Monkey Mind and Distractions in Meditation

What to do when Monkey Mind and distractions arise during meditation.

 

Monkey Mind is that endless chatter that sends you round and round with thoughts that go nowhere.You know what I am talking about:

~I have seriously got to make that dentist appointment…

~Remember to pick up apples, milk and yogurt at Trader Joe’s on the way home…

~Hmmm, maybe if I moved the couch to the other side of the room and put the two chairs…

It can go on and on and on. There is no use trying to stop Monkey Mind, it will only escalate.
Instead see if one of these ideas helps you.

3 Tips You Can Try With Monkey Mind

 

1. Focus on your breath. When you feel the distractions interrupting your quietness, gently return your awareness back to your breath. No need to change how you are breathing, just take a moment to notice it.
Breathe in…breathe out. Repeat.

2. Imagine your mind to be like a river and each thought that comes up can become a fallen leaf that flows down the river. When a new distracting thought comes into your mind, allow it to become another leaf gently moving down the river, away from your place of stillness. As you practice this, don’t try to force the thoughts to leave, just guide them towards the ever flowing river.

3. Do nothing. Yup, that’s right. Do nothing. Eventually, the thoughts may just spin out and quiet down. Allowing them ramble on a while is a great way to practice letting go of having control of everything that comes up in life. Just sit there and do nothing.

Don’t fight it.

 

The key thing is to not try to fight it. Distractions are part of life and Monkey Mind is part of any meditation practice. Remember to be compassionate with yourself and your practice.

Daily meditation means that sometimes stillness comes to you right away and other times not at all. Just be present for it and keep at it.

Enjoy,
Kathleen

44 ways that daily meditation helps you

Daily Meditation helps you…

1. respond to situations instead of reacting to situations
2. get grounded
3. be more centered
4. increase your confidence
5. make decisions more easily
6. carry out decisions
7. express your true nature
8. connect to your own genuine opinions
9. have the courage to speak your truth
10. increase your peace inside
11. become deeply settled
12. be less wavering and simultaneously more flexible
13. be open to new ideas and new ways of seeing things
14. create the opening for innovation
15. allow new ideas to percolate and expand
16. cultivate a neutral mindset
17. increase productivity
18. be deeply connected to your integrity and personal power
19. make your mark on the world
20. be more mindful
21. retain and increase your internal calm
22. reduce anxiety
23. bolster your inner brilliance
24. bring ease in your life
25. reinforce your will power
26. have a template to create what you want in your life
27. get into “the zone” that allows you to do your best work
28. with difficulties,  pain, grief and distress
29. get through the darkest storms of life
30. be more gracious
31. transform your health and well being
32. tap into a place of being able to thrive
33. access that place of courage
34. be less fearful of the unknown
35. increase the capability to make changes easier
36. experience a greater place of acceptance
37. have a chance to catch your breath
38. tap into your inner wisdom
39. cultivate your intuition
40. form a greater sense of being solid and secure
41. on your path to mastery
42. with the chance to be more open to love
43. become increasingly generous of spirit
44. become more patient

pretty good, huh? Meditate Every Day
xo,
Kathleen

44 ways daily meditation helps you