The Practice of Not Thinking, by Ruynosuke Koike

A GUIDE TO MINDFUL LIVING

I picked up The Practice of Not Thinking in the bookshop because, as a chronic overthinker, not thinking sounds ideal… The photo on the cover also looked reassuringly calm.

I’ll preface my comments by saying this book is not a fun read – not that fun is the measure of everything, but heads up that it’s less of a read for pleasure and more of a how-to guide to Zen.

A former Buddhist monk, the author Ryunosuke Koike knows a thing or two about mindfulness. His books have sold millions in Japan, which made me think he was the Japanese Jay Shetty, until I realised he’s got way less Californian vibes, and more stern teacher ones.

Although it is about Zen, the book isn’t about sitting in a Lotus position and emptying your mind (apologies for the cliché, but try googling “Zen” and see what images come up). It’s about training yourself to focus on your senses instead of your thoughts in your everyday life, as a method to reduce mind clutter and anxiety.

It includes a little bit of Buddhism theory, and a lot of practical advice.

The content is organised around the five senses, and there are chapters on almost every aspect of daily life. It covers how to (and mostly, how not to) speak, listen, laugh, eat, cook, smile, write, watch TV, tidy the house, even how to blog.

Some instructions are easier than others. Many are deceptively simple and common sense (“it’s better not to think about eating”), although as we all know, it doesn’t make them easy to adhere to.

We learn that behaviours like procrastination, overeating, mindless TV watching, or failing to clean our house, although in appearance harmless enough, are all anxiety-generating. The trick is to use our senses to ground ourselves in our bodies and therefore in the present moment. This reduces the level of noise in our minds, which usually threatens out sanity.

I found most topics very relatable, some even too close for comfort (on blogging: “Writing a diary and sharing it with the public will nurture the desire to gain understanding and recognition from others, which will lead to the pain of rejection when you see that it isn’t happening”- mm).

At the same time, some parts struck me as distinctly Japanese. The emphasis on considerate communication, such as reading non-verbal cues, not getting too excited in conversation, and not bothering people with mindless chatter may feel foreign to the Western reader.

The idea that we could, in conversation and in life, have such self-awareness (as well as awareness of our surroundings, and the interactions between the two) feels like pro-level mindfulness.

Reading this with French eyes, I must confess it all sounds great in theory, but not something I could achieve in this lifetime.

There are also parts I am honestly not completely on board with. Coming from a culture that reveres the good life, the idea that we shouldn’t speak unless we have something important to say, or laugh when smiling will do, feels like it would make for bland living.

But each to their own. While not everyone aspires to be a monk, on the whole this book is still very helpful in its advice. Each reader will certainly find helpful exercised for the parts of their life they may struggle with.

We can all do with a bit more presence and less anxiety.

So while the book as a read may be a bit daunting, I can see myself coming back to specific chapters whenever I need more Zen in my life.