Taming the Monkey Mind: Taking the Monkey to the Gym

Posted on by stilllearning2b

I only began consciously meditating within the last couple of years.  I have actually been practicing mindfulness much longer than that, however please keep that a secret from my monkey mind. I have used weight training as a tool for bringing my focus to the moment since I was a teenager. I lift heavy, more to direct my thoughts rather than to build my frame. Lifting was a way to force my mind to rest.  I could stay within my comfort zone of strength training and yet flirt with the exotic (to me at the time) world of meditation behind the scenes. When executing a compound movement with heavy weight, my mind could not wander; the monkey that normally scurried around the folds of my cortex was silenced under the burden.  Breath was forced into the smallest bronchi, as the body demanded extra oxygen. Each flexion of muscle was accompanied by a relaxation of mind, a perfect partnership of mind and body.

Zen Habits beautifully explores his experiences with the meditative power of iron.

:zenhabits.

So, if your monkey mind resists the yoga mat or the meditation pillow as mine sometimes does, try taking your monkey to the gym and shut him down with some heavy weights!  Just don’t tell him that he’s actually meditating:)

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Taming the Monkey Mind: Embracing the Monkey

Posted on by stilllearning2b

Last Saturday, we took advantage of the annual Brew at the Zoo (a kid-free zoo!) and enjoyed an outing to the local menagerie.  I found myself drawn to the gorillas, who were quietly surveying their domain as they perched atop the hillside.  They seemed unimpressed and undisturbed by the commotion around them.  Their monkey minds appeared calm and peaceful.  Gorilla Zen.

It made me wish I had a different monkey.  My mind is more like the tamarins, running and jumping around their enclosure, chattering their opinions to all who pass by.  I wanted to trade my hyperactive beast for a calmer, more regal one.

English: cropped v of File:Tamarin.monkey.500p...

Luckily, I was at the zoo, surrounded by professional monkey-wranglers.  Little did I know, there was to be a lesson in store.

We made our way to the orangutan exhibit for feeding time.  The keeper was throwing apple slices to each ape in turn.  The guy hanging out in the ditch wanted to make sure he wasn’t forgotten.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I learned that the eldest male had been raised by a researcher and had learned over 200 signs.  He kept signaling “more” to attempt to encourage additional treats to be thrown his way.  His son, a precious little 1 1/2 old, was standing nearby.  The big guy never let him directly catch an apple, but he made sure to feed him bits from his own mouth from time to time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I watched the alpha male communicate various desires with the handlers, I inquired about the relative intelligence of orangutans and gorillas.  The handler responded with a chuckle, “Oh, the gorillas are smarter, but they’re too lazy to want to learn much.”

Lightbulb moment.

Those placid monkey minds that I was ready to exchange mine for had a downside.  They may be calm, but perhaps they are too calm.  I can call my monkey mind many things, but lazy is not one of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I want to model my monkey mind after the orangutans.  They were inquisitive, yet not anxious.  They are independent, yet social.  They are intelligent, yet playful.  So, maybe they are not as Zenlike as the gorillas,  but they fully embrace their nature.

It’s time for me to embrace my monkey mind too.  Even if he won’t stand still.

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Taming the Monkey Mind: Experimenting on the Monkey

Posted on by stilllearning2b

Mr. Sandmonkey (78/365)

What?  You didn’t think that my ruminations on my monkey mind were going away just because I completed the 28 day challenge, did you?  Of course not; this monkey demands attention and gets ornery if he’s ignored for too long.

First, a disclaimer:  No monkeys were harmed or experimented on in the making of this post.  You can go ahead and back off now, PETA.

When I undertook this meditation challenge, I was most concerned about staying with daily practice.  In the past, I had slid out of the habit faster than my work clothes at the end of a hard day.  But, that hasn’t been the case on the go-round.  I dutifully meditate every day for at least a few focused minutes.  I do it without thinking.  It has become habit.

Get it?

For some reason, this bothers me a bit.  Maybe I’m overthinking this (totally possible given my analytical nature), but it seems like I should be mindful about mindfulness.  Intentional.  For a time, I was experimenting with different guided meditations, various chants, and assorted music.  I did walking meditations and silent meditations.  I feel like I’ve turned it over to autopilot recently.  I tend to go for the same chant generated by the same app, plug in the same headphones, lie on the same spot, and just go.

Is this good?  I am practicing, after all.  I can’t help but feel like I’m slighting my monkey; however.  If I don’t actively pursue different options and continue to read about meditation, am I stunting my monkey’s growth?  Or, by reading and studying, am I distracting myself from what is really important; focusing too much on the “doing” rather than “being”?  Maybe my discomfort with the status quo is arising from the fact that I am still learning to BE.

I think I’ll go meditate.

Namaste.

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Taming the Monkey Mind: Graduation Day

Posted on by stilllearning2b

This all started with a 28 day meditation challenge.  It has actually been 32 days since I began; I added a few days to make up for the two that I missed during my camping trip.

So, I guess the first question should be if I consider my monkey mind trained after a month of formal education?  I’m not sure if I can claim a fully tamed monkey, but it certainly more well-behaved.  During meditation, my mind still tries to escape to planning mode every few breaths, but I find that I am able to bring it back much easier and almost without thought.  It no longer protests being brought back to breath.  In daily life, my mind is much calmer, less prone to anxiety, and much more aware and present in the moment.  That’s not to say that there aren’t moments where my monkey mind is running about its cage, shrieking and throwing things at the passers by, but luckily for all us, those moments have reduced in frequency.

Just because my monkey-mind has graduated from this program, he is not done with his education.  In fact, this was simply a starting point.  I am going to continue on this journey, me and my monkey mind, with a zen mind, a beginner’s mind.  I have found that I have more curiosity towards the practice of meditation than before.  It draws me now.  I have gone from letting it slip away from me to making it a part of me. I plan (uh oh, there’s that word) to continue daily practice and to experiment with different techniques.  I want to read more on the subject to gain new perspectives and to help put words to what I have already found.  Shhh…please don’t tell my monkey mind that he doesn’t get a summer break; he might get a bit upset.

It’s time to enroll in continuing education.  And the best part?  No student loans required for this course!

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