Monkey Mind

What do you make of "Monkey Mind?" Is it the brain chatter that can hijack your peace? Is it a part, or parts, of you screaming to be heard? Is it a distraction, a cry for help, a fun and creative place to be? I would say it could be all of the above, and probably more. Often, we experience “Monkey Mind,” negatively. The ruminating,100 mph thinking that can keep us stuck, going down rabbit holes and feeling distracted. Practices such as mindful breathing, body scanning, movement and even humming can slow down the chatter and help us become more present and embodied. Sometimes, however, the chatter can be a creative way of processing ideas, dreaming and imagining. The trick is to identify which kind of chatter you are experiencing. One way to tell whether the chatter is unhelpful is to check in with yourself. Take a pause and ask your body how the chatter is making you feel? If it’s creative, you may be inspired to grab your journal or your paints. If it’s making you feel anxious or angry or even sad, you can do the same thing to turn the chatter into creative, reflective and even healing energy. “Monkey Mind,” like most states of being, has both light and shadow. By embracing both, we can transform the chatter into a force for growth and transformation.

Here is a poem that expresses it perfectly:

THANKING A MONKEY

There’s a monkey in my mind
swinging on a trapeze,
reaching back to the past
or leaning into the future,
never standing still.

Sometimes I want to kill
that monkey, shoot it square
between the eyes so I won’t
have to think anymore
or feel the pain of worry.

But today I thanked her
and she jumped down
straight into my lap,
trapeze still swinging
as we sat still.

~Kaveri Patel