Embrace The Monastic Spirit

Serendipity is one of my favourite words in the English language and captures perfectly a happy discovery I chanced upon in 2020, the “On Purpose” podcast hosted by the quite brilliant Jay Shetty. Each week, Jay delves deep into the wonders of the human mind and spirit, whether that be through engaging guests in probing conversation or exploring a particular topic that may be on his mind. Such is the manner and humility in which Jay steers the conversation, in asking sensitive, interesting and open-ending questions, I always feel like I learn something new. It is the same with his new book, “Think Like A Monk.”

If ever there was a book that needed to be written in the age that we are currently living in, then this is it. The pandemic has affected us all in countless ways but perhaps the most lasting impact will be on our minds, that’s if we allow it. In this beautifully written and anecdote-filled tome, Jay challenges us to embrace the monastic spirit. This doesn’t mean that we all need to check into a monastery for months on end (though a week’s retreat would be the perfect cure for many of us!), rather we can tap into some of the values and skills that Jay has learned on his journey from career destined in the city to finding his true purpose living as a monk in India to moving to Los Angeles to help spread all the wisdom that he has learned and experiences he has navigated.

The book is divided into three sections: Let Go, Grow, Give. which help illustrate the arc that Jay has undergone. Each section is further divided into chapters, each one exploring a particular aspect that drives us or affects all of us, such as: fear, purpose, relationships, gratitude, service. What makes his writing feel so fresh and powerful is that Jay is unafraid to turn the focus on himself, highlighting his own flaws and anxieties as he grapples with the decisions he makes on his journey to enlightenment. The key emphasis being that it is a journey, there is no fixed end point.

Once we are conscious of who we are and what we can offer, then meaning will arrive in our lives. As he writes, “the key to real freedom is self-awareness.” We are more than our thoughts. Ultimately, through strengthening our minds, we strengthen our whole sense of self – it is about recognising that we all need to give ourselves the “space, stillness and solitude” to be able to nourish our minds and bodies. As Jay alludes at various points, it is possible to do this, even in noisy situations, and still be fully present.

It should be said that this isn’t a self-help book, although the author does provide plenty of tips throughout to help “think like a monk”. Instead, it should be viewed as a guide in how it is possible to become more engaged and energised, alert and attentive, “you create your own reality in every moment”; how we can better flourish as humans in our interactions with others as we travel through life and reach a richer understanding of the one person with whom we will all have a lifelong relationship: our self.