Meditation and the Monkey Mind?
Some find the term, "monkey mind", upsetting, derogatory, and insulting. This is a shame, as the point is lost, the ego is involved, and a natural human defense goes up. After all, we are supposed to be the "king of the primates," aren't we?
The first time I heard the expression, "monkey mind," in regard to meditation, I thought of Swayambhunath Stupa, in Kathmandu, Nepal. Sometimes, this is named, the "monkey temple," and it made me laugh inside, as monkeys need supervision in human settings. The picture of unsupervised monkeys got into my head, and I was suppressing laughter during a serious conversation.
Monkeys can be nuisances, when allowed to roam without some guidance, and it is the same with the untrained mind that runs from topic to topic, without getting much accomplished. So please don't waste time being offended by the term, and try to look at the comical side.
When you allow yourself to enjoy life, and try not to take anything too seriously, you can see that monkeys don't have it so bad after all. Very often, the human mind spends too much time defending, worrying, posturing, influencing, fearing, and feeling embarrassed, to enjoy life to its fullest potential.
In fact, you are not your mind. You are responsible for your actions, but many things happen in the thought process before you do take action. For example: when you think, images and options are created. As a result of those images, you get a physical feeling somewhere around your heart.
Whether the feeling is, good or bad, you process it into action, or treat it as a fleeting thought that passes and may be forgotten. So if you have a fleeting evil thought and it passes - should you waste time feeling guilty about it? The natural safeguard for ethical behavior is your heart or "gut feeling." This is the best indicator of wrong or right.
Mankind has the ability to influence the universe, and create different realities, but separating what is sacred, from what is evil, has been a dilemma for thousands of years. The disconnection from your inner self, nature, and God, has led to excessive confusion.
Thank God for meditation; it allows you to harness the power of the mind, settle down, and focus, on one subject at a time. If you take the time for a daily meditation practice, your decision-making process will be much more controlled and clear. The end result will be to look at the monkey with much more respect, appreciation, and a bit of humor.
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Latest News
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Omstream.com Announces Signing of NuTone Music and Their Catalog ... MarketWatch - LOS ANGELES, CA, Dec 02, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- Omstream.com, the online music store that specializes in downloadable yoga music, meditation music ... |
School sees quiet gains as its students meditate Arizona Daily Star, AZ - Despite its simplicity, the practitioners report they're seeing significant benefits from Transcendental Meditation, the trademarked technique created by ... Red Clay to work early on behavior Red Clay plans alternative elementary school |
The Associated Press | Survivors recall hotel nightmare Toronto Star, Canada - Larry Koftinoff, of Kelowna, BC, turned to meditation during hotel siege. MUMBAI–Days after they escaped the besieged Oberoi hotel, many of the surviving ... Mumbai survivor: 'There was blood everywhere' Prayers for parents visiting India answered in Kelowna |
![]() BBC News | US Jewish, meditation groups' members die in Mumbai WZTV, TN - Other Americans killed in the attacks include a man and his 13-year-old daughter from a Virginia community that promotes a form of meditation. Video: NY Rabbi, Wife Among Dead in Mumbai Raid Missions of faith end in sorrow Team of FBI investigators readies to fly to Mumbai |
Meditation 'beats antidepressants' Scotsman, United Kingdom - GROUP psychology involving Buddhist meditation can be as effective at combating depression as medication, a study published today in the Journal of ... |
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Meditation Tips for Resisting Temptation Methuselah Foundation, DC - Just some background: I view the use of meditation techniques to keep from eating foods you don't truly want that don't support your health, as a process of ... Flying Egg McMuffin |
![]() Zee News | Canadian actor played dead, got new lease of life Times of India, India - A resident of Montreal, Canada, Rudder had come to Mumbai as a part of a meditation group, and hopes to get back home soon. According to officials at the ... My movie experience helped me survive: David Rudder Montreal actor describes 'Die Hard' moment in Mumbai shootings Canadian actor shot three times on yogic retreat |
![]() LIVENEWS.com.au | Nicole Kidman's Australia meditation China Daily, China - She said: "I have a strong faith in God, he is at the centre of my meditation. Hugh and I would both meditate on the set of 'Australia'. ... Nicole Kidman refuses to sing in front of Keith Urban |
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