The Monkey Cyclone: Improvising Through the Storm

We’re preparing for a real cyclone here in Brisbane, but every day, we also prepare for another storm—the cyclone of monkeys in our heads.

And honestly?
I think we just pitched the next Hollywood blockbuster...

Monk–clone.
(A cyclone of thoughts. A storm of monkeys. And only one practice can save us…)

But back to reality:

Just like we prepare for a storm—buying batteries, checking supplies—we also prepare for the internal storm through our daily practice. We sit. We observe. We train our awareness. And when the storm hits (whether external or internal), we are ready to meet it.

1. Beginner’s Mind & the Art of Improvisation

🔄 The world is constantly new.
Every moment is something you have never experienced before—yet the monkey mind pretends it knows everything.

When we lose beginner’s mind, we live in pre-scripted thought loops:

• “I know how this will go.”
• “I already understand this.”
• “I’ve seen this before.”

But reality is not a script.
It’s an improvisation.

🌊 A cyclone is unpredictable.
🌊 The thoughts in our mind are unpredictable.
🌊 The world around us is always shifting.

When we cling to control, we struggle.
When we accept improvisation, we flow.

And the best improvisers?
They follow one rule.

2. The Improv Rule: “Yes, and…”

Actors and comedians train in improvisation by playing a game where you must always accept what is given and build on it.

🎭 “Yes, and…” instead of “No, but…”

For example:
🌀 Person 1: “Oh no, there’s a monkey cyclone coming!”
🌀 Person 2: “Yes! And I just saw one of them swinging on a power line!”
🌀 Person 3: “Yes! And they’re organizing into a synchronized tornado dance!”

The moment you say “No”, you kill the flow.
You resist.
You stop the story.

The same is true in life.

💨 If the wind changes, can you say “Yes, and…”?
💡 If plans shift, can you say “Yes, and…”?
🤯 If the storm inside your mind rages, can you say “Yes, and…” instead of fighting it?

3. Today’s Practice: Embrace the Improvisation

As you move through this cyclone-prep kind of day, try this:

🌀 Notice how much of life is improvisation.

• Every interaction is unscripted.
• Every moment is new.
• We are always making it up as we go—even when we pretend we’re in control.

🎭 Play the improv game in your mind.

• When an unexpected situation arises, mentally say “Yes, and…” instead of resisting it.
• See where it takes you.

🧘 Practice saying YES to reality.

• Instead of “This shouldn’t be happening,” try:
  • “Yes, and I can handle it.”
  • “Yes, and I’ll figure it out.”
  • “Yes, and let’s see what happens next.”

4. The Real Cyclone & the Inner Cyclone

🌪 The external storm is coming.
🐵 The internal storm is always here.

Both are unpredictable.
Both put us into beginner’s mind.

We don’t control the wind.
We don’t control the monkeys...yet!

But we can prepare ourselves.
We can stay aware.
And when the time comes, we can say:

✨ “Yes, and let’s dance in the storm.” ✨