Settling the Monkey Mind

Some of the joys of having an active imagination, or as Chris my fiancé likes to call it, my ‘monkey mind’ is that I can oftentimes come up with unique solutions to problems, concoct interesting (but mostly yummy!) meals that have strayed from the recipe or I find myself in silly situations that make me (and others) laugh 😉 Or when there’s a creative task at hand, chances are the process will unravel me in such a way that I end up in a completely unique headspace and with a whole new suite of thoughts and ideas that hadn’t occurred to me before!

The hard part for me though is to be able to focus my thoughts intently. Rather than let my mind throw me about from one idea to the next without realising what thought patterns are evoking what associated emotion. And despite the fact that it can at times be an entertaining journey being swept up in randomness, sometimes, it’s nice to just ‘be’.

There are several ways of combating the ‘monkey mind’ syndrome, such as yoga or tai chi and other forms of gentle focussed exercise, music, even healthful eating is beneficial.

But I cannot stress enough the most valuable and beneficial technique one can ever use to settle the over active mind ~ is meditation.

It has taken a while to get into a steady and worthwhile meditation routine, one that we can stick to every day, that isn’t too demanding of our time (especially if you’re like me and love a wee little sleep in in the morning 😉 ).

So Chris and I have committed ourselves to 10 minutes every morning. That’s it. Maybe more down the track but for now 10 minutes is manageable, doable and so far quite achievable.

Chris is, let me just say, truly remarkable in his ability to silence his mind for the full 10 mins (I admire him sincerely for this). For me it’s more of a challenge and a learning process. Yet I’m committed to our routine and already reaping the benefits. I feel better throughout my day at work; I have more in-depth insights and a subtle sense of clarity, I’m feeling less hectic in my bodily movements because I have allowed my mind to catch up to my body, so it seems I’m ‘in sync’ with myself (if that makes sense).

Crystals can also help bring about a deep sense of calmness and centredness. There are a variety of stones and crystals that can be used to settle the mind during meditation, focussing your thoughts and attention to enhance your intuition. ‘Fluorite’ is fantastic for this. When wanting to open up those receptors in your brain to allow for a spiritual connection I suggest holding a piece of ‘muscovite’ or the visionary ‘pietersite’. For me and my meditation journey towards stilling the mind and feeling a sense of peace within, I can’t go past ‘selenite’.

To the untrained and unexplored mind, overthinking can become a minefield of words and purposeless associations; there’s a sense of chaos reigning your inner world… But with meditation I experience a more aware sense of stillness, a pause, an unaffected moment in time, and a growing ability to connect to the well of wisdom within. It’s almost monkey magic 🙂

Love and blessings

StarchildDreamer
Xx

selenite crystals are so calming 🙂

click here! I have a Facebook page too 🙂