Taming the Monkey-Mind
by John Cianciosi
Although
there are many different approaches to meditation, using a great variety of
techniques, all meditation methods share some basic characteristics and work in
similar ways.
The fundamental requirement in meditation is that we find some way to manage
the monkey mind so that we can start training it. The best way to tame the
unruly monkey is to have an object of attention that acts as an anchor, or point
of reference, for the mind. The anchor is called the primary object of
attention, or simply the meditation object. Having an anchor facilitates our
observation of what the mind is doing and provides a focal point for developing
concentration.
To illustrate this point, imagine that you are sitting in a small boat on a
very large lake and that there is nothing to be seen on the horizon other than
sky and water. Due to wind and current, the boat may drift in one direction or
another. However, you would probably not notice the drifting, because there is
no fixed point of reference to indicate your position. In contrast, if you
dropped an anchor with a rope attached to it, the boat's movement would
immediately become apparent.
Similarly, if we try to observe what the mind is doing, it is hard to be
aware of the mental activity because we quickly get lost in the ocean of
thoughts. When we have an object on which to focus attention, however, we notice
when the mind starts drifting away or chasing after one thing or another.
The object that is used as the anchor, or primary object of attention, is
what distinguishes one meditation technique from another. One method uses a word
or phrase, usually having some spiritual or religious significance, as the
meditation object. In Eastern traditions, such a word or phrase is called a
mantra. The mantra is repeated mentally, vocalized silently, or chanted with
careful attention. By gradually replacing all the scattered thinking with this
one thought, the meditator achieves a peaceful and concentrated state of mind.
Mantra meditation is practiced in many religious traditions, including Buddhism,
Christianity, and Hinduism.
The concentrative prayer taught by John Main is an example of this approach.
John Main learned contemplative meditation from a Hindu guru and later, after
becoming a Benedictine monk, he began teaching a technique of "Christian
Meditation." Brother Wayne Teasdale, who also combines Hindu and Christian
elements in his personal practice, describes the method as follows:
Christian Meditation is a mantric form of meditation that counsels the
perpetual, conscious repetition of the mantra from the beginning to the end of
the meditation period. Like a hammer pounding away at our thoughts, the mantra
wears away the support system for our false selves by replacing each thought
with the mantra itself. The mantra eventually becomes a vehicle that takes us
to deeper and deeper states of inner quiet, peace, and stillness. (Wayne
Teasdale, The
Mystic Heart, 135)
Teasdale's eloquent description of this type of practice applies equally well
to mantra meditation in any tradition, be it Christian, Hindu, or Buddhist. What
suits the practice to a particular tradition are the words chosen for the
mantra. When John Main first started practicing mantra meditation, he used the
word "Jesus" as his meditation focus. Similarly, some Hindu's use the phrase "Om
Shanti," while in the Thai Buddhist tradition, many meditators use the word "Buddho."
In visualization meditation, another anchoring technique, we form a mental
image and strive to sharpen concentration by keeping it clear in the mind's eye.
The shape and color of the visualized image can range from a simple colored
sphere to very elaborate and complex scenes. Once the image has been aroused in
the mind, we hold it in consciousness with single?pointed attention, trying to
prevent the mind from being distracted by other objects.
In the Tibetan Buddhist system of spiritual training, visualization plays an
important role and is used in various ways to develop concentration. Often the
meditator visualizes the Buddha or a deity considered to personify some
enlightened quality and endeavors to identify so completely with the enlightened
being that similar qualities are aroused within the meditator.
Buddhist nun and meditation teacher Kathleen McDonald explains the technique
in this way:
Visualizing deities is made easier by gazing at a picture or statue, then
closing your eyes and trying to recall the image in detail. However, this
helps you with the details only; don't think your visualized figure should be
flat like a drawing or cold and lifeless like a statue. It should be warm,
full of life and feeling, three-dimensional and made of pure, radiant light.
