Stab the Monkey
Dear Maribeth,
For me, what are the best techniques to retrain “monkey mind”? One westernized Buddhist priest came up with the term “monkey mind” to describe the mind that makes up fantasies that draw one away from the present reality (as in relationships: past, present & future) and the mind that cross stitches anxiety. It is of this belief that the mind should not be free to wander but needs control. Do the cards have advice as to what those techniques that would work best for me would be?
Signed,
Painful Days
Dear PD,
Huh? Sounds to me like someone has been thinking too much. But the cards are meant to be deep, let’s see if they can make some sense of your situation.
We got the 10 of Swords (ouch), the Ace of Pentacles and the 5 of Swords. The good news is that these are all minor arcana cards so although painful, this experience won’t kill you. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger – right?
The 10 of Swords is a card of complete surrender. You have no more to give. You’ve been defeated and have given up. But the sunrise in the background shows there is more to come; a new day will dawn. The swords are the suit of the mind – you are asking how to retrain your mind and 2 out of 3 cards are swords. This tells me that you are on the right track. What takes place in your mind does indeed create your reality. It’s time to look toward that light and prepare to begin again.
The Ace of Pentacles is next. The pentacles are the suit of real reality. There are tangible things that are part of our world, and there are ideas and perceptions that are dependent upon your perspective. The Ace of Pentacles tells you that you certainly have a chance at new beginnings. Look around you and see what is real and start from there. Train your mind to recognize the truly unchangeable aspects of your life. Separate those things from those that you do have the power to change. Imagine a future that contains what you wish for, like happiness, love, success, good health. Then follow that path, prepare to duck under that arbor and into your new life.
The 5 of Swords shows a person who has gotten used to fighting a battle. It looks to me like this figure still wants to fight even after the battle has been won. It’s over. Stop being so hard on yourself! You mention your past, present and future. You may need to separate your illusions from your reality, but the only thing you can affect is each moment as it occurs. I recommend you read the book, The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle. It may help you to focus on the immediate and quit monkeying around with your days.