Articles: The Monkey...a roaming mind

The image of a monkey jumping from one branch to another illustrates effectively the “activity” of a distracted mind, which is restive and unruly, unless its master controls it.

Part one

Isn’t it true that if one loves another, one would do everything possible to please the other, in order to be loved in return? For example, a young man would climb mountains, cross the seven seas, and give his life, if necessary, for his beloved. No doubt, all this would accomplished, because of the burning love in his heart, and his mind would not rest till everything has been consummated according his desires.

However, if this initial love dwindles, or is extinguished all together, what then? His ‘mind’ would take flight, or better said, his heart would rest somewhere else; his previous ‘treasure’, his former beloved, is lost, and now he would be hunting for a new one.

A distracted mind is like a man, even though physically at home, spiritually he is wandering around on a perpetual outing.

A distracted mind may be compared to a man who has a wife and children, but absent from home, passing his time in the pub with friends; playing sport…. His mind goes where his heart is – away.

But is a distracted mind indicative of discontent, dissatisfaction? The answer is yes. However, before I go on, here is a second question: “Which comes first, the mind or the heart?”

In the biblical sense the heart[1] is the central part of the individual for it is the dwelling of thoughts and understanding; whereas the mind [read soul] is the ‘capacitator’ for reasoning, reflection…

"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but it finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' When it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order.

Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So will it be also with this evil generation." Matthew 12:43-45; Luke 11:24-26; cf. John 5: 14

A distracted mind also may be compared to an empty house, whose owner does not live in it. Then a stranger comes, and makes himself at home. That is the sense of the above parable where Jesus said: “…. the unclean spirit…. When it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first”.

A house is meant to be occupied, not to be kept empty. Mankind is created by God in order to become His temple[2] not a dwelling for devils; because if God is not your Host, the devil will be your guest. There is no such thing as a neutral or middle way in this life, for Jesus says: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” [Matthew 12:30]

And in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth”[3].

I recall in my youth and in some instances in my adulthood, people telling me straight to my face: “Nadir, you are not happy, are you?”

I did not have an answer, and most of time I was speechless at such forthrightness. Nonetheless, I felt very hurt, because I knew too well it was the truth – I was not happy. I never knew what happiness was till the day God called[4] me in that land far from home. It was there I met my first Love, and I made a pledge that, till the end of my life, I would never lose heart.

How does one avoid growing cold and so maintain the pristine love? Prayer is the answer; but prayer and entreaty, in which you put your whole heart, lest your mind start wandering again. That is the sense of Jesus’ calling of His disciples: "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest”.

Put your mind at rest where your heart is, that is in Jesus Christ who is the King of peace[5].

An unhappy, restless mind & heart indeed will never find respite till its arrival at Home with God. As Saint Augustine[6] put it so well:

"Great art thou, O Lord, and greatly to be praised; great is thy power, and infinite is thy wisdom.[6] And man desires to praise thee, for he is a part of thy creation; he bears his mortality about with him and carries the evidence of his sin and the proof that thou dost resist the proud. Still he desires to praise thee, this man who is only a small part of thy creation. Thou hast prompted him, that he should delight to praise thee, for thou hast made us for thyself and restless is our heart until it comes to rest in thee”.

And to highlight the pre-eminence of the heart over the mind, Blaise Pascal[7] said:

[1] But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. [Luke 2:19]

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. [Matthew 5:8]

But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. [Matthew 15:18-19]

You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. [Matthew 12:34]

He said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.'[Matthew 22:37]

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path.

[Matthew 13:19]

For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn-- and I would heal them.' [Matthew 13:15]

Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. [Mark 11:23]

Then he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! [Luke 24:25]

The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him.

[John 13:2]

[2] “Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?” [1 Cor 3:16]

[3] See also: Luke 16:13.

[4] It was in Bindurra, a small village in Rhodesia, in the year 1966.

[5] “… to him Abraham apportioned "one-tenth of everything." His name, in the first place, means "king of righteousness"; next he is also king of Salem, that is, "king of peace." [Heb 7:2]

“To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” [Rom 8:6]

“For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”. [Rom 14:17]

“For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.” [Eph 2:14]

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”. [Phil 4:7]

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful”. [Col 3:15]

“…to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." [Luke 1:79]

[6] Augustine: Confessions - Book One {4} Chapter I http://ccel.org/pager.cgi?file=a/augustine/confessions/confessions-bod.html&up=a/augustine/confessions/confessions.html&from=4

[7] Pensee (1670, ed L. Brunschvicg, 1909) sec. 4, no. 277