Meditate Like a Beast

My musical meditation practice that brings the MONK out of my “monkey mind.”

I used to get really irritated by (read: jealous of) people who can effortlessly meditate. They sit there all calm and quiet with their perfect posture and pretzeled legs and all “one with the universe” n’ stuff… ugh (eye-roll)! SO annoying! (read: lucky).

I know I’m not alone in my struggles with meditation. A lot of people find it difficult to sit still in silence and focus when the brain doesn’t want to cooperate. It races, rants, raves, and rebels against the desire to be calm, relaxed and “zen.”

Buddhists have a term for when your brain is “unsettled, restless, capricious, whimsical, fanciful, inconstant, confused, indecisive, and uncontrollable" at the same damn time. It’s called “Monkey Mind.”

About ten years ago, I was diagnosed with Adult ADHD. So I experience Monkey Mind all day, everyday… 24/7–365. The “H” part for me is not hyperactivity, it’s anxiety. It was recommended I try my hand at meditation to cope with my constant Monkey Mind and the occasional meltdowns that could accompany it.

Needless to say, it wasn’t easy at first. For someone whose mind is involuntarily constantly chasing squirrels, it can be nearly impossible. Living with Adult ADHD means I have to be…