Read the Beforeitsnews.com story here. Advertise at Before It's News here.

By Dr Ian Ellis-Jones ... Mindfulness Training
Contributor profile | More stories

Story Views
Now:
Last hour:
Last 24 hours:
Total:

How To Deal With Uninvited Thoughts

Thursday, June 28, 2012 4:52

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.

There is something ‘wrong’ with the title of this post. You see, I have used the ‘how’ word, and the use of that word implies that there is some ‘method’ or ‘technique’ involved here. Krishnamurti (pictured above), that great spiritual philosopher, was right to point out the folly of seeking methods and techniques, especially as respects matters such as meditation, contemplation and relaxation. There’s an Eastern story of a master and a pupil. The latter says to the master, ‘Master, I have been here for three months now, and you still haven’t given me a method by which to meditate.’ The master replied, ‘Well, what would you do with a method?’ Good question.

True meditation has no ‘method’ or ‘technique’—it simply happens all by itself or not at all. It ‘happens’ when you simply—observe! There is no ‘path’ to meditation, and there is no ‘technique’ or ‘method’ that can be employed, so don’t bother trying to find one—and reject all those so-called ‘gurus’ and ‘teachers’ who would try to teach (or sell) you one.

Now, having said all that, there are some things which happen all by themselves when you let them happen. The word ‘let’—as in ‘letting go’ and ‘letting be’—is of fundamental importance when it comes to matters spiritual and psychological. Of that there is no doubt. When, in the course of one’s practice of meditation, an uninvited thought manifests in one’s consciousness, the experience of ‘letting be,’ that is, simply being choicelessly aware of the thought without dwelling upon it or judging or analyzing it, allows the thought to pass through the mind uninterrupted. The ‘secret’ is not to try to force any such thought from the mind or circumvent the thought. Just accept them in a choiceless fashion. (You don’t have to approve of them. Don’t even go there. Don’t even start to judge the thought in any way.)

Sometimes, especially with beginners, thoughts may come almost as a continuous movement in the form of an internal mental dialogue (or ‘chatter’). We all use words and what is known as subvocalisation to make sense of our moment-to-moment experience of both external and internal reality. There is nothing inherently wrong with that. Indeed, it is a necessary thing. Otherwise, we would not know our ‘bearings’ at all. However, when engaged in one’s practice of meditation, an ongoing mental dialogue is definitely not the way to go. Once again, the ‘secret’ is not to try to force these ongoing thoughts and subvocalisation from the mind or circumvent them in any way, but to focus more on one’s out-breath.

Why focus more deeply on one’s out-breath? Well, it’s really quite simple. When we engage in normal conversation we tend to speak on the outflow of our breath. Surprise, surprise, it is likewise with our inner dialogue—that is, we tend to engage in inner chatter when we are in the process of breathing out. So, you will find that if you focus more deeply on the outflow of your breath, your inner chatter will tend to dissipate. Indeed, your whole mind will quiet down—and that is a very good thing! No effort is required, other than the ‘effortless effort’ of paying more attention to your outbreath. The more you do that, the quieter your thoughts become—and the more peaceful and contented you will be.

RELATED POSTS

THE MINDFUL ART OF KNOWING ONESELF

YOUR MIND IS ITS OWN PRISON

DESTRESS YOURSELF WITH MINDFULNESS … IN THE SILENCE

PIERCING THE MOMENT WITH MINDFULNESS

BACK TO BASICS

DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING

LIVE FROM MOMENT TO MOMENT … NOT IN THE MOMENT

WALKING IN THE ETERNAL NOW

THE AWARENESS OF AWARENESS

CONTINUOUS MINDFULNESS AND AWARENESS OF REALITY

A SIMPLE FORM OF MINDFULNESS SITTING MEDITATION

MINDFULNESS—A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE

Source:

Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.

Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.

"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.

Please Help Support BeforeitsNews by trying our Natural Health Products below!

Order by Phone at 888-809-8385 or online at https://mitocopper.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomic.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomics.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Humic & Fulvic Trace Minerals Complex - Nature's most important supplement! Vivid Dreams again!

HNEX HydroNano EXtracellular Water - Improve immune system health and reduce inflammation.

Ultimate Clinical Potency Curcumin - Natural pain relief, reduce inflammation and so much more.

MitoCopper - Bioavailable Copper destroys pathogens and gives you more energy. (See Blood Video)

Oxy Powder - Natural Colon Cleanser! Cleans out toxic buildup with oxygen!

Nascent Iodine - Promotes detoxification, mental focus and thyroid health.

Smart Meter Cover - Reduces Smart Meter radiation by 96%! (See Video).

Comments

Online:
Visits:	1,603,923,877
Stories:	8,151,755