Teachings
Meet Jerry—the storyteller in the mind
Jerry is a friendly name for the restless mental activity that repeats the past, predicts the future, compares, judges and sometimes persuades us that every thought is true.
Naming this activity is not a way of making an enemy of it. Quite the opposite: a name makes it easier to recognise, and recognition softens its grip. Jerry is not a fault, and Jerry is not you.
When the mind is busy, three simple observations are often enough to loosen the knot.
“A thought is happening.”
“Fear is present.”
“Jerry is telling a story.”
From noticing to returning
Once a story is seen for what it is, attention can come back to the breath, the body and the room you are in.
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