The Monkey Mind

Ever heard of the “monkey mind”? That is how some people describe the seemingly uncontrollable activities of the wondering mind. Like a monkey, constantly jumping from one tree branch to another, the untamed mind jumps about from one thought to another—now it is thousands of miles in London, next it is thinking about Odiya who did me wrong years ago, then it is to the future when life will be milk and honey with a knight with shining armor and on a white horse—hither and thither it wanders.

The other day, instead of biting the morsel of food I was taking to my mouth, I bit the fork and chipped my tooth! The reason: my mind was miles away from eating. Many accidents have occurred because the mind was not with the activities at hand. Besides accidents, the danger to the monkey mind is that it can cause us a lot of miseries. This has nothing to do with the “mind” that can comprehend such arcane concepts as quantization in digitizing analog communications signals, brain elasticity, or fractal geometry. The monkey mind is an equal opportunity phenomenon that afflicts the high and mighty as well as those who eat grass to subsist—unless, of course, one tames it.

All who know agree that a pristine mind is one that dwells in the now. The now and the here is the only earthly reality. The past, a series of the now, is long gone and is reflected in the present circumstances. The future is illusive but can be influenced, to a large extent, by the now.

So, when a snake-oil salesman comes and tells you: “ keep your health and do not die because the future Uganda is a jewel, not unlike Britain or even better,” beware. Just role your eyes and wonder about the state of his mind. If you live in the now in a certain way and hope for a different future, you are either stupid, ignorant or insane. Mismanagement of resources will not change even if Acoliland begins gushing oil in the billions of gallons. Those who are “eating” will continue their gluttonous eating at the expense of the multitudes. A dog will always go back to its vomit.