In the Chinese Zodiac, I am a Monkey. It's fitting. Let me explain. In certain philosophies, humans are said to experience "Monkey Mind." A monkey mind is,
"A mind that jumps from thought to thought like a monkey jumps from tree to tree. The monkey mind is not content with existing in the present moment, but rather engages in the thoughts that pass through."
If ever there was a description of my own mind, it is this one. This tendency of mine is both the fortune and the bane of my existence-----it provides me with vast amounts of ideas and concepts but it also distracts me from completion, from being in the moment. However, I would not be who I am today---the creativity, the projects----without my monkey mind. Also, I would not suffer from anxiety and whimsy, too.
I wonder if everyone experiences similar aspects of themselves; traits that drive their existence in both positive and negative ways. Examples are brutal honesty, stalwart organization, or judiciousness...
And when I examine my own monkey mind, I discover something: my need for fluidity in my life. To allow my monkey thoughts to flow through my mind rather than seizing at each one, like a crow drawn to every new and shiny object. I recognize a need for balance and understanding. I realize I cannot jump from tree to tree, thought to thought, as I will never finish any one thing---will never finish one of those shiny new ideas. I do not want to completely abolish my monkey mind but rather understand that there is a time to swing in the branches of creativity and ideas, and a time to settle down in a crook of a tree and just be.
