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For those who are not familiar, or new to, meditation - I want to offer an alternative to "try not to have any thoughts". The reason why I never started meditat
by keyboardhitter 10y ago
For those who are not familiar, or new to, meditation - I want to offer an alternative to "try not to have any thoughts". The reason why I never started meditating for a long time was because I felt it was too hard, and nearly impossible. Well... because it is very difficult. After years and years of meditating and practicing mindfulness, perhaps this is possible, but IMO not a good starting goal.
I prefer to just become an observer of my thoughts; to acknowledge and let them flow; I focus on accepting that they are only thoughts - little impulses. The imagery I often have is that I'm sitting in a clear bubble, and my thoughts are swirling around me: I can see them, and I know they're there, but I do not let them in.
- maccard 10y agoIf you try headspace, (no affiliation) that's pretty much what they say to do.
- bennesvig 10y agoHighly recommend the Headspace app.
- JamesBarney 10y agoKeyboardhitter is right, the vast majority of meditators recommend trying to observe and let go of thoughts that pass as opposed to trying to stop thoughts. The problem with trying to stop thoughts is similar in trying to not think of pink elephants. Mindfulness one of the key skills(if not THE key skill) exercised by meditation is the ability to be aware of one's own thoughts and feelings, and this is practiced primarily by listening to what thought's were having, and letting them go.
- nommm-nommm 10y agoI don't know if you are aware of it or not but what you are describing is called mindfulness. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness
- rrecuero 10y agoThat's the same way I see it. I would sum it up as becoming aware of the Proprioception of thought. The same way we are aware of moving our arm when we are doing so, becoming aware of your thoughts while we are thinking. We tend to take are thoughts for granted, giving them automatic truth status
- firebones 10y agoWhat an apt analogy...
- structorg 10y agoThe sense of self or the "I" is part of that stream of thoughts, that is why you can't stop thoughts except by fully concentrating in something; the intention of stoping thoughts and the self that wants to achieve something are thoughts themselves. An approach that I have found very powerful is to direct atention to nervous system activity which is an objective form of conciousness, something like the sense of touch but extended to the inside of the body (it is called kayotsarga in jainism), besides gaining the ability to fully relax at will all parts of the body it brings awareness to a whole new level.
- inafewwords 10y agoThanks. Trying different things to focus on. I'll probably forget the name, but I'll employ it all the same.
- inafewwords 10y agoSeems to mirror my experience. I try to nap in 15 minute breaks at work. 30-1hr at lunch break (I eat while I'm working) so I have mid day personal time. Seems like the same skills of quieting the mind. I do a relaxation breath of (in = 4 count, hold = 7 count, exhale = 8 count) 3x I never fall into a deep sleep. Sometimes I trance out into heady thoughts where the outside world gets blocked off. I don't really know where meditation ends, naps begin, and where legit sleep falls in the spectrum. My goal isn't meditation though, my real goal is to black out cold, but haven't gotten there yet. So ymmv for anyone else attempting but it seems I'm in the same field as you describe. Then I tend to naturally snap out of it before my alarm rings me awake. Tools: travelers sleep eye mask, comfortable silent area (my car in parking garage), phone timer.