Taming the Monkey Mind: Taking the Monkey to the Gym

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, moreContinue reading “Taming the Monkey Mind: Taking the Monkey to the Gym”

Taming the Monkey Mind: Embracing the Monkey

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 mindsContinue reading “Taming the Monkey Mind: Embracing the Monkey”

Taming the Monkey Mind: Experimenting on the Monkey

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 thisContinue reading “Taming the Monkey Mind: Experimenting on the Monkey”

Taming the Monkey Mind: Graduation Day

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 ofContinue reading “Taming the Monkey Mind: Graduation Day”