5 lessons from “Think Like A Monk”
Lessons to make you think like a monk.
Jay Shetty is an Author, Podcaster, Life coach, a former Hindu monk, and life advisor. Jay Podcasted with famous and successful personalities like Alicia Keys, Kobe Bryant, Khloe Kardashian, Selena Gomez, and Kendall Jenner. He is the Author of “Think Like A Monk,” which is very well-written and one of the best books on self-development.
He has given tips to train our minds and find our life’s purpose in his book “Think Like A Monk.” His Podcasts are best for Self-Improvement, career-building, and Self-Help. He has received many listeners on his Podcast and followers, including celebrities.
In this story, we will explore my favourite 5 learnings by Jay Shetty from his book “Think Like A Monk. This is the second article of the series I’ve started, #30days30books.
First of all, let’s get to know,
How could thinking like a monk help me here in the modern world?
Monks were not born. They chose to be and come from various backgrounds. “Thinking Like A Monk” posits another way of viewing and approaching life-rebellion, detachment, rediscovery, purpose, focus, discipline, and services.
The goal of monk thinking is a life free of ego, envy, lust, anxiety, anger, bitterness, and baggage. Adopting the monk mindset is necessary to find calm, stillness, and peace.
Let’s discover the top 5 lessons from “Think Like A Monk” that can help us to live more meaningful and less anxious lives.
Let’s explore the top five learnings from “ Think Like A Monk “.
The Bhagavad Gita states,
“For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends, but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will be the greatest enemy.”
The human mind is the most powerful thing in the world; it is our powerful tool, but it becomes our worst enemy if we can’t control it.
Humans have five senses, which are the reason for our temporary pleasures. Jay Shetty used a term called “Monkey Mind” for the brains of people who can’t control it, and using this term has a reason behind it since our brains keep jumping from one thought to another just like a monkey does.
“When the five senses and the mind are stilled, when the reasoning intellect rests in silence, the highest path begins.”
The person who can control his five senses with his mind and live a peaceful life with his intelligence then starts to step up his life on the highest path; that’s how a monk’s mind does.
In the above image, we can see the intellectual that is our body controlling the five senses, which are touch, taste, smell, hearing, and sight, responsible for our desires and attachments, and they pull us in the direction of impulsivity, passion, and pleasure, destabilizing the mind.
Our mind is the handle for these senses; if our body can ride the five senses with a calm and intellectual mind, then the way will be meaningful, and if not, it will lead us to our destruction.
When you master your mind, you’ll be able to:
- Stay calm and focused under pressure.
- Make better decisions.
- Be more creative and innovative.
- Live a more peaceful and happy life.
“When you protect your dharma, your dharma protects you.”
Jay Shetty says, “Everyone on this earth has come to serve his purpose.” Our purpose is our dharma; living in your dharma is a specific route to fulfilment.
Passion + Expertise + Usefulness = Dharma
To find our dharma, pay attention, cultivate self-awareness, and feed your strengths, and you will find your way. And once you discover your dharma, pursue it.
When we only work to hear appreciation for our work rather than being passionate about it, and if we indulge our interests and skills but nobody responds to them, our passion is without purpose.
Our true dharma (purpose) is to do something that we think we’re skilled, passionate, and can make usefulness through it. It’s better to do one’s dharma imperfectly than another’s to do it perfectly.
To find your purpose, ask yourself:
Your purpose could be anything; it doesn’t need to be big or small.
“ I appreciate everything, even the ordinary, exceedingly the ordinary.”
Gratitude makes us happy; Jay Shetty states it is the most potent drug in the world. Gratitude benefits us mentally and physically since gratitude blocks the toxic emotions from widespread inflammation, a precursor to chronic illness, including heart disease.
Grateful people feel healthier, are more likely to participate in healthy activities and seek care when ill. Monks put their gratitude practices into action in all the small interactions of the day.
Start showing gratitude for every small thing, and you will likely focus less on negativity.
4. Live in the present moment
“The past has gone; the future is not yet here. All you have is now.”
Our present truly matters; in this generation, many of us are stressed about our future, keep thinking about past mistakes, and forget to live in the present.
Bhagavad Gita states, “The past is gone; the future is not here. Therefore, we should only focus on maximizing the present moment.” If we genuinely keep thinking about our past and future, when will we live in the present?
Jay Shetty says Monks don’t think about the past or the future, which is not yet here, and that’s the reason behind their massive happiness. Thinking constantly about our past and future will create anxiety and stress.
“The ignorant Work for their profit, The wise work for the welfare of the world.”
If we seek to leave a place cleaner than we found it, people happier than we found them, and the world better than we found it will make us happier since whenever we make someone happy, we automatically become more comfortable. One of the best ways to find meaningfulness and fulfilment is to help others.
Service connects us: It’s hard to be lonely when you serve. In most scenarios, you must go to the world to help others.
Service amplifies gratitude: Service gives you a broad view of all you have.
Service increases compassion: When you serve, you see that the world needs what you offer.
Service builds self-esteem: Helping others tells you you’re making a difference. You have a sense of meaning and purpose.
The Bhagavad Gita says that “giving simply because it is right to give, without thought of return, at a proper time, in proper circumstances, and to a worthy person, is sattvic giving” — giving in the mode of goodness.
Conclusion
These are the 5 lessons I want to share with you in this story, but the book is not limited to these 5 learnings; it is full of self-growth and spiritual tips. If you want to improve yourself, then this book is for you. Applying every direction I give will help bring calm and well-being into your life.
Thanks for your valuable time…
Originally published at http://gauravkoli.com on March 16, 2024.
