If I'm not thinking, then what is in my mind?
This is a very common question from beginners to meditation and strangely enough from my experience with non-meditators asking this of meditators.
Others questions pop up too.
What's beyond thought? What is my natural state?
Breath meditation can point the way towards many of these answers. Not at first, as the initial stages of breath meditation are concentration based allowing your mind to settle and calm the thought process, note I said calm the thought process, as we cannot and do not want to stop thoughts. This is one of the myths of beginning meditation and can be quite disheartening for beginners who believe they can stop thought, many give up, which is sad, if only beginners were taught to watch thoughts instead of trying to stop them. Let try and address that now.
For this article I will have to assume that you have a basic understanding or currently practice breath meditation. If not have a look here.
As your breath meditation deepens and breathing becomes a pure and natural awareness (you will know when this happens, trust me). You can then allow a slight shift in your concentration and observe those, oh so intrusive thoughts. You can simply observe thoughts as they arise, halts for a split second (trying to get your attention) then passes by fading in to the awareness from which it arose.
One of the old favourites is the clouds and sky analogy, but I will use a modern twist!
The Chair and the Window
Imagine you are in a dimly lit room, there is a chair facing a large window. The window looks out on a busy street. You are sat on the chair and you are nonchalantly gazing out of the window, no effort, just looking.
Although this is a busy street, people are passing, left to right, right to left, some fast with purpose, some dawdling past without a care, just a normal day with normal people. They appear in the window, hold you attention for a second and then they disappear...gone forever
The window is your mind and the people are just thoughts and emotions passing by. An a eccentric old man passes he's shouting and waving, you heart races, you jump up to see him pass, other thoughts and emotions rush in, who is he, where is he going, poor man, does he have family....on and on...
What would have happened if you had remained seated and just observed him passing?
Would you have notice how changeable or impermanent the people are...just passing by.
As you sit a watch the procession of people passing by, you may also find that your eyes falling to the beautiful permanent building beyond, you may not have noticed the build before because you were watching the people passing, but now you see its glory, it beautiful stillness, embedded and solid. The people do not matter as much, the building has so much more to offer and as you focus you have a deep realisation that the building is awareness it's self, permanent and beautifully simple, unchanging awareness. This is the real you.
In the same way that you can maintain focus on your breath, you can watch your thoughts come and go just like people passing by a window. After your mind settles in meditation you can catch glimpses of the natural balance of your mind that exists behind all the mental chatter of your thoughts and the ups and downs of your emotional state. The balanced stillness is your minds natural state, beautiful, clear and unmoving. Never leaving, always present.
When those turbulent times of manic thoughts come rushing in, stressing and screaming for attention, crying out in fear and panic. You can simply sit for a brief while and focusing on your breath, you will recall that there is always something still, calm and supportive.
Exercise in Observing Thoughts
During this meditation we will maintain our focus on the breath, but shift slightly and observe your thoughts as they arise and fade away. This can be frustrating but please do not emphases observing just notice. There is no right or wrong with this, just a simple observing practice, you may be surprised at the results.
Choose a suitable posture. You should feel at ease and be relaxed, but aware. It's best to start this meditation with eyes open, just lower your eyelids slightly and let your gaze fall about 1m (3ft) in front of you. As your practice deepens you may close your eyes. Early on with half opened eyes the thought process is not so manic.
Start with the basic breath meditation and notice when your mind is calm, alert, drowsy or agitated. As we begin to stabilize the mind, we start to count our breaths, 21 breaths to be precise. Place your attention back to the point of air intake, maybe the nostrils or top lip or belly. At the beginning of the inhale mentally count 1, pay close attention to the sensation at the nostrils or top lip or belly, and only count the in breath. As thoughts appear, mentally let them go, and return to the sensations of breathing.
After 21 breaths, maintain the focus on your breath but observe whatever arises in your mind. Watch but don't participate, thoughts and images will appear, as will emotions and fantasies. Be nonchalant about these appearances, just observe, don't try and control or engage. Remember the mind is a trickster and will try to throw all manner of images and situations to get your attention. The mind is just a child and is pleading for attention, but the thoughts and appearances are just passing by, let them go.
Remain in the role of observer, continue to notice thoughts and images as they arise, plead for attention then just fade away. You are simply watching a parade passing by. Accept what passes, whether peaceful or disturbing, you are still, it cannot hurt or change you if you don't engage with it. Simply observe and let go. This is probably one of the most liberating parts of meditation, observing and not participating; it opens a whole new world of possibilities.
When you find yourself engaged in thought or mental chatter and you will. Don't be disheartened, this is just part of the process, no admonishment necessary, just gently return your focus on your breath and then begin to watch your thoughts play out again.
After a while you'll begin to notice that your awareness of your thoughts stays calm and clear, no matter what thought or images enters your mind. Awareness just sits watching, you don't need to grasp this intellectually as it is impossible to explain. But that stillness is you, always has been and always will be, it just waits and watches, which is an awesome insight!
Sit with this meditative state for 20 mins or so, reflect on how your mind settles when you are not identifying with thoughts, judging them or trying to control them with mental chatter. This pure and simple state is your mind in its natural state. Embrace it, learn from it and accept it. Just beautiful!
