A regular New Zealander's thoughts on Jay Shetty's book: "Think Like A Monk" - first published in 2020.
Upon opening Jay's book we are met with the words "For my wife, who is more monk than I will ever be" which is the perfect representation of what this book is all about: acceptance, empathy, love, and empowerment through peaceful practices to provide prosperity in our lives. This quote encapsulates what it is like to be a Monk - by accepting the universe inside of each other we are choosing not to measure ourselves by our experiences but by the very essence of who we are as a human. By not comparing our journeys we can accept the love and knowledge from those around us. Considering Jay practiced being a Monk at the Ashram for three years (and overcoming every obstacle along the way) it is honourable to validate his wife's wisdom by acknowledging her experiences as an equal individual.
First Impressions of "Think Like a Monk"
The book is divided into three parts - rightfully so, and each chapter assists us in completing its corresponding part. It's like this book could guide us through a spiritual transformation in our own lives as we read along. Each chapter has a vast amount of value in knowledge, storytelling, exercises - and meditation practices. We get to walk alongside Jay and his journey while learning about ourselves. It gives off the feeling as though we have our very own guide through the journey of self-discovery (well it did for me, anyway)
Monk Mind vs Monkey Mind
"It can be hard to know what to tell your monkey mind when it's dwelling on the past or spinning into the future" - Chapter 7
One of the prerogatives that stuck with me until this day, three months after reading the book, is the Monk Mind Vs Monkey Mind principle that Jay describes in this book. We all have an inner monk and inner monkey residing in our conscious and subconscious realities.
My understanding of it was, that through practice we can begin to dictate which one rules our lives. Each can be useful, but many different circumstances bring about the monkey at the wrong times. The monkey mind is the fight or flight complex, the monkey mind is the inner voice that may doubt us, and it is the excitable energetic energy that would bounce around within our proverbial walls until the cats come home. We all need a monkey mind, but in the game of life to acquire success over our thoughts, feelings, and emotions - developing our Monk mind is a highly useful skill. - see this article for a more accurate description.
Pros and Cons
Pondering the idea of pros and cons applied to this book isn't an easy task. There is so much knowledge, so much depth, and so much energy in this book. And what could the cons be to reading self-help books? The only thing that comes to mind is remembering the difficulty I had with carrying out the meditation practices, my eyes hadn't been opened to the world of meditation for very long, and it would have been wonderful to have an adjoining video to go alongside each meditation as a guided journey. - If you have never meditated before, I highly recommend going over to his YouTube channel and having a look at some of his guided meditations.
The pros and the list of pros could be endless from reading this piece of modern literature. Jay's ability to help you visualize what he is talking about is quite astonishing. Even without the cool and interesting pictures and diagrams he has included in the book, you would be able to visualize what he is talking about. It's like you are experiencing it first-hand sitting at the Ashram and feeling the thoughts and emotions running through Jay's mind.
The Final Score
"Your passion becomes a purpose when you use it to serve others"- Jay Shetty
This book was one of the first I read in my library to learn about personal development and self-help on the journey to becoming my best self. It was the first paperback book that I have bought since I was a child, only fronted by reading a couple of digital PDFs. After overcoming some of life's hurdles to get to where I am today, reading this book greatly assisted me in many ways with getting more in tune with myself. I found myself completing every exercise and writing a lot down in my journal from the book.
It allowed me to discover things about myself, and I had a couple of awakenings while reading this book. Finding my Dharma isn't something that I had considered before (I always pondered what I was passionate most about), and I discovered that my personality type is suited to being a guide which has helped me a lot over the past few months in re-discovering who I am.
There is so much to be learned from "Think Like A Monk" that it is hard to sum it up into a few words. But if I could, they would be Transformational, Educational, Empathetic, Intuitive, Guided, Inspirational, and Thought-Provoking.
John's rating for "Think Like A Monk"
"10/10 - will read it again, I even bought his second book "8 Rules of Love" straight after finishing this one because it was so good"
A message to the author
"Thank you, Jay, this book was incredible, I'll be sure to keep it with me. The lessons from within will continue to guide me for years to come. Nga Mihi"
Get "Think Like A Monk " here:
Thank you so much for reading, and I'll see you in the next one
~J.
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