They say there is a clever way to catch monkeys. A hunter cuts a small hole in a coconut, just big enough so that the monkey could slide its hand through. He put a banana inside the coconut, then tied it to the side of a tree. The monkey came up, smelled the banana, and stuck its hand into the coconut to grab the banana. When the monkey tried to pull its hand out, because his hand was clenched in a fist holding the banana, it did not fit out of the small hole. And because the monkey refused to let go of the banana, the hunter was able to capture it. Had the monkey just let go, he would be free. – Jon Kabat-Zinn
Much like the monkey with the banana, you have a tendency to hold on to things — things that don’t necessarily serve you. Old habits, behaviors and even relationships. Attachment is a very natural part of life. But sometimes those things that you’re attached to are the very things that hold you back, even causing pain in your life.
When do you get caught in monkey mind? Struggling, stuck, and refusing to let go. What are you grasping and clinging on to? What are you holding on to that no longer serves you?