I stole this little story from one of the meditation manuals of Dr. Jon Kabat Zinn. He teaches ‘insight meditation’ at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, USA. He tells this story to the participants before starting of seven day meditation course by way of orientation.

Do you know how the monkeys are caught in India?  An iron cage is made with a hole, big enough for a monkey just to enter its hand inside. A banana is kept dangling in the middle of the cage. And the cage is left among the band of monkeys in the jungle. Lured by the banana monkey comes to the cage, tries all tricks to reach to the banana. Finally, by trial and error, puts its hand through the hole and grabs the banana, with great delight. But with the banana clasping in hand it cannot extricate itself from the cage, which is tied to a peg. All pulling and pushing this way and that is of no avail. The monkey tightens its grip all the more on the banana fearing if it lets go, all is gone. The monkey cannot visualize that his escape lies in releasing the grip on the banana. And then the hunter comes and the monkey gets caught. And you know what happens to the monkey afterwards.

This simple allegory is loaded with grave meaning embedded in it. It helps to understand the wily nature of ‘grasping’, causing us lot of undue distress in day-to-day life. In the present day living, obsessions are many and varied -- ranging from name, fame, status, objects, ideas, fetishes, relationship and so on ad infinitum. This surreptitious clinging generates plethora of anxiety, stress and maladjustment in family and social life. The real trouble lies in not being aware of the cause of entanglement, as the monkey is in the story -- the same ‘if you let it go, all is gone’ feeling gripping us tightly. Sometimes, you may be in such a predicament in life. It is bound to be. In real life we need to keep clinging to a few such things and some we can easily let go. The ability to discern what to let go and what to retain is crucial for leading a well-adjusted life, imparting enhanced coping ability with any situation. Hence, the underlying significance of this silly story. Usually, we fail to recognize this frailty insidiously residing in our psyche. Insight meditation ensures gaining this ability. Please make a special note of it.

One way of gaining the ability of being aware of this kind of malady is by playing the dual role of performer and spectator at the same time. In the life’s drama you are the ‘performer’ and watch yourself as an ‘observer’ from outside impartially. It appears daunting initially but with practice it vanishes. It gives enormous insight to know oneself intimately. You will see yourself from inside out. And that can be considered a big achievement for a fulfilling and happy life.

A thin veneer of illusion keeps us away from this realization. Smash the blinker of illusion. Be aware and alert and fully in command of yourself. You will march out happier, in the end.