Stop Fighting Your Thoughts

A short talk on how to stop struggling with your own mind. Learn to disengage from the content of your mind, such as thoughts and feelings, and become more aware of your own presence.

Transcript

When you're beginning,

And even for experienced meditators and asanas,

One of the most annoying things is thoughts,

Is getting distracted,

Is fogging out,

Is falling asleep.

And if you're like me,

You may have this belief that ascension,

Meditation,

Whatever your practice begins when the thoughts go.

And so you attempt somehow to clear your mind,

Somehow to rid yourself of these pesky thoughts.

So you start straining,

You start trying,

You start controlling,

You start fighting.

As opposed to simply accepting,

Sitting back,

Disengaging from the content of your mind,

From your feelings.

And in that becoming more aware of your own presence,

Noticing that field of being,

Of simple,

Infinite,

Eternal space that is you,

Even when thoughts are there,

Even when feelings are there.

You see you get so wrapped up in trying to change your mind,

That's all you can see is your mind.

And so if I can give you one piece of advice,

Just stop fighting,

Stop the struggle,

Put your sword back in its sheath,

Rest,

Do nothing.

Simply tune in to what else is there.

And this little exercise may help.

This little exercise may help you see that the whole purpose of ascension of meditation is not to rid your mind of thoughts,

Not to get rid of anything,

But simply step into a greater field of awareness.

A place of acceptance and allowance where all is well,

Where there is no judgment,

Where there is just complete fullness and satisfaction.

So to create that sense of space,

This sense of distance from your mind,

All I want you to do is close your eyes and count your thoughts.

Witness them like cars driving by,

Birds floating by in the sky,

Like you're sitting at the beach and you're just watching the clouds.

And all I want you to do is just count.

Don't try and count the counter,

Because you'll get confused,

Okay?

Good.

So just for two minutes,

Close your eyes,

Count your thoughts.

Wonderful.

Wonderful.

So just gently open your eyes,

Keep your eyes closed indeed.

How many did you count?

Now it does not matter how many you counted.

It doesn't matter if you only counted one.

It doesn't matter if you counted a hundred.

The fact is you could count your thoughts,

You could be aware of your thoughts.

Now there are two common experiences,

One is that you have,

You close your eyes and you're just going,

Wow,

There are so many thoughts here,

27,

28,

127,

128,

You know?

But good job,

You're being aware of your mind.

The most dangerous thing to you is unconscious thinking.

When you're aware of the contents of your thought,

Now you have choice.

Awareness gives you choice.

How wonderful.

How wonderful.

The other common experience is that you close your eyes and you go,

Hang on,

Come on,

I'm not thinking.

There's so much space,

There's so much sense of stillness.

Now whatever experience you have,

Like I said,

If you can be aware of your thoughts,

You are not your thoughts.

If you can be aware of that voice in your head,

Even that voice that says,

Wow,

There's no thoughts here,

Then you cannot be that voice,

You cannot be your thoughts.

And that is the truth.

You have thoughts,

But you are not them.

You have feelings,

But you are not your feelings.

You are something else,

Something else much bigger,

Much wider,

Much more untouched,

Much more free than the content of your mind or your feelings.

Okay?

So regardless of your state of mind,

Step back,

Find that sense of space.

My teacher often uses the example of just sitting by the side of the road and watching the cars fly by.

Zoom,

Zoom,

Zoom.

But gently noticing what it is like to watch,

To witness,

To notice.

Because if your peace,

If your happiness depends on having no thoughts,

On having certain kinds of feelings,

Then it's conditional.

Then your happiness,

Your peace depends on that state of mind,

On having that state of mind.

So what you're doing is unchaining yourself from even the contents of your own thoughts,

Even the contents of your own emotions,

Freeing yourself from those chains.

How wonderful,

How wonderful.

And really,

Honestly,

If you close your eyes to ascend,

To meditate,

And you find yourself getting into a bit of a fight,

Just stop.

Just stop.

Thoughts are okay.

Thoughts are there because your body is alive.

It's functioning.

It's like the exhaust on your mind-body motor.

Wonderful.

Let it rip.

Your job is to bring your attention back to the ascension attitude,

Back to whatever you use to meditate.

Focus on that.

Ignore the thoughts.

Ignore it.

Who cares if you got distracted?

Who cares if you got distracted a million times?

I don't.

You don't need to care either.

I promise you.

I promise you.

Don't get into a fight.

Fighting is the one thing that you're leaving.

That sense of violence,

Of harshness is the one thing of all things that you are distancing yourself from,

The habit that you're losing through becoming aware and presence of your true nature.

All right?

So there's no need to fight,

No need to struggle.

It doesn't give you anything.

I promise you.

Thoughts are okay.

You will get distracted.

You will.

It's the nature of things.

But when you remember,

You remember.

Here you are.

Huh,

I have a choice.

Make the choice fully and completely for the ascension attitude,

For your meditation technique.

Gently but completely.

Gentle stubbornness is such a good thing because every time you forget,

You've actually remembered.

Forgetting doesn't count.

Remembering counts if you let it.

Okay?

All is well.

All is well.

Rest.

Be secure.

All is well.

Good stuff.

Reviews

At first I didn't have any but then over time they came. I restarted counting several times when I thought I lost count. Just assured myself that it is not a competition and the purpose is to be aware and notice without pursuing them. It worked. Thank you.

This is exactly what I needed to hear. Good stuff, indeed!
Thank You 🙏

Brilliant! Counting my thoughts is an invaluable technique. I sensed it has just upleveled my meditation practice significantly, Thank you! 🙏

Namaste 🙏🏻🙏🏻

Such a useful talk for my practicing detachment and disengaging from thought and coming into a fuller awareness. Little by little 😀
Thank you for sharing 🙏🏽

Welcomed reassuring guidance!

Really enjoyed this meditation thank you🙏

Really excellent. Felt like listening to a good friend who only wants the best for us. Very insightful. Highly recommend.

This is a great way to get started with meditation

Honestly can't believe this isn't rated higher. There are some truly profound nuggets in here for beginners especially but anyone who practices. Highly recommend this one!

What I obtained from this is ...thoughts are there because the body is alive ( I love that) . Thoughts are okay . Don’t get in a fight with thoughts . Good stuff 🤪 I could listen to you all day if I could!

This blew me away x thank you so much love your words and voice, found it amazing how my thoughts stopped once i prepared to count them xx

I never knew what to do with those wondering thoughts until I found this. Thanks!

Great reminder! My experience lately has been lack of thoughts and the question arises as to why there aren’t more.

Just what I needed for today’s day. Thank you very much. God bless 🌻

Made a lot of sense and very helpful to me as I'm new to the practice. Thank you 😊

Excellent. Liked it very much. Concise message. Thank you