Many people come to meditation believing they must stop thinking.
So they sit down,
Close their eyes.
And the mind is already moving.
Planning,
Analysing,
Judging and then another thought appears and it says I am not good at meditation.
But meditation is not a fight with the mind.
It is not a test of how silent you can become.
So,
In this simple practice.
You do not have to stop your thoughts.
You only have to notice them.
So a thought appears,
It stays for a while,
Then it passes.
See you there.
And then another thought comes.
And that one also passes.
But something is aware of all these thoughts.
Something is here before the thought appears.
Something is here while the thought is present.
And something remains when the thought is gone.
That something is awareness.
Just pause.
And let the body be as it is.
Let the breath move naturally.
No need to breathe in a special way.
No need to become peaceful.
Just notice next thought that appears.
Maybe it is a worry,
Maybe it is a memory,
Maybe it is just a thought.
That says I am still thinking.
And that is OK.
Do not push it away.
But do not pursue it either.
Simply notice.
Appearing and disappearing.
And the thought is known.
So now ask yourself gently what is aware of these thoughts?
What knows this thought?
Do not answer with words.
Just rest with the question.
And feel the quiet space in which the thought appears.
And the throat may continue to move.
Let thoughts come and go.
Let them move.
Like clouds passing through the sky.
The sky does not fight the clouds.
It simply allows them to come and go.
In the same way,
Awareness allows every thought to appear and disappear.
You are not failing because thoughts arise.
You simply beginning to see.
That thoughts are not the whole of you.
They are just visitors,
Moments.
Passing appearances.
But you as awareness are already here.
Open Silent Untroubled So when mind becomes busy.
Do not say,
I am failing.
But return to this gentle recognition.
A thought is here.
It is known and I am the awareness in which it appears.
If this speaks to you,
You may like to continue with one of my other practices here on Insight Timer.