Peace
This is a very common question from beginners to meditation and strangely enough from my experience with non-meditators asking this of meditators.
Others questions pop up too.
What's beyond thought? What is my natural state?
Breath meditation can point the way towards many of these answers. Not at first, as the initial stages of breath meditation are concentration based allowing your mind to settle and calm the thought process, note I said calm the thought process, as we cannot and do not want to stop thoughts. This is one of the myths of beginning meditation and can be quite disheartening for beginners who believe they can stop thought, many give up, which is sad, if only beginners were taught to watch thoughts instead of trying to stop them. Let try and address that now.
For this article I will have to assume that you have a basic understanding or currently practice breath meditation. If not have a look here.
As your breath meditation deepens and breathing becomes a pure and natural awareness (you will know when this happens, trust me). You can then allow a slight shift in your concentration and observe those, oh so intrusive thoughts. You can simply observe thoughts as they arise, halts for a split second (trying to get your attention) then passes by fading in to the awareness from which it arose.
One of the old favourites is the clouds and sky analogy, but I will use a modern twist!
The Chair and the Window
Imagine you are in a dimly lit room, there is a chair facing a large window. The window looks out on a busy street. You are sat on the chair and you are nonchalantly gazing out of the window, no effort, just looking.
Although this is a busy street, people are passing, left to right, right to left, some fast with purpose, some dawdling past without a care, just a normal day with normal people. They appear in the window, hold you attention for a second and then they disappear...gone forever
The window is your mind and the people are just thoughts and emotions passing by. An a eccentric old man passes he's shouting and waving, you heart races, you jump up to see him pass, other thoughts and emotions rush in, who is he, where is he going, poor man, does he have family....on and on...
What would have happened if you had remained seated and just observed him passing?
Would you have notice how changeable or impermanent the people are...just passing by.
As you sit a watch the procession of people passing by, you may also find that your eyes falling to the beautiful permanent building beyond, you may not have noticed the build before because you were watching the people passing, but now you see its glory, it beautiful stillness, embedded and solid. The people do not matter as much, the building has so much more to offer and as you focus you have a deep realisation that the building is awareness it's self, permanent and beautifully simple, unchanging awareness. This is the real you.
In the same way that you can maintain focus on your breath, you can watch your thoughts come and go just like people passing by a window. After your mind settles in meditation you can catch glimpses of the natural balance of your mind that exists behind all the mental chatter of your thoughts and the ups and downs of your emotional state. The balanced stillness is your minds natural state, beautiful, clear and unmoving. Never leaving, always present.
When those turbulent times of manic thoughts come rushing in, stressing and screaming for attention, crying out in fear and panic. You can simply sit for a brief while and focusing on your breath, you will recall that there is always something still, calm and supportive.
Exercise in Observing Thoughts
During this meditation we will maintain our focus on the breath, but shift slightly and observe your thoughts as they arise and fade away. This can be frustrating but please do not emphases observing just notice. There is no right or wrong with this, just a simple observing practice, you may be surprised at the results.
Choose a suitable posture. You should feel at ease and be relaxed, but aware. It's best to start this meditation with eyes open, just lower your eyelids slightly and let your gaze fall about 1m (3ft) in front of you. As your practice deepens you may close your eyes. Early on with half opened eyes the thought process is not so manic.
Start with the basic breath meditation and notice when your mind is calm, alert, drowsy or agitated. As we begin to stabilize the mind, we start to count our breaths, 21 breaths to be precise. Place your attention back to the point of air intake, maybe the nostrils or top lip or belly. At the beginning of the inhale mentally count 1, pay close attention to the sensation at the nostrils or top lip or belly, and only count the in breath. As thoughts appear, mentally let them go, and return to the sensations of breathing.
After 21 breaths, maintain the focus on your breath but observe whatever arises in your mind. Watch but don't participate, thoughts and images will appear, as will emotions and fantasies. Be nonchalant about these appearances, just observe, don't try and control or engage. Remember the mind is a trickster and will try to throw all manner of images and situations to get your attention. The mind is just a child and is pleading for attention, but the thoughts and appearances are just passing by, let them go.
Remain in the role of observer, continue to notice thoughts and images as they arise, plead for attention then just fade away. You are simply watching a parade passing by. Accept what passes, whether peaceful or disturbing, you are still, it cannot hurt or change you if you don't engage with it. Simply observe and let go. This is probably one of the most liberating parts of meditation, observing and not participating; it opens a whole new world of possibilities.
When you find yourself engaged in thought or mental chatter and you will. Don't be disheartened, this is just part of the process, no admonishment necessary, just gently return your focus on your breath and then begin to watch your thoughts play out again.
After a while you'll begin to notice that your awareness of your thoughts stays calm and clear, no matter what thought or images enters your mind. Awareness just sits watching, you don't need to grasp this intellectually as it is impossible to explain. But that stillness is you, always has been and always will be, it just waits and watches, which is an awesome insight!
Sit with this meditative state for 20 mins or so, reflect on how your mind settles when you are not identifying with thoughts, judging them or trying to control them with mental chatter. This pure and simple state is your mind in its natural state. Embrace it, learn from it and accept it. Just beautiful!
Peace
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