“I am burdened with what the Buddhists call the monkey mind. The thoughts that swing from limb to limb, stopping only to scratch themselves, spit, and howl. My mind swings wildly through time, touching on dozens of ideas a minute, unharnessed and undisciplined.” (Elizabeth Gilbert)
I just got back from spending 4 days in the Seattle area with two good friends. I had never been there before, but it didn’t take long to see why so many people love it.
I hope you too have had an opportunity to get outdoors this summer or to do whatever else helps you to step away from the high stress, fast paced life that seems to be the norm these days.
For me it was the perfect way to calm what Buddhists call “Monkey Mind”. If you’ve never heard of it before, it’s how they describe those times when…
Your thoughts feel more like a bunch of drunken monkeys, constantly screeching, fighting, chattering, distracting, and generally creating mental chaos.
Given the general nature of life these days, I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of you can relate, but if you’re still not sure, here’s a list of signs your monkey mind might be going wild….
Feeling anxious, restless, and unsettled
Mental fatigue
Having a hard time focusing on the present
Often impatient
Returning to the same thoughts again and again (rumination)
I’ve never had much luck in getting rid of my own monkeys, which is probably why I appreciated Leo Babauta’s reminder to think of our monkey mind as something to befriend as opposed to an enemy you need to vanquish. Because…
“If we create a calm space for the monkey mind to jump around in, it will eventually settle down.”
In the hope that some of the examples below might inspire you to think about some of the places and things that work for you, I’d love to share some of the things that helped to calm some of my own worries this past week, beginning with…
Spending time in Nature
Many of my favorite moments were spent in and around the Olympic National Park, which included a wave crashing stroll along the beach, a hushed walk through the Hoh Rain Forest and a mystical trek above the clouds along Hurricane Ridge.
Worship, Prayer & Meditation
Before going I had volunteered to preach at Paul’s church in Bremerton as a thank you for opening his home to me and my friend Jeff and for taking time off to serve as our guide and to join in the fun.
Our Savior is a great congregation, and it was also a treat to have Kelsey Flower show up. Kelsey is also from Arlington but has been spending time in the Pacific Northwest this summer. When I mentioned where I would be, she drove over to worship with us.
I guess the point here is that whether it’s worship, prayer or meditation, you don’t have to go to a National Park or even be “outdoorsy” in order to experience the peace and blessings of being more fully present.
Time with Friends
When the monkeys are winning, one of the other things that has really helped is spending time with good friends. Having friends like Paul, who took off his pastor hat, and Jeff, who left his engineer hat back home made everything infinitely better.
In addition to all of our hikes & exploring the Seattle waterfront, we also took in a baseball game. The Tacoma Raniers just happened to be playing the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, which are the AAA team for the Houston Astros. Great game!
It’s a wonderful stadium and it even included a baseball first for me: Instead of my traditional hot dog, I had a bowl of Ivar’s clam chowder. And for a day that was almost chilly, it was absolutely perfect!
I’m back home now. And much like the 100+ temps that are also back in my life, I know that my hell raising monkeys will also be back for more.
But honestly, I’m not too worried, because whether it’s going for a walk, hand watering our plants, attending worship, going to yoga, or just enjoying that first cup of coffee with Ruth…
Even though it can often feel like we have no control over our thoughts, stress or focus, the truth is we do.
There’s at least one more thing that makes a big difference for a lot of you and it’s true for me as well.
Music
In fact, as we were driving from place to place, we would often play our favorite music for each other. One of those songs, which has stayed with me ever since getting back home, is a song by the Beatles called, “Across the Universe”.
“Sounds of laughter shades of life are ringing through my open ears inciting and inviting me, limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns, it calls me on and on across the universe.”
If it’s been a while since you’ve listened to it, just hit play, and tell your monkeys to CHILL!
Because even though our world can often feel chaotic and out of control, it’s one of those songs that believes, like me & many of you, that our universe is filled with an infinite number of opportunities to see and hear and taste and experience the kind of grace, beauty and love that makes all of our lives nothing less than miraculous!
Once again, you read my Monkey mind. I have never heard this term but that's my brain exactly- especially at night!
ONP looked Amazing!!!! So happy you had a few days with your good buddies!
Nothing like the PNW!! ❤️ Was it clear enough to see Mt. Rainer?