Here’s 3 simple secrets to making Bardo Training into a habit — a habit that is supported by your current lifestyle.
Start Small
A tiny habit is easier to squeeze into your schedule and much easier to stick to — plain and simple it is fast! That’s why you start with a simple Bardo Training exercise takes just 10-20 minutes of your day.
When you first start with a new Bardo Training exercise, aim to finish just 3 sessions during the first week — then increase that number as feels natural. Just three or four times a week will easily create the habit. Later you can up the number of times per week to 5 or 7 as you wish.
Schedule Bardo Training after another habit
Choose a habit that’s already second nature. Choose a habit that is so much of a habit that… it’s a habit. You don’t have to think about it, you don’t have to motivate yourself to do it. You just do it.
Now, schedule the new Bardo Training lesson right after that habit. This existing habit can be a meal, morning coffee, a physical workout, or another bardo training lesson that is currently a habit. Think about your day. Squeeze this new habit into a time slot that has a chance to succeed. Don’t doom this new habit by picking a time slot that is already over-packed. Do it when you can spare a moment to train.
Pairing your new Bardo Training lesson with an existing habit is a powerful secret to success. It makes total sense when you think about it for even a moment. Why people don’t use this obvious secret more is beyond me.
Something borrowed, something blue.
Actually blue has nothing to do with it. “Borrowed” is the key. I just like the expression.
What is borrowed? Power from the existing habit of course. Take the linkage one step further — insert a small reminder about doing the new Bardo Training lesson.
I’ll give you an example. Let’s say the existing habit is your guitar practice. First of all, hurrah for making guitar practice a habit. Now, let’s say that you want to add a new Bardo Training habit of practicing your “Magic in the Mirror” (sleight of hand). Well, at the end of your guitar practice sing a little song such as:
This hand is your hand This hand is my hand
From California to the New York island;
From the red wood forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This hand was made for you and Me.
This is a simple song in C, F, G and is dorky enough to be a good reminder that you want to train your “hand” do to sleight of hand for the Magic in the Mirror practice.
The more regularly you do a lesson, the quicker this new Bardo Training lesson will become just another part of your life.
Now that you know the secret, begin by inserting one additional spiritual training lesson into your life.