There are many teachings on how to deal with thoughts that arise during meditation.
One can observe the thought arising and let it drift away like clouds in the sky.
One can label a thought, either more specifically such as, “planning,” “memory,” etc, or less specifically as “thinking, thinking, thinking,…” Then let it drift away…
One can use a visualization, such as standing with a sword and cutting off the thought as it arises, specifically, not suppressing any thoughts arising.
If it might be an important thought, we might keep a journal and pen nearby, or even pick up our phone, and write down something that we think might be profound. We must be careful, for this is another way of getting lost in the thought. Perhaps write something brief, and then let it go… and not do this practice too often…
Often beginners are taught to count the breaths, perhaps to 10, and watch when you lose count, and begin again…
Then perhaps to simply watch the breath, perhaps noticing the sensations at the nose, or the abdomen…
One can concentrate on a flickering candle, even an LED candle, for safety…
Some practices teach by methods of using a mantra, or chanting, to occupy the monkey mind…
One can count or pray, or just use the sensation, of a mala or rosary beads, passing through the fingers…
There are multitudes of methods…
I learned of a new one last night, we had our niece over for thanksgiving dinner, and she was describing a method she was taught, where you visualize the thought as a flower, you then reach out and grasp the flower, then bring it into your hand, creating a bouquet that you can hold… interesting!
Many of these methods are to practice being still and developing the power of concentration…
The next step after concentration, may be the arising of a quiet mind…
However, the more you pursue the quiet mind, the more it slips away…
This is a process of letting go…
Letting go of anything that is not the quiet mind…
The other day when meditating, during quiet mind, arose a feeling of “Just This…”
The feeling became the words, “just this.”
Then I started writing this Blog entry in my mind, and was lost for few moments…
I did jot down this brief thought, on my phone, and then let go, slipping back into quiet mind…
One can use events, memories, recurrent thoughts, as a practice of letting go…
Our dog ate something and vomited right on my meditation cushion and mat, and we had to wash everything off, yuck!
I was subsequently meditating on why would my dog vomit, specifically, on my sacred space…
Of course, my dog does not know this is my sacred space, he just found a place to vomit…
The difficulties with recurrent thoughts and memories related to complex trauma and PTSD, I will leave to others, I am not an expert in this field…
Another night in quiet mind, arose thoughts of when does “The Witness, The Observer,” drop away…
Since this was interesting, I let these thoughts unfold…
What arose for me was that, perhaps, The Witness may observe “All-That-Is,” but is unable to observe “All-That-Is-Not…”
When The Witness drops away, might arise resting in “All-That-Is-Not…”
Arising of pure potential…
Resting in pure consciousness…
Pure subjectivity…
Without a thinker…
Perhaps…
Perhaps requires further contemplation…
Namaste
