Samskaras & Habits

Vocabulary

habit, innate, psyche, samskara, subliminal, vasana

1. HABIT – A behavior pattern acquired by frequent repetition or exposure; conscious habits are a way to create the life you desire while unconscious habits are likely the outcome of negative samskaras; “what you repeat, you become”
2. INNATE – To exist naturally or to derive from the mind in contrast to learning through experience
3. PSYCHE – The entire mind and personality; in Freudian psychoanalytic theory, encompasses the id, ego and superego, including both conscious and unconscious components (source)
4. “SAMSKARA” – Imprint on the subconscious that has become separated from originating cause and that creates mental and emotional patterns that affect the way we experience the world; commonly caused by trauma and associated with changes in the brain
5. SUBLIMINAL – Inadequate to produce conscious awareness but able to evoke a response; synonymous with subconscious
6. “VASANA” – Samskaras that link together, forming habit patterns or personality traits (Rev Jaganath Carrerra)

Samskaras

Digging into the Meaning

Samskara is a Sanskrit word often defined as “a latent, subconscious (or subliminal) impression,” an “imprint on the psyche” and “an innate tendency due to past actions.” Let’s look at these definitions more closely:

1. “Subliminal” is basically synonymous with subconscious and makes the point that samskaras are beneath our conscious awareness.
2. “Innate” means to derive from the mind rather than experience. “Psyche” encompasses the entire mind and personality, both conscious and unconscious components (source) These words point to samskaras surpassing time and space.
3. A “tendency due to past actions” refers to samskaras originating as a result of past mental, verbal or physical actions (thus, karmic) and stored as unconscious memory.

* When reading, take care to note “consciousness” vs “conscious” — two different things. Learn more here.