Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day

by Jay Shetty

we should plant trees under whose shade we did not plan to sit,

What does this mean

Twenty-one other monks who had their brains scanned during a variety of meditation practices also showed gamma wave levels that spiked higher and lasted longer (even during sleep) than non-meditators.

I need to instill a regular meditation practice and see if my happiness increases

Monks can withstand temptations, refrain from criticizing, deal with pain and anxiety, quiet the ego, and build lives that brim with purpose and meaning.

Bhagavad Gita

I need to look this up

“I am not what I think I am, and I am not what you think I am. I am what I think you think I am.” Let that blow your mind for a moment.

but most of our efforts at self-improvement are really just us trying to meet that imagined ideal.

First, on a daily basis I recommend you sit down to reflect on how the day went and what emotions you’re feeling. Second, once a month you can approximate the change that I found at the ashram by going someplace you’ve never been before to explore yourself in a different environment. This can be anything from visiting a park or library you’ve never been to before to taking a trip. Finally, get involved in something that’s meaningful to you—a hobby, a charity, a political cause. Another way to create space is to take stock of how we are filling the space that we have and whether those choices reflect our true values. AUDIT

I should try and practice this

TRY THIS: PAST VALUES Reflect on the three best and three worst choices you’ve ever made. Why did you make them? What have you learned? How would you have done it differently?

I should reflect on this

‘If someone is nasty to me, I cannot be happy or feel good about myself.’ … Instead of reacting compulsively and retaliating, we could enjoy our freedom as human beings and refuse to be upset.” We step away, not literally but emotionally, and look at the situation as if we are not in the middle of it.

This is so hard to do. What can i do to train myself to do this

“If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.”

Schadenfreude, which means taking pleasure in the suffering of others.

The key to real freedom is self-awareness.

I should explore this more

Mudita is the principle of taking sympathetic or unselfish joy in the good fortune of others.

Hindu philosopher Bhaktivinoda Thakura describes four fundamental motivations. Fear. Thakura describes this as being driven by “sickness, poverty, fear of hell or fear of death.” Desire. Seeking personal gratification through success, wealth, and pleasure. Duty. Motivated by gratitude, responsibility, and the desire to do the right thing. Love. Compelled by care for others and the urge to help them.

This is worth noting in my commonplace book

“As long as we keep attaching our happiness to the external events of our lives, which are ever changing, we’ll always be left waiting for it.”

Good to reflect o this now and again

Material gratification is external, but happiness is internal.

To live intentionally, we must dig to the deepest why behind the want.

We’re most satisfied when we are in a state of progress, learning, or achievement.

In order to unveil our dharma, we have to identify our passions—the