By Lauren Catanese

“The mind is like a monkey.” Said the monk who was teaching me to meditate. I was in a temple in Penom Phen, Cambodia. I knew exactly what the monk meant. My mind was raving from, “ Am I doing this right, how will I know, is he going to tell me what to do next, geese I’m hungry.” The mind doesn’t stop. The monk says that the mind is like a monkey. It wants to bounce over here, then go over there all the time, moving from here to there. Isn’t that the truth. Learning to still your mind can seem like a daunting task. But teaching and practicing the art of stilling your mind, even for a moment, leads to more inner breakthroughs in your life. That’s worth taking the time for. It brings you back to balance, oneness. And gives your ever monkey mind a break.

Our minds can always use a rest once in a while. Sometimes we have to shake up our old routine and take ourselves out of the norm- which can be liberating to our hearts. It helps us get closer to that voice, the loving guidance that is always there patiently waiting just for us.

Here’s five ways to give the monkey a rest:

1. Meditate! Practice practice practice.
2. Move your body- exercise, yoga, dancing under umbrellas in the street.
3. Do something out of character-break up an old routine and distract your mind with new ideas and ways of doing things.
4. Close your eyes and watch your thoughts go by like passing clouds. No judgment. Just watch them with curiosity as they float on by.
5. Journal it out. Grab a pen and paper and just let go. No one is going to read it, you can even throw it away after you do.

*Bonus- say “I love you” silently to everyone and thing that comes near you. That will breaks up the cycle for sure and might even make you smile 🙂

Happy Fall South Walton!

The post The Lotus Life appeared first on South Walton Life | 30A News, Events and Community Information.