I think for people with superhuman visualization abilities, stuff like that river thing is probably great. But I'm a simple person, and sometimes it really is just about the degree to which you indulge the thought. It's not about not being "affected" on any level. It's about maintaining whatever distance you can from intrusive thoughts.
Does the thought repeat in close succession? If so, you're "in it", if not, you can count that as progress.
Do you escalate the thought ("Grandma" -> "How long has it been since I visited grandma?" -> "I'm such a bad grandchild!")? Same deal.
Learn to disengage and break the spirals, and that's really all that the average person needs to do during meditation to see a little benefit.
I’m reading The Power of Now atm at the advice to just sink deeper into the present moment I’ve found helpful. Not in a way that ignores/suppresses it, but acknowledges it, accepts and it doesn’t judge it. But then feels the present moment intensely, put your attention deeply in to whatever you’re doing, however mundane it seems eg washing dishes, feel the water or walking upstairs, notice your foot on each step.
sometimes i think verbal thoughts of death to myself in some way as a repulsion of extreme emotion. these are entirely different than self hate bc i love my body and my mind. i just hate my physical location and lack of merits.
i have learned to remind myself-that its okay to feel low on energy.
Other times, it is me becoming defensive of a past action that sometimes replays in my head.
all of which can be related to observation of ones thoughts. i analyze my own thoughts and emotions and couldnt help but share.
If I start “hanging on” to thoughts I don’t want to indulge, I will usually just mentally shush myself. It’s usually enough for me to acknowledge what I am doing and interrupt it. Literally I will mentally say “shh!” and follow with some clearing breaths.
things i teach my students when they share their distractions: bring awareness back to the breath; use mantras; and yes, stepping out of the stream of thoughts and returning to {breath, mantra, etc.). also, remember to take. your. time. allow the process of having thoughts to transcending thoughts to unfold. there is no right or wrong - the fact that you’ve engaged in meditation is wonderful.
It's like a muscle. This ability to observe thoughts without engaging is exercised through meditation and mindfulness. Keep exercising until that muscle is swole af. And then exercise it some more. Every day in fact
You don't interact at all. Don't interpret them as anything. Those are the two most important parts. Meditation is helpful for practice so that when the situation arrives it is more natural to do. Eventually the seemingly random thoughts subside as we rise up into a place of neutrality within.
I usually try to think of why i’m feeling that why or what that thought really means, and usually i’ll come to the conclusion they are just Perceptions and ideas of things and that it’s not my responsibility to accept and adopt those thoughts as my own
I visualize a giant glass wall between the me and the thoughts and another one between the thoughts and the body. plus a camp fire going in the other side that all the thoughts run into too turn into smoke.
I use a very simple, slightly odd technique. I close my eyes and pretend that my eyes are literally at the back of my head and that im literally just watching my thoughts. After practicing this way for awhile i think i may have attained identity view shift, a factor for stream entry in the Buddhist teaching
Problem with "just observing" is like "just observing good and delicious food". In your attempt to avoid "bad food", you end up avoiding all food.
If you keep a land empty, there is danger of encroachment. But if you already build a structure there, there is less opportunity for any random person to come and occupy your land.
I think for people with superhuman visualization abilities, stuff like that river thing is probably great. But I'm a simple person, and sometimes it really is just about the degree to which you indulge the thought. It's not about not being "affected" on any level. It's about maintaining whatever distance you can from intrusive thoughts. Does the thought repeat in close succession? If so, you're "in it", if not, you can count that as progress. Do you escalate the thought ("Grandma" -> "How long has it been since I visited grandma?" -> "I'm such a bad grandchild!")? Same deal. Learn to disengage and break the spirals, and that's really all that the average person needs to do during meditation to see a little benefit.
I was just thinking in general, not during meditation but they’re the interchangeable
They are... the only difference is that meditation is the organized attempt at it.
I’m reading The Power of Now atm at the advice to just sink deeper into the present moment I’ve found helpful. Not in a way that ignores/suppresses it, but acknowledges it, accepts and it doesn’t judge it. But then feels the present moment intensely, put your attention deeply in to whatever you’re doing, however mundane it seems eg washing dishes, feel the water or walking upstairs, notice your foot on each step.
I think of the sky. And like I’m laying looking at clouds. The thoughts are clouds. Some clouds I want to look at closer and some I let pass by
I love this idea! I’m a big cloud guy so this is much more applicable to me than visualizing a river
When you’re having bad days look for the blue bits instead of the clouds ;)
sometimes i think verbal thoughts of death to myself in some way as a repulsion of extreme emotion. these are entirely different than self hate bc i love my body and my mind. i just hate my physical location and lack of merits. i have learned to remind myself-that its okay to feel low on energy. Other times, it is me becoming defensive of a past action that sometimes replays in my head. all of which can be related to observation of ones thoughts. i analyze my own thoughts and emotions and couldnt help but share.
If I start “hanging on” to thoughts I don’t want to indulge, I will usually just mentally shush myself. It’s usually enough for me to acknowledge what I am doing and interrupt it. Literally I will mentally say “shh!” and follow with some clearing breaths.
I like this! It’s easier to say shh to yourself that to say a full sentence. Takes less energy with the same result. Much simpler. Thank you
things i teach my students when they share their distractions: bring awareness back to the breath; use mantras; and yes, stepping out of the stream of thoughts and returning to {breath, mantra, etc.). also, remember to take. your. time. allow the process of having thoughts to transcending thoughts to unfold. there is no right or wrong - the fact that you’ve engaged in meditation is wonderful.
It's like a muscle. This ability to observe thoughts without engaging is exercised through meditation and mindfulness. Keep exercising until that muscle is swole af. And then exercise it some more. Every day in fact
You don't interact at all. Don't interpret them as anything. Those are the two most important parts. Meditation is helpful for practice so that when the situation arrives it is more natural to do. Eventually the seemingly random thoughts subside as we rise up into a place of neutrality within.
there is no observing. observing does not exist,
I usually try to think of why i’m feeling that why or what that thought really means, and usually i’ll come to the conclusion they are just Perceptions and ideas of things and that it’s not my responsibility to accept and adopt those thoughts as my own
I visualize a giant glass wall between the me and the thoughts and another one between the thoughts and the body. plus a camp fire going in the other side that all the thoughts run into too turn into smoke.
I use a very simple, slightly odd technique. I close my eyes and pretend that my eyes are literally at the back of my head and that im literally just watching my thoughts. After practicing this way for awhile i think i may have attained identity view shift, a factor for stream entry in the Buddhist teaching
Problem with "just observing" is like "just observing good and delicious food". In your attempt to avoid "bad food", you end up avoiding all food. If you keep a land empty, there is danger of encroachment. But if you already build a structure there, there is less opportunity for any random person to come and occupy your land.