When meditating, I always start off strong but before I realize what’s happening, I am making grocery lists and meal plans. I go back to breathing and soon I realize I am thinking about whether I should respond to some comments my boss made today. I go back to breathing and then notice I am thinking about my mom and need to call her to see how her visit to the doctor went. AGGGH! All I want to do is meditate, but I cannot stop thinking. You are in the grip of the Monkey, that little guy in our brain, swinging from thought to thought, remembering, planning, and working hard to keep us safe.
The monkey is real. Physiologically, the monkey is the default mode network (DMN) of the brain. Once upon a time, it was believed that when we were daydreaming or idle, that our brains went inactive. With the introduction of the functional MRI (fMRI), the default mode network was discovered. This brain network includes the amygdala, hippocampus, posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). It goes into action when we are not focused and carries on tasks such as daydreaming, remembering, and imagining. It asks, “what if…?” questions and tries out various roles as we ruminated about what was and what might be.
When the monkey shows up during meditation, always acknowledge him. Trying to ignore him or push him down has the same effect as being told not to think about a pink elephant. Say, “Thank you Monkey, I appreciate the reminder, but right now I am focusing on my breath.” Then go back to breathing. Should the monkey become persistent, give him your full attention. What exactly does he want? As you focus on his commentary, you discover he quiets. It is your focus that banishes him.