"Rituals" of practice?

When we practice day after day, doing the repertoire of our system, are we slowly being 'anaesthetised', desensitised by the ritual of practice and forget the original purpose of the practice?

 

Yes, we learned a lot about the Internal Arts, bought all the books there are available on the subject, able to recite complex training mantras, can stand and meditate longer and more often than others, and drop into the most challenging stances, We've worked hard and long to achieve these, and have received praise and recognition from our peers. Slowly and imperceptibly we make these "rituals of practice" become the practice itself without realising it. It seems that as long as we complete these "homework" every day, then we are a step closer towards 'nirvana'. We may even become a "master" or "spiritual person" and instruct and reprove others.

 

In actual fact, we may have merely developed a set of new habits. We may think that we are engaged in practice and cultivation but in reality we are only performing the external rituals without any intrinsic change. Without going into the "heart" of practice, what good does it do us? The "true nature" surfaces as soon as adversity or unfavourable situation arises. Real practice is "context experimenting and mind examining". Prescriptive form or homework is not as important as the complete awareness of each and every mental and physical context.
 

If we are engaged, practice and cultivation need not be supported by rituals; if we are not, all "rituals of practice" are in vain! Do not let us be anaesthetised and desensitised and do not be fooled by the "practice" of illusion.