Think Like a Monk promises on it’s front cover to ‘train your mind for peace and purpose every day’. As a super busy single mum of four kids, with a demanding job in tech, this promise drew me in immediately!
I was also a little intrigued by the author Jay Shetty, who I had been a little aware of through his social media activities. I had been thoroughly in agreement with many of the wise words he has shared through various channels. However I hadn’t appreciated before that he had actually been a monk.
In this book, Jay shares some of the wisdom he learned during his time in the ‘ashram’, a spiritual retreat in India.
A rebel with a cause ...
I was interested to read that Jay had not always had spiritual leanings. To the contrary, as a young person he had been quite wayward. Consequently, his journey to spirituality was as much a surprise to him as to his family and friends. There are many surprising and interesting snippets of information throughout the book. And these not only entertain, but also provide context and help us relate to the spiritual learning points.
I found the honesty of Jay’s writing throughout the book incredibly appealing and very refreshing. He has a way of taking you along in his moment, so that you almost feel you are there.
Slow and steady ...
Because of this immersion effect, Think Like a Monk was quite an intense read. Additionally, the book contains so many learning points, there was a lot to take in. So it took me a couple of weeks to finish reading the book. It was enough to read a few pages each evening, to pick up and process the learning points. And then, the next day, to come back and pick up a few more. I found myself increasingly looking forward to my ‘Think Like a Monk’ time every day. Some of the lessons the book offers are listed here.
- How to find your purpose
- How to overcome negativity
- How to stop overthinking
- Why comparison kills love
- How to use your fear
- Why you can’t find happiness by looking for it
- How to learn from everyone you meet
- Why you are not your thoughts
- Why kindness is crucial to success
A happier me ...
I can honestly say I have felt considerably more peaceful and happy since reading Think Like a Monk. I haven’t put all of the lessons into practice (yet). Jay shares so much knowledge and wisdom I know its going to take time. I got so much from this book, it will be a regular read. And I think I’ve told everyone I know to read it too!
In a relentless, busy world, we all deserve to discover our own inner peace. Think Like a Monk can help you find it.
