A few months back when I visited the Tibet of India, McLeodganj, I was astonished as well as deeply attracted towards the monks. I’d never seen or met a monk in my life.
All I thought that they were the spiritual person and of my no concern. But I didn’t know the other side of the story. What they do, why they do or even why they exist the way they exist. And believe me…
We can learn a lot from monks.
It was my first solo trip to McLeodganj and I literally visited to retrain my mind from odds. When I saw monks, the thing that intrigued me most was how they’re so calm and peaceful like flowing water? So joyous and seems to be happy in their skin.
I compared myself with them. Here in my mind, there’s a rainstorm going on and what I see before my eyes were such a serene example of calmness. I deeply pondered what’s their secret. I’ve been driven to their way of life. I learned about the Dalai Lama and secretly admired him.
Gautam Buddha inspired me even more, and a thirst for knowing more about him has always been in my plug.
Whenever I wandered outside my hotel in McLeodganj, I saw monks: wearing a long maroon-red robe with a shaved head. Gently smiling and talking with their fellow monks and other people.
Calm like a deep ocean and a dawn’s aura.
Due to them, I came to realize the power of meditation and my interest in spiritualism was born. Here’s what I learned from them and after feeding my curiosity:
1. Monks know themselves:
Widely speaking, not many of us truly know who we actually are, what are our weaknesses and what are our strengths.
This can’t be well explained without Cooley’s quote which says:
“I am not who you think I am; I am not who I think I am; I am who I think you think I am.”
Cooley
We live in a perception of ourselves summed with the perception of others by ourselves. Monks practice self-actualization, consciousness, awakened mind, and self-realization.
Perhaps that’s what they were not as much anxious as I was when I first saw them.
2. And monks do service to others:
They are selfless. Devoted to helping others in achieving their real self by actually making them know themselves.
Their mindset can be thought with this quote:
“Plant tree under whose shade you do not plan to sit.”
Today self-love is such a confusing topic that people have forgotten to be compassionate and empathetic. Somehow I know we are wired to help each other, as people need people.
3. Meditation is their tool:
Even 10-15 minutes of meditation can do wonders for your mind. This thing can be well perceived by knowing the monks. Meditation is the exercise of our mind, and just like for good physical health we do physical exercises, in the same way for a better healthier mind, meditation is the key.
Monks meditate almost for several hours a day. Can you imagine? I was damned!
4. Self-Discipline:
If one good advice I had to give to the world I’d say this: practice self-discipline, it’s a must. And it can only be achieved when you’ll truly know yourself, from the deepened roots of your soul, from the darkest corners of your heart.
Monks live their life in accordance with discipline. Waking up at around 4 in the morning, meditating daily, reciting prayers and doing good to others — all are deeds by disciplined hearts. Lack of self-discipline is a big cuss that brings procrastination.
At last, I think it all comes to this: knowing yourself, self-actualization, consciousness, and an awakened mind. Monks spend years in practicing these aspects. But in the end, it’s all worth.
Therefore, this all, hugely depicts that answers to our greatest questions lie within ourselves. We must find them.
So what did you learn from the monks?