I heard the title of this article when I started high school seminary. I have never forgotten this phrase. But the meaning of this phrase has become more important as the years pass by.
If anything is going to become meaningful in my life, it must be consistently repeated. If my emotional health is to stay positive, I must repeat the principles that bring emotional health. If my physical health is to remain life-giving, I must repeat the principles of physical health. If my spiritual health is to remain consoling, I must repeat the principles that deepen my spirituality. It sounds so simple. But simple things can easily be ignored.
I spent my first hour of the day in meditation and exercise which I usually do. During this hour of exercise and meditation I become more aware of not rushing to the next moment. It simply grounds me into the present moment. But then as the day progresses, this quiet resting in the moment can be minimized unless I consciously remind myself to stay in this moment. This conscious awareness is practicing the principle of "repetition is the mother of studies".
If something is going to be a positive part of my life, it must be repeated. I use to run marathons, a 26-mile race. In order to do that I had to go for a run of five to ten miles almost every day. If I didn't, my body would never have been able to endure the journey of running 26 miles at one time.
My life has been spent in helping other people open up to their buried feelings and emotional wounds. If I do not do this with myself on a daily basis, I would never be able to help anyone.
I am convinced that everyone can have a relationship with a Loving God, no matter what religion a person might be or even lack of religion. God is loving everyone and present in everyone's life. But I must experience this myself on a daily basis if I am going to help anyone else.
I am convinced that everyone will live forever and that as long as a person can open up to God in a humble and caring manner, life becomes filled with inner peace forever. Death is but an entrance into another life which is filled with joy and peace. But I must let go of my own inner blocks to experience this joy and peace. If I hang on to anger, resentments, and judgments of other people, I put myself into an emotional and spiritual prison. God will never give up waiting for me but the more blockades I build up around myself, the more miserable I become.
So, what are the repetitions I need in my life to push me in a positive direction toward a healthy and happy life? I need the repetition of gently loving and listening to other people. I need the repetition of daily exercise. I need the repetition of daily quiet time with God in meditation. I need the repetition of living in this present moment and focusing on this moment. And finally, I need the repetition of remaining positive by not investing in negative thinking and negative statements. All these daily repetitions push me in a positive direction. It is like I am turning away from darkness and turning toward sunlight.
But it is like I learned in high school so many years ago, if I don't do my homework, repetition. mater studiorum, my knowledge will not grow.
Life needs to be based on basic principles which will be practiced every day. Each of us realize this, but being human beings with our own emotional struggles and neglect of self, we can ignore these basic principles. We then suffer needlessly because we minimize the basics of life.
Life can be very simple and joyful if we stick to basic principles. Living in the present moment, daily exercise, daily prayer and meditation, investing only in love and compassion, never investing in anger and judgments and condemnations.
When I realize these basic principles, I need to repeat each day, I will be pushed in a positive direction. It is not so difficult once I realize the absolute importance of repeating healthy principles. Life is not so much about analyzing. It is about practicing daily positive principles. These principles will bring me into a peaceful and positive state of existence which will become deeper as the days pass by.
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Fred Cavaiani is a licensed marriage & family therapist and limited licensed psychologist with a private practice in Troy. He is the founder of Marriage Growth Center. He conducts numerous programs for groups throughout Michigan. Cavaiani is associate editor and contributing writer for Human Development Magazine. His column in the Legal News runs every other Tuesday. He can be reached at 248-362-3340. His e-mail address is: Fredcavi@yahoo.com and his website is FredsCounselorsCorner.com.
