The mind should be cool and calm, but it is full of activity. It leaps around from one thought to the next, never resting. This is called the ‘Monkey Mind’.

Response to time:

• The Past: regret
• The Present: resistance
• The Future: anxiety

Calming the Mind

Tying the monkey to the tree.

Our movements help to develop this through three means:

• Abdominal Breathing: Slow deep breathing calms the vagus nerve and calms body and mind (Google: ‘breathing calm vagus’ for examples.)
• Directed Thought: By intentional movement and visualization you can learn to be aware of your thoughts and to control them. This can progress into meditation practices later in your training.
• Moving all parts of body in unison: arms, legs, torso, head requires us to learn and to maintain mental focus.