Feel that you are actually in the presence of a blissful, compassionate,
enlightened being. (How
to Meditate, 113)
Of course, it is also possible to use various physical characteristics of the
body, such as sensations, postures, and patterns of breathing as objects of
attention. In fact, we find that in all meditation traditions, a wide variety of
techniques have been developed around this approach.
All these different techniques are valid and useful because they work on the
same principle: that in order for us to develop concentration and serenity, the
mind must stop its restless jumping and settle down. It is difficult to say
which technique for reaching this goal is better or easier. The fact remains
that each attempts to tame the same monkey -- our own mind.
My teacher, Venerable Ajahn Chah, was a highly respected meditation master,
and many people would seek his advice and instructions. Often people would ask,
"What is the easiest meditation?" My teacher would answer, "The easiest way is
not to do it!" Unfortunately, if we take this advice literally, we must continue
to live with that unruly monkey, which is not pleasant at all.
Regardless of what technique we use, it will take time, patient effort, and
personal skill to achieve the desired results of concentration, clarity, and
peace.
ANALOGY OF THE WILD STALLION
In Eastern traditions, analogies are often used to illustrate concepts. I
have been comparing the untrained mind to a monkey, but in the following
analogy, the teachers of old chose a much more powerful animal.
Suppose you wanted to train a wild stallion that has never been broken.
First, you would find a very strong post that is firmly anchored into the
ground. Then, you would need a long, stout rope, so that you could tie one end
around the post and the other end to the stallion. (The wise teachers did not
explain how to get the rope around the stallion's neck without being trampled!)
Now that wild stallion, not wanting to be restrained, would try to escape by
running this way and that. However, no matter which direction it tried to run,
it could only run so far before it came to the end of the rope, where it would
have to stop and go back. Eventually the stallion would get tired of running and
stand by the post to rest.
The wild stallion represents the untrained mind; the post is the meditation
object; and the rope indicates the work of awareness and effort. The stallion
resting by the post is like the mind resting in a state of peaceful
concentration.
MINDFULNESS OF BREATHING
The meditation method that we will explore in detail uses the natural breath
as the primary object of attention. Often referred to as "Mindfulness of
Breathing," it is one of the most commonly used meditation techniques.
It is important to note that Mindfulness of Breathing meditation is different
from techniques of breath control. In the yogic practice of breath control, we
intentionally alter the flow and rhythm of the breath. However, in Mindfulness
of Breathing, we do not interfere with the breath at all. We just let the body
breathe how it wants and when it wants. Our effort is directed at cultivating
mental awareness and concentration, rather than teaching the body how to
breathe.
There are many good reasons for taking the breath as the object of
meditation. To begin with, it is a natural phenomenon that is always present and
available to us. Whenever we wish to turn our attention to it, we can
immediately know whether the breath is flowing in or flowing out. The breath is
a universal and completely neutral human experience. Regardless of your
religious beliefs, intelligence, sex, race, or age, if you are alive, you
breathe. So everyone can use the breath as an object of attention.
The rhythmic flow of the breath is very calming, and it helps the mind become
peaceful. Furthermore, the quality of the breath is closely related to the state
of the mind. If the mind becomes more peaceful and quiet, the breath will
naturally become more refined. Then, because the object of attention has become
subtler, the mind will be encouraged to be even more attentive and calm. Thus,
this method can be used to achieve very deep levels of meditation.
As you might expect, even Mindfulness of Breathing is taught and practiced in
different ways. Some teachers encourage students to focus attention at the tip
of the nose and to know the flow of the breath by the sensation felt as the air
passes in and out. Another approach involves keeping the attention at the
abdomen, noticing the rising and falling motion resulting from the in and out
flow of the breath. Others prefer to follow the path of the breath, experiencing
the inhalation from the tip of the nose to the chest and down into the abdomen.
The exhalation is then followed in reverse order.
Being mindful of the breath by any of these means will work if we can develop
the required skill. However, I feel that trying to know the breath by being
aware of a specific physical sensation often creates an unnecessary difficulty.
