You can lead a monkey to the mat...but you can't make it meditate

Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly, Ananda M., DMI; Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche (Huff Po Rise)

(JuBu Jewish-Buddhist Beastie Boys doing their smash hit "Brass Monkey" as a video)

Think you're tricky? But I'm trickier!

Monkeys are funny things. In the jungle gym between my ears, there is a fierce and tricky battle raging. It is full of cunning and such slyness that it is difficult to comprehend its parameters.

I tell my monkey, "Cool it! Settle down." It smiles with its big banana teeth then reaches behind for I don't want to know what to toss at me. Then it laughs and laughs and laughs as I threaten, "Why you...!" And it runs away to the jungle cave of consciousness.

(Huff Po Rise) Buddhist monk Yongey Mingyr Rinpoche explains How to Train our Monkey Mind

I have to stand at the edge of the jungle try to reason it to come out. "I'm not mad, Mr. Monkey. Come out. C'mon. Here monkey-monkey!"

After a long time, long after I've asked, it might emerge to do its mischief or rest contented in the canopy.

"Wait till I get my hands on you, you simian..." I think quietly to myself. But it can hear me. It has very good hearing. Whatever I say above a whisper it hears clearly. It may even hear sub-whispers. Oh, monkey, will you ever learn?!  CONTINUED