Monk, Monkey Mind and Momos
Finding focus, one momo at a time
The last place I expected to find myself on a Sunday night? A Buddhist institution, attending a monk’s speech.
But there I was.
After a (not-so-unusual) day of self-doubt and low energy, I took myself out for coffee and then to this much-hyped talk.
“The monk is hilarious.”
“He was featured in that Netflix show on the mind.”
“If you're in Bir, you have to go. And take notes!”
The monk? Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. And yes, I’d seen that Netflix show.
I arrived 20 minutes early, thinking I’d have my pick of seats—only to find the room already filling up. I grabbed a spot in the last few rows, bracing myself for the next 90 minutes.
With such high expectations and an overly packed room (which I’m not a fan of), I thought, This better be worth it.
What an egoistic thought, right? As if I making the time and effort meant the talk had to be extraordinary.
Then the monk began to speak.
His warmth and humor quickly melted my discomfort. And sitting next to two knuckleheads who had a quip for everything somehow made me feel less knuckle-headed myself.
Suddenly, we weren’t in a formal gathering—we were back in a classroom, with a funny teacher and a row of mischievous backbenchers.
And yet, amidst the laughter, his words struck a chord.
Nothing earth-shattering. No grand revelations. Just a simple truth: our monkey mind—that restless, untamed part of us—is not something to fight. It’s something to befriend.
And how do you befriend it? You find common ground.
The monkey mind loves to stay occupied. So instead of trying to silence it, give it something to hold onto. Want to meditate? Don’t start with ten minutes. Start with one. And choose a medium that feels natural to you.
His favorite example? Momos.
By the end of the talk, I wasn’t sure how much wisdom I had absorbed.
But I was sure of one thing.
I needed momos.
So I ended the night the way all good revelations should—over a steaming plate of chilli garlic momos.
Little Joys
“Joy is always around if only we pause to acknowledge it.”
With life's burdens and big ambitions, it's easy to overlook our everyday joys. Let’s take a moment to acknowledge the small joys from the last week. Here are mine -
Did a couple of more pieces of art.
Took long naps.
Had a couple of work-from-cafe days.
Attended a fun speech by a monk.
Befriending the monkey mind! I'm so inspired by that concept, too - and it's a lifelong project, for me at least. 🐒 Thanks for sharing about this! That experience sounds quite moving and fun.