Whether it is the sensation at the tip of the nose or the abdomen, the object
will not always be clear to the mind. New meditators often experience the
frustration of not being able to "find" the meditation object because they
cannot feel the breath at the tip of the nose. This presents an unnecessary
obstacle.
However, if I ask you, "Are you breathing in or are you breathing out?" you
immediately know the answer. You do not have to search for any particular
sensation to let you know that you are breathing in or out. Any time you wish to
know the breath, you can do so by arousing the awareness that knows whether the
breath is coming in or going out. So, the object of meditation is always
directly available to the mind. It is just "knowing the breath" as it flows in
and out.
IN BREATH AND OUT BREATH
The first stage in the practice of Mindfulness of Breathing is simply knowing
whether the breath is coming in or going out. It is as if we stop at a railway
crossing and notice whether the passing train is coming from the west going
east, or coming from the east going west.
During the meditation, we establish our attention on the in and out breath
and encourage the mind to relax with the breath. However, we do not expect the
mind to remain focused on the breath. It will want to think about this and that,
jumping about as usual. At this stage, our main objective is to sharpen the
power of awareness. When the mind is with the breath, we know it. If the mind is
not being attentive to the breath, what is it doing? It is important to remain
alert and watchful. Each time the mind wanders off, we gently but firmly bring
the attention back to the breath.
Because the mind will still want to monkey around, we have to be patient and
give it some rope. It is not a matter of fighting or struggling with the mind,
but a process of teaching the mind, continually encouraging it to abandon all
other activity and return to the breath.
COUNTING THE BREATH
To help keep the attention on the breath, I often suggest one of the
following aids:
Mentally noting "In" with each inhalation and "Out" with each exhalation.
Mentally counting the breath. At the end of the in breath, make a mental
note "one." At the end of the out breath, again note "one." At the end of the
next in breath and out breath, note "two". . . "two," then "three". . .
"three," and so forth, until you reach "ten" . . . "ten." Then start again at
"one." If at any time you lose count, simply start over with "one" . . .
"one."
Counting the breath serves two purposes. First, it provides the mind with
something of a challenge that encourages it to remain attentive. Second, it
helps us know how attentive the mind is. If we continually lose count, we'll
know that the awareness is still weak and the effort too slack.
Using either of these aids is optional. You may want to experiment with them
to see whether they are helpful in your practice. However, remember that the
breath is still the primary object of attention. These aids are like crutches
that you can use when necessary.
RIGHT EFFORT
Referring to the analogy of the wild stallion, you can appreciate the
importance of having the right length and strength of rope. If the rope is too
short, the stallion may injure itself in attempting to escape. If the rope is
too weak, it will not be able to restrain the stallion.
Similarly, if during the meditation we try to force the mind too much, we
will create tension and probably end up with a headache. It is not possible to
strangle the mind into a peaceful state. On the other hand, if we are not
vigilant in guiding the attention to the meditation object, the mind will never
learn to concentrate. Hence, we must discover the balance of right effort
through trial and error.
As an example of right effort, consider a mother looking after a small child.
The mother gives the child a toy and tells him to play with it. The child plays
with the toy for a brief time but soon becomes bored and starts looking for
something else to do, like reaching for the computer keyboard or the cup of
coffee on the table. Now, a good mother knows that this is how children behave,
so she remains watchful. Every time the child wanders away, she patiently brings
him back and encourages him to play with the toy. If the mother is careless and
ignores the child, there may be unfortunate consequences. An equally
unsatisfactory outcome would result if the mother were to lose her temper and
start screaming at the child because he will not be still.
When training the mind, we must learn to act like good mothers.
 This
article was excerpted from:
The Meditative Path
by John
Cianciosi.
Reprinted with permission of the publisher, Quest Books. ©2001. www.questbooks.net
Info/Order this book.
About the Author
John
Cianciosi, a student of the late Venerable Ajahn Chah, was ordained a Buddhist
monk in 1972 and served as spiritual director of monasteries in Thai-land and
Australia. He now teaches at the College of DuPage near Chicago.
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