We’re Already the Planet of the Apes: How to Conquer Your Monkey Mind
It’s not just a mega successful movie franchise based off of a short story…it’s already happening!
My husband and I recently went to to see the new Planet of the Apes movie and we loved it!
Got me thinking about human psychology and behavior though (as most things do).
You’ve Got A Monkey Mind
“Monkey mind” is a term often used in Buddhism to describe a restless, unfocused, and unsettled state of mind.
Much like a monkey jumping from branch to branch, a person experiencing the monkey mind finds their thoughts constantly flitting from one topic to another without rest or focus.
In Buddhist texts, monkey mind is often depicted as a barrier to achieving mental clarity and spiritual enlightenment. The restless mind, filled with desire and distraction, must be tamed and quieted to reach a state of mindfulness and inner peace.
Many people live, eat, and breathe in the monkey mind for the majority of their lives. A Buddhist philosopher might jokingly already state that we are already The Planet of the Apes (or haven’t evolved much from our ape ancestors if you subscribe to Darwinism).
