By Sean Sullivan

“They’re making an intention to craft a life of more simplicity.”

That’s the cornerstone ethic, said Gen Khedrub, behind becoming a Buddhist monk.

He’s been leading a series of group meditations in Natick over the past few weeks, the last of which will fall on Feb. 3.

The sessions are sponsored by Natick’s Recreation and Parks Department.

Being ordained as a monk, as Khedrub has, entails taking and adhering to a set of vows. One is renunciation, a pledge to give up possessions and worldly attachments.

That alone would qualify as a life of simplicity for many people in most Western cultures.

Among those vows also are generosity, truthfulness, non-violence and celibacy.

But attendees of a meditation session need not undertake such commitments. All that’s required is a willingness to be open and pay attention for a little while.

The “Gen” in Buddhist practice is used in a similar way as the title “Rabbi” is in Judaism or “Father” in Christianity. Gen is translated as “teacher,” and is placed before the last name of the ordained.

Even to those who haven’t formally meditated for a minute in their lives, the process would likely seem familiar. It starts with participants finding a comfortable posture, and then usually closing their eyes.

Meditators are then challenged to observe thoughts, feelings and emotions as they arise and dissipate. Participants may marvel at the antics of the “monkey mind,” a term used in the Buddhist tradition to describe the inherent chaotic character of human consciousness.

The mind in monkey mode swings and careens at random from branch to branch (thought to thought), tree to tree (emotion to emotion). It grasps at objects, guarding some jealously while carelessly flinging others into the void. Sounds like a real rascal, no?

Not so fast.

An essential part of the process is observation without judgement. The judging mind, after all, is simply the mischievous monkey in one of its many moods. It sits atop a high branch, shaking its head and hooting in disapproval of the chaos it just caused. Sound familiar?

And while meditation can’t evict the monkey from our minds, it can change our relationship to it. We may learn to observe it instead, cultivating a posture of curiosity and compassion.

This shift in perspective can result in us being less reactive, less reflexive, to the world outside of the confines of our consciousness.

In addition to enjoying more equanimity, this increased openness allows us “to be of more benefit to other people,” said Khedrub. “To simply help us slow down, relax and be less tense.”

The Buddhist practice explores the concepts of gratitude, mortality and compassion, “learning how to embody those more deeply.”

And while the vows and existence of a monk entail hours of meditation each week (Khedrub does so twice daily), he emphasizes the value of quality over quantity.

“Sometimes, we can be a little competitive with ourselves,” he said, imagining that mindfulness accrues with the minutes we invest. But Khedrub says it’s best to avoid feeling stuffed at the conclusion.

Like a sensible meal, he said, a good meditation session is one that doesn’t leave practitioners overwhelmed and spent at the end.

“As opposed to leaving ourselves a little hungry.”

A few ten or twenty-minute sessions per week, for example, will suffice.

“Leaving with a good feeling helps us build a positive habit,” he said. “Trying to keep the attitude of always being a student.”