Let me introduce you to Ega, our personal yellow monkey!
She represents our animalistic side and follows her wishes and desires only. From Ega’s point of view there are no rules nor any sort of limitations. Usually, she is regulated by the laws and the morals of society. Regardless of such efforts, she constantly tries to break free and do whatever she wishes meaning everything that is perceived as not good. This is our personal Yellow Monkey. I have named her Ega. All of us have one.
For example, the Yellow Monkey stops one from joining the regular karate practice and advises one to procrastinate instead. With a valid excuse, of course. Ega is very cute and lazy, and very good at the game of making valid excuses.
A karateka (or any human, in fact), has to learn to tame and to control his Ega. Otherwise, Ega takes over her owner. Only when Ega is under control, the owner of the yellow monkey gets in charge of his Mind, Skills, and Body (SHIN, GI, TAI). And becomes truly free.
Only by means of self-discipline we become fully free!
Note: The actual toy on the image is knitted by Galyna Yakovets. Thank you for your gift, Galyna!
