Monkey Mind, Divine Hand

04/08/2025 4 min

Listen "Monkey Mind, Divine Hand"

Episode Synopsis

Depending upon perspective, the monkey regularly hijacking my mind, swinging from idea to idea without exploring the savory thoughts ripening on the branch, is either a curse or a blessing. The term monkey mind is derived from a Chinese word meaning heart-mind monkey. It is an idea foundational across Buddhist traditions to describe how thoughts jump capriciously from one focus to another, no matter how tenuous the interstitial connection or non-connections between leaps. It is often paired with the phrase "idea horse," further emphasizing the mind's restless and wandering nature.