Book review on “Think Like A monk“, The overall rating for this book is 4.3 out of 5.
“Your identity is a mirror covered with dust. When you first look in the mirror, the truth of who you are and what you value is obscured. Clearing it may not be pleasant, but only when that dust is gone can you see your true reflection.
Think Like a Monk
Think Like A monk delineates the experiences that Jay Shetty learned in his three years of monk life in India. He tries to convey the wisdom gathered through the ancient scriptures and monks in a palatable practical manner.
1) The monk mindset and the monkey mindset
Mr. Shetty says that in order to train your mind to find peace, calm and purpose you have to have the monk mindset. He also depicts the differences between the monk mindset and the monkey mindset.
2) Why most of us study better in libraries, work better in offices, and workout better in gyms?
The author tells us the importance of the locations in building up our routines. He says that every location has its own energy. If a particular place is devoted to a particular purpose with the least amount of distractions, the probability of us doing it is more. It will be easier for us to build up a routine if we visit those places regularly rather than trying to do it alone in our house.
Location has energy; time has memory. If you do something at the same time every day, it becomes easier and natural. If you do something in the same space every day, it becomes easier and natural.
3) Never go to gym to build a revenge body to make your ex jealous after breakup
Exercise is something vital in our life. Never tie it to any external factors like provoking your ex. There is a chance that it can add extra salt to your wound.
4) Pranayama and Cardiovascular health
This is a topic that always fascinated me. I have been thinking about doing Medical research on this topic. I am delighted to see the author mentioning the same in this book.
5) Do I have to become a better human being or a better student?
This is the question which I tried to find an answer to throughout my teenage years. I opted for becoming a better human being than a better student. The author is answering a similar question in this book. This is my favorite line from this book
6) Sleep and Hustle culture
The author is perfectly describing the problems associated with the hustle culture and sleep deprivation. It is actually the business tycoons and the self-help gurus who made this culture so popular. I am pleased to see a business giant like Mr. Bill Gates and a new age motivational speaker like Mr. Jay Shetty really acknowledging the problems associated with it and trying to find the solutions for it.
7) Is Micro meditation effective?
Mr. Shetty tells us the problems associated with the modern trend of micro meditation.
8) Is social media pushing you down a rabbit hole?
This relevant topic is thoroughly discussed in this book
“Let us say that whenever you go on YouTube to watch one video, you end up going down a rabbit hole. Senses recklessly transport our minds away from where we want them to be. Don’t tease your own senses. Don’t set yourself up to fail. A monk doesn’t spend time in a strip club. We want to minimize the mind’s reactive tendencies, and the easiest way to do that is for the intellect to proactively steer the senses away from stimuli that could make the mind react in ways that are hard to control. It’s up to the intellect to know when you are vulnerable and to tighten the reins, just as a charioteer does when going through a field of tasty grass.”
9) How can we find out our best friend, colleague, or romantic partner?
We all might have at least one instance to share when a person didn’t reciprocate the care and love we gave them. Is it because we are expecting too much? Is it because we are a failure in understanding others? This book gives a perfect answer to it.
The author mentions four types of trust to understand why we are attracted to a person. We can determine whether they are compatible with us by finding out whether their values and trust correspond with us.
Thanks Dr. Appu Sasidharan
Quotation from Think Like A Monk
“Salt is so humble that when something goes wrong, it takes the blame, and when everything goes right, it doesn’t take credit.”
Think Like A Monk
“Schadenfreude doesn’t last long. The more we define ourselves in relation to the people around us the more lost we are.”
Think Like A Monk
“Revenge is the mode of ignorance—it’s often said that you can’t fix yourself by breaking someone else.”
Think Like A Monk
“Becoming a monk is a mindset that anyone can adopt.”
Think Like A Monk
“We live in the perception of a perception of ourselves, and we’ve lost our real selves as a result.”
Think Like A Monk
“There are always more ways to be pulled up than to be pulled down.”
Think Like A Monk
“ Become more like a river than a rock.”
Think Like A Monk
“When we deny Fear, our problems follow us.”
Think Like A Monk
“Breadth is the extension of our inmost life.” Rig Veda
Think Like A Monk
“ You are who you are when no one is watching .”
Think Like A Monk
“ It is core to the monks to treat everyone with equal honor and respect”.
Think Like A Monk
Forget the good we have done for others and the bad others have done to us
Think Like A Monk
“Trust is about intentions, not abilities.”
Think Like A Monk
“The highest purpose is to live in service”.
Think Like A Monk