly put into words the full meaning of “Bodaishin,” but we can describe its resonance and brilliance in the following “12 Bodaishin”: Heart like the Moon, Heart like Fire, Heart like the Sky, Heart like a Mountain, Heart like Ears of Rice, Heart like a Spring, Heart like a River, Heart like the Earth, Heart like the Kannon Bodhisattva, Heart like the Wind, Heart like the Sea, and Heart like the Sun. These “12 Bodaishin” can be said to be the 12 aspects of the nature of light that is omnipresent in the universe and nature. (Excerpted and edited from Twelve Bodaishin)

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