Deepak Chopra Instagram – #AskDeepak “I just can’t seem to find the silence these days meditating. Things have been going on, future plans, stresses, etc. My mind keeps being the ‘monkey mind’. I am saying the mantra but it is like I am just sitting there saying it. I don’t get to that peace, and I find it tough to handle some of the thoughts. Any tips? Pranayama helps sometimes but not always.” My Response: See if you can meditate without the expectation of silence. Simply be open to whatever experience of consciousness your inner self brings to you. That is the experience you need at that particular moment. Trust it and embrace it. Don’t judge it as poor meditation or an overactive monkey mind. As long as you are meditating without trying to think the mantra clearly and not resisting or resenting thoughts, then whatever kind of meditation you are having—active or silent—is exactly what your mind/body/spirit needs at that time. Allow that experience to unfold however it needs to. It will be the step you need to bring you closer to full awakening. Love, Deepak