If you’ve every explored meditation, chances are eventually you’ll come across the concept of the monkey mind, and how important it is to quiet it.
I’d like to challenge that. In Instinctive Meditation®, we welcome all aspects of ourselves, and that includes the monkey mind…. those parts of ourself that can be easily distracted, confused, or just continually chatter. Your time spent meditating doesn’t have to be sitting in an uncomfortable position, or attempting to stifle the inner workings of your mind. It’s about allowing the experience to be the experience, and giving yourself permission to simply be.
In modern living, our brains are operating like there are bunch of apps all opened at the same time, or a radio station playing in the background. When we take time to simply be, the volume and presence of that internal chatter comes to the forefront. “Maybe I should have said something differently in that meeting today. What’s for dinner? My nose itches. Haha… that was a funny post I saw- I should send it to my friend”. And like a giggle that might arise at an inopportune time, the more we try to not to have the thought, the larger it becomes.
When thoughts arise in meditation, it’s the brain doing it’s thing. You’ve given your mind space to sort, categorize and repair. It’s a safe place for scenarios to play out. You may feel an urge to jump up and attend to some of these things. I invite you to allow them to flow through, and if they are persistent, take a moment to either acknowledge it’s presence and “tell” it you hear it, and will address it later, jot it down, then continue whatever form of meditation you are doing. I sometimes like to say “Come on, monkeys!! Whatcha got?”
The art of allowing your mind to go on it’s own adventure is a big part of this style of meditation. It’s a natural rhythm of meditation to go in and out of a meditative state, just as our stages of sleep are deeper and lighter. You will come to think, “oh yeah. I’m meditating.” and continue.
I’m here to tell you, it’s going to all be OK, and here are some things that might work for you.
Write it out. Set the beginning time of your practice to do some writing- a writing utensil on actual paper use your brain a bit differently. You can write thoughts, the same word over and over, doodle. There’s just something about the act of writing itself than can be calming. These marking don’t have to be precious. You can make part of your meditation time at the end be to setting these markings free by doing something like tearing them up into tiny bits if you like.
Get silly. Honour that inner monkey, quite literally. If you’re in a place where you’re comfortable to do so, pretend to be a monkey, arms up in the air, lumbering through the room, maybe making monkey noises or giving voice to those thoughts inside your head. Sometimes releasing the energy of those thoughts can encourage them to settle down.
Move. If being silly doesn’t work for you, try putting on some music and dancing for awhile, then lay down and allow the feeling of movement to go inwards. Repeat a few times, ending with laying down and giving yourself permission to rest.
Be curious about your breath. This is a bit different than focusing on your breath, to me. Settle in a comfortable way, and get cozy with your breathing in its natural rhythm. Take time to appreciate the texture of it…. the change in temperature during the inhalation/exhalation cycle. The sound of it. Feel your breath flowing through your body- not just in and out of your lungs, but lighting up and feeding every cell- head to toe. Allow yourself to lose track of your breathing, and drift off. (P.S. falling asleep during your session is OK! Many of us are so sleep deprived!)
Engage with something you love to do. Many of us don’t make time to do something for the joy of it. Is there something you enjoy doing, or used to do, where time seems to fall away? It could be listening fully to music (not doing anything else while the music is playing), digging in your garden, walking unplugged in a less urban environment, creating or appreciating art, tinkering with machines. Try doing this every day, for 20 minutes a day. Even better, twice a day! Give yourself grace for easing into a regular practice.
Explore a pleasant memory. For example, maybe there’s a favourite place you like to go. Call it up in your mind in as great a detail as you can, inviting all of your sensory memories in. How the sunlight felt. The sounds around you. The textures you touch. I find when I do this, my mind settles into a peaceful place.
Use a guided meditation. For the way some people’s minds work, having something to listen to as a doorway into meditation can “short circuit” that chatter and take you deeper. When you lose track of what the guide is saying, IT’S OK! It means you’ve entered into your own version of meditation.
Use an object as a doorway. Instinctive Meditation® calls the ways into meditation doorways. You can use something like a candle, setting up what is for you sacred space, a stone to look at, a houseplant, the pattern of shadow and light coming in through a window. Instead of focusing on it, though, become an explorer. Drink in every detail of the object, engaging all of your senses.
Mantra. Mantra loosely translates from Sanskrit as “mind tool”. In some traditions, it’s a sacred word or phrase, often given to a student by their teacher. Let’s look at it another way! It doesn’t have to be a long phrase in a language you don’t know and feel like you might not remember (although it can be, too!) Repeat a sound over and over that is soothing to you. Maybe it’s “mmmm” or “ahhhhh”. It could also be a short prayer from your existing spiritual practice. Or it could be a word that has meaning for you, or has a quality you’d like to be filled with over the day. Love. Peace. I Am. Sunya. Stretch it out and luxuriate in the sound. Perhaps start by saying it out loud, then whisper, then recite with your inner voice.
Work with a meditation coach. Sometimes it’s helpful to have a coconspirator and witness to your process. A coach can help you explore what you need in a session and become attuned to what you might need on any given day. This can be different each time! One time a walking meditation might be it, another might be a nap, or any of the ideas listed above, and more. You have inside you a wealth of knowledge and doorways into meditation and rest that are unique to you; a good coach can help you find the way.
I would love to collaborate with you in creating your own meditation practice. You can schedule a free 30-minute call here to see if we are a good fit. https://calendly.com/adelesatori
I look forward to exploring with you!
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