Habit

When asked her view on ritual versus habit, a friend said

Habit makes a wonderful servant but a terrible master.

nerdly

ritual - intent = habit

general

a rut

that which you do without thinking

that which you are trained to do

that which will continue to do until you intend to do otherwise

neural-net theory

a rut in your neural-net

ding

salivate

This is a very Good Thing. Imagine if you had to think about how to walk, speak, eat, move, etc. We would get so bogged down in planning each muscle contraction and release that we would never be able to do anything

However, habits can carry ill effects as well. If you train yourself to do something incorrectly (like walking with your feet at an odd angle or hunching your shoulders when you sit) you will subconsciously do these things incorrectly. This can lead to poor performance and even injury.

Additionally, habits are meant to be permanent and can be quite difficult to replace if they are incorrect. The best approach is to "interrupt" the brain forcefully while it is in the process of performing its learned operation. Doing this consistently can be fruitful in replacing bad habits.

When I was a mere lad and being the recipient of a Catholic school education, the nuns at my elementary school always wore long black robes and something called a habit on their head. It was part of what I guess you could call their "uniform". In a sign of my age, I can recall that some of them even wore veils. Where was I? Oh, yeah...

I believe the habit was worn as an outward sign to us regular folks. The habit was supposed to represent their chastity and total devotion to Jesus.

When I first got there, the habit covered all of their hair and all of their neck. The styles were the same for both veteran nuns and novices (nuns in training?). It didn't matter how hot or cold, rainy or snowy, indoors or outdoors, a nun couldn't be caught dead without one. The only difference in the habit was that that the veteran nuns s wore black habits while the novices (nuns in training) wore white.

Then along came Vatican II and some of the stricter dress codes for nuns were relaxed. Habits got shorter and shorter, veils vanished almost overnight and those long black robes, they were now replaced by skirts.

As we hit the 70's, those nuns of a wilder nature or less strict order began to drop the habit completely from their attire. You couldn't recognize them in public anymore!

Nowadays, I don't know what the protocol is. I think it's a "matter of choice." In my humble opinion, it's a shame the church doesn't feel that way about other more important matters.

Hab"it (#) n. [OE. habit, abit fr. habit fr. L. habitus state, appearance, dress, fr. habere to have, be in a condition; prob. akin to E. have. See Have, and cf. Able, Binnacle, Debt, Due, Exhibit, Malady.]

1.

The usual condition or state of a person or thing, either natural or acquired, regarded as something had, possessed, and firmly retained; as, a religious habit; his habit is morose; elms have a spreading habit; esp., physical temperament or constitution; as, a full habit of body.

2. Biol.

The general appearance and manner of life of a living organism.

3.

Fixed or established custom; ordinary course of conduct; practice; usage; hence, prominently, the involuntary tendency or aptitude to perform certain actions which is acquired by their frequent repetition; as, habit is second nature; also, peculiar ways of acting; characteristic forms of behavior.

A man of very shy, retired habits. W. Irving.

4.

Outward appearance; attire; dress; hence, a garment; esp., a closely fitting garment or dress worn by ladies; as, a riding habit.

Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy. Shak.

There are, among the states, several of Venus, in different habits. Addison.

Syn. -- Practice; mode; manner; way; custom; fashion. -- Habit, Custom. Habit is a disposition or tendency leading us to do easily, naturally, and with growing certainty, what we do often; custom is external, being habitual use or the frequent repetition of the same act. The two operate reciprocally on each other. The custom of giving produces a habit of liberality; habits of devotion promote the custom of going to church. Custom also supposes an act of the will, selecting given modes of procedure; habit is a law of our being, a kind of "second nature" which grows up within us.

How use doth breed a habit in a man ! Shak.

He who reigns . . . upheld by old repute,
Consent, or custom. Milton.

© Webster 1913.

Hab"it (?), v. t. [habiten to dwell, F. habiter, fr. L. habitare to have frequently, to dwell, intens. fr. habere to have. See Habit, n.]

1.

To inhabit.

In thilke places as they [birds] habiten. Rom. of R.

2.

To dress; to clothe; to array.

They habited themselves lite those rural deities. Dryden.

3.

To accustom; to habituate. [Obs.] Chapman.

© Webster 1913.