#11
A deep appreciation for the present moment is at the core of every monk’s mindset. That is possible through meditation, grounding habits, meaningful silence, connecting with nature.
If you think that being a monk in the city is impossible, you are probably right!
There’s a reason monks travel to remote locations, away from traffic, sirens and distractions, to find their inner balance and peace.
But there are still things you can do, even in a busy environment that demands your attention at all times, to slow down your mind to the rhythm of the universe.
Guided movement. From an intense HIIT workout to a Yoga session with lots of breath work, focus solely on the next step.
Reading. When the mind’s racing, reading is the last activity you want to do. But stay with it, re-read the paragraphs when you rush through the words, and you will find your mind calming down the more you focus on the journey.
Journaling. Letting your thoughts travel to the paper might be symbolic at first, but in time it becomes freeing for the mind. Start small, 3-4 sentences a day. The more you practice, the more you’ll discover what the mind needs to release.
Observation. If you’re not sure how to approach meditation, try this – become an observer who is merely looking around, appreciating the situation for what it is, holding absolutely no judgement.
Above all, be kind to yourself. You’re doing a great job at being human!
When your mind starts to feel extra chaotic, remember that this is its natural state (without any training).
In the words of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of Flow: The Psychology of Happiness:
“Contrary to what we tend to assume, the normal state of the mind is chaos. Without training, and without an object in the external world that demands attention, people are unable to focus their thoughts for more than a few minutes at a time.”
