Monkey Mind

Posted on 23 Apr 2017 @ 2:44pm by Lieutenant JG Catherine Cooper

473 words; about a 2 minute read

Mission: The Finnean Crisis
Location: Earth
Timeline: Late October 2388

“Ow!” Cooper said trying to cover her head, glaring at the older Chinese man who had just hit her lightly on the head with a piece of bamboo. “What was that for?”

He crossed his legs and said in front of Catherine as she rubbed her head while in her own lotus position. The ancient garden near an old Buddhist temple, peaceful as usual. She sat on large stone in the center of a sand zen garden while he sat on his own near her. The sun shone down on them as he replied placidly, “What did I say about your monkey mind?”

“That I had a pack and they throw inappropriate things.” She replied immediately. She had often been told that by her mentor who, despite challenges had done much to aid Cooper in not just better understanding of herself but how to better interaction with others. This path was not without its problems however, Cooper sometimes backslid but he was infinitely patient and continued, “They’ve gotten better but you must learn to more quickly find your center…”

“It’s very difficult when there’s something happening…” She started to say but he held up a hand, she paused and he continued, “Is when you need it most. Let’s try this again, and remember if your mind starts to run off with you with worries and plans, this mantra: I am one with the Universe, and the Universe is with me…” She resettled herself to try to do as he said.

When she got back home she did all the usual things, camped and visited people but she had realized one thing. She’d gotten away from her practices that had aided her martial arts and settled her mind. So weeks into her leave found her revisiting an old mentor to find the calm center she seemed to have lost. After a few moments her teacher interrupted but one more time, “Keep this up for 15 minutes then we will switch to kinetic meditation…”

And Cooper smiled briefly, kinetic meditation was what her teacher called martial arts, said the term better prepared the mind in how to view the action or something. Cooper settled herself and focused.

At the end of her retreat as she was saying goodbye to her Master she got her new orders, “I have to go..” She said and he nodded, “Be well, be calm and remember the light…” He said. They both bowed low and respectfully. She jogged to the transport later, she was more settled now and had grown as a person but still a woman of motion and it was doubtful that would ever completely change. Catherine entered the transport to begin her journey to the next challenge or as her teacher would say ‘learning experience’ ready to see what the future would hold.

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