The 3 Monkeys

Photo by A. Almamour

Meet Mizaru, Kikazaru and Iwazaru, otherwise known as the The Three Wise Monkeys, who see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. They are understood to be a model of propriety - to act by conforming to conventionally accepted standards of behavior or morals. Some say that they are telling us to turn our backs on what's happening in the world - to turn a blind eye. A spin off of this is the modern phrase, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." In this case, I think a fourth monkey is needed: I didn't see it, I didn't hear it, I won't talk about it and I won't snap a picture of it and post it online. I believe the wise monkeys can also be interpreted at deeper levels. They could be telling us to be careful of our energy - what we surround ourselves with, we go into resonance with. Let's apply this thought to modern times:

See no evil - how much violence and negativity are you watching throughout the day? Are you always watching the news? What kinds of movies and t.v. shows do you regularly watch? Are you into playing violent video games? These are all ways to tune into and even go into resonance with really negative energy.

Hear no evil: what are you listening to? It's disconcerting how much hate you can be exposed to through music, radio talk shows and negative, angry people you may spend time with on a daily basis. What you're listening to does affect you. You can always change the channel.

Speak no evil: be aware of what's coming out of your mouth. Are you starting or participating in negative conversations? Are you vocally expressing your rage and hatred towards others who you perceived have harmed you? Not only are you in resonance with negativity - you're contributing to and feeding that energy of the collective conscious.

Now, let's take this a step further. Let's go a little deeper. What if another interpretation is they're showing us how to reconnect to our true Self?

Close your eyes - stop looking for the truth with your eyes. Your eyes can and do deceive you. Look to your inner visioning. Connect with your inner guidance and ‘see’ that way.

Close your ears – stop listening to everyone else’s truth or their version of the truth. Find your own truth. Shut out the world, go inside and listen to that part of you that simply is Truth.

Close your mouth – stop talking. Get silent. Listen, observe from the inside out - instead of taking what we see outside of us and internalizing it.  Become aware of your thoughts - are they even yours? Are they negative? - if so, do they serve your highest good? Are they false truths?

Years ago, when I took the photo of the Three Wise Monkeys at the Tosho-gu Shrine in Nikko, Japan, I remember thinking - "oh, hey, they represent that famous saying." Eight years later, they hold a very different meaning for me. I believe the Three Wise Monkeys impart some very deep wisdom indeed.

Love, Adrienne :)