This Book Has Shaped My Mind Drastically - Think Like a Monk

When I was in college I gotta go through a lot at once, @Jayshetty released his book, Think Like a Monk, around Sep-2020. I started reading it and it helped me cope with a few of the hardest situations of my life wisely. There’s a saying “ If you want a new Idea, Read an old book ! ” I am so confused in Life right now. I had a look at my book's wardrobe and remembered the above saying and as I looked at this book. So here are the top 8 lessons that I've learnt from this book ( Short & Crisp )

1. Identity

We often have the wrongest approach to our identity … Here’s what will bend your mind.

“I am not what I think I am, I am what I think you think I think I am “

Read that again till you understand it. We are not what we think we are … but … we are under the illusion we believe what others think of us.

This shook me ... We value others' opinions and think of what others think of us all the time. But the reality is .. everyone is busy with their shit and you’re succumbing to that shit which doesn't even exist.

2. Fear is your friend

Fear is our Friend and Guardian. It can help us identify and address the patterns of thinking and behaviour that don’t serve us.

Fear does not prevent Death. It prevents life. We fear the fear and often want to escape the reality.

Instead of panicking and running away, we have to accept and work with our fears so that nothing will go wrong.

3. Detachment

Detachment is not about - you own nothing... but … “ Nothing owns you ”

The Cause of Fear : ATTACHMENT The Cure for Fear : DETACHMENT

4. Routine is pretty much underrated

Having a routine changes everything in your life. Waking up early is the first step as you can have a lot of time to do what you need and love. To wake up early, you need to sleep early. And a thing to remember is, “The emotion you fall asleep with at night is almost likely the emotion you’ll wake up with in the next morning.”

5. Gratitude

Think of not having enough money, food, shelter, or people ?! We might not realize the value in their presence, but definitely in their absence. Be grateful for everything, even the ordinary ! Little things can make us ecstatic every day. Value and be grateful for them when you have them.

6. Choosing your partner

If you don’t know what you want, you’ll send out the wrong signals and attract the wrong people. If you aren’t self-aware, you’ll look for the wrong qualities and choose the wrong people. Until you understand yourself, you won’t be ready for love. Until the wounds of the past, you’ll continue to bleed. If you’re lost in a relationship, find yourself in the heartbreak ! For any kind of relationship - there is only one mantra !

Identify the problems ( SPOT ) Cease doing it ( STOP ) Resolve them together( SWAP )

7. Mastering breath

Whatever we might experience, we experience every emotion with the change of breath.

If you laugh !? What changes ? Breath. If you feel angry ?! What changes ? Breath. If you feel stressed ?! What changes ? Breath. If you feel happy ?! What changes ? Breath.

Meditation and Pranayama are two priceless practices that our ancestors discovered !

Practicing them would help everything fall in place. ( Both mental and Physical Health )

The point of meditation is exactly this, being conscious of your breath.

You don’t need to block your thoughts, Meditation is Observing everything that comes to your mind and not being distracted by them.

8. Service

The highest purpose is to live in service as being selfless heals the self. Charity isn’t giving of yourself. You’re taking something that was already on Earth and giving it back to Earth. You don’t have to have to give.

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I heartfully recommend this book to everyone out there ! It has all aspects related to life in it. It obviously shaped my mind and values. The best part is, Even if you hate reading/ a beginner reader/ want to start but unsure what to start/ stuck in life/ grow in life … This is one of the best books ever !