Meditation

Huberg · #1 19-02-2021, 05:19 PM

Hi all,,pls let me know if any one facing unwanted thots while meditating.

snowyowl · #2 19-02-2021, 06:34 PM

Hi Huberg, welcome to the forum!

Do I have unwanted thoughts? Well, let me put it this way. I used to have very many unwanted thoughts when I started meditating, and for some years afterwards. Now I still have thoughts (not quite so many!), but they're no longer unwanted. I'm less judgemental in general during my meditation these days, which has led to it being much less of an effort and struggle.

I learned originally with concentration techniques like mantra (TM) and breathing (Buddhist) where I was told to keep directing my attention away from 'distractions' like thoughts, and back to the meditation object. I still do concentration techniques sometimes, but now I follow Culadasa's maxim of "let it come, let it be, let it go". Non-resisting and non-grasping. And when my attention invariably wanders, that's fine. I just practice not feeding the thoughts with more energy and they fade of their own accord. The meditation object (breath) is still here all the time anyway, and I return to it without effort.

Do you have an issue with unwanted thoughts?

iamthat · #3 19-02-2021, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huberg

Hi all,,pls let me know if any one facing unwanted thots while meditating.

Hi Huberg

I would be more curious if anyone on this forum did not face unwanted thoughts in meditation!!

Peace

Unseeking Seeker · #4 20-02-2021, 04:14 PM

Hello Huberg!

Lovers holding hands, watching a beautiful sunset over a calm sea, as birds stretch their wings homeward ... what thoughts disturb the lovebirds in their tender togetherness? None!

Let this then be our orientation during meditation as we reconnect with our divinity within, moment to moment, as we yearn for love in childlike trust.

Bill1673 · #5 20-02-2021, 05:17 PM

I think I'm the opposite. For me, once I start having unwanted thoughts.. it's time to meditate. I don't really have many thoughts while meditating. Once I'm done meditating I feel grounded and at peace again.

#6 20-02-2021, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huberg

Hi all,,pls let me know if any one facing unwanted thots while meditating.

Is it that you can't still your mind while doing it, or that it is a repeated sentence in your head that you don't know the origin from? Or "hearing" suddenly "a voice"? Please, elaborate

Miss Hepburn · #7 20-02-2021, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamthat

Hi Huberg
I would be more curious if anyone on this forum did not face unwanted thoughts in meditation!!

Peace

OMG! THAT was TOO funny!!!!
How about just during the day!

#8 21-02-2021, 12:26 AM

What one eventually comes to understand is thoughts are just that - thoughts. Once one comes to that understanding and realizes we are not our thoughts they loose their power and in proportion to one's conviction of that understanding.

snowyowl · #9 21-02-2021, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

What one eventually comes to understand is thoughts are just that - thoughts. Once one comes to that understanding and realizes we are not our thoughts they loose their power and in proportion to one's conviction of that understanding.

good point, thought is just another activity of the body/mind, amongst many many others, why pick out that one in particular? Getting into a monologue around, I shouldn't have many thoughts during meditation, is just feeding the process of thought. Let it be, if thought happens it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't. What I tend to do is adjust my meditation technique according to my state, if I'm restless and dissipated I start with more structure until I relax and settle down.

#10 21-02-2021, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snowyowl

good point, thought is just another activity of the body/mind, amongst many many others, why pick out that one in particular? Getting into a monologue around, I shouldn't have many thoughts during meditation, is just feeding the process of thought. Let it be, if thought happens it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't. What I tend to do is adjust my meditation technique according to my state, if I'm restless and dissipated I start with more structure until I relax and settle down.

I'm going to take this beyond practice because in the end that's the purpose of practice. That state of being is the seat of not only free will but also ethics and morality. If one truly realizes one is not one's thoughts, memories and emotions then one is not caught up in the throws of reaction to thoughts, memories and emotions and in truth one's mind and emotional state does begin to become more stable and serene. Call it the meditative state and formal sitting is not required to achieve it as it progressively becomes a more natural state of being.