Silence in your upstairs room ha ha. Anyway read further
Rattling thoughts. When you want to sleep, when you want to relax in the garden, when you take a shower. It drives you crazy. How do you stop the flow of thoughts? You will finally find peace in your head.
Thank you brain – leave me alone now
Yes, the Buddha knew how it worked. You become what you think. And often what we think is not exactly what we want to become . Fears, insecurities, worries, things you dread and bad memories.
Then you lie in bed – ready to fall asleep – after which your brain decides to remind you of that overwhelming project at work. Which you still have so much to do. After which the thoughts keep coming and you break out in a sweat . And falling asleep peacefully is off the job for now.
Or you decide to pick up the good habit and start your day with a meditation . Your brain opens the session by drawing up a kind of todo list. After which you become so restless that you get up to check your mail so that you feel useful again.
Thanks brain. Nice.
Fortunately, you can do a lot to quiet your mind . And it is much less difficult than it sometimes seems. Really – you don’t have to live like a monk to see results. Just wait and see.
1. Treat your brain like a little kid
Be kind to yourself. The more you judge yourself for “thinking too much,” the more negative thoughts you generate. As if it wasn’t busy enough in there already.
Think of your brain as an innocent child . It does what it does best: generate thoughts . And you can guide it to better deal with this talent. So that it generates fewer thoughts and above all better thoughts . Thoughts that nourish you , that support you in your personal development, that make you happy and happy.
Your brain isn’t bad. It’s actually very smart and creative. That’s why your head is so full! So don’t curse yourself. Accept yourself as you are – with your head full. You might not get to sleep right now, don’t worry.
With small positive steps, you can train your brain to better utilize its talents so that you both have a better time.
2. Think of yourself as a clear blue sky
Precisely. A clear blue sky with clouds floating past. You are the sky. Always blue, always in the same place, always present . The clouds are your thoughts. Sometimes there is not a cloud in the sky, sometimes there are so many that it thunders.
The sky is much bigger than the clouds. The clouds float in it, but they are not the blue sky . Just like you are not your thoughts .
When it’s overcast for days, you almost forget that the blue sky above still exists. Just like with an overloaded brain you almost forget that you are much bigger than the thoughts you see flying around.
But no matter how thick the clouds are – above the clouds there is still that blue sky. A place where the sun always shines. Where you can look down on all those clouds and see clearly that the sky and the clouds are two different things.
Is your head full? Then look for the blue sky. Find that place from where you can observe your thoughts . It’s like lying with your back in the grass and watching the clouds float by above you. Without judging them, without forming an opinion about them. You just let them be what they are.
Innocent thoughts generated by an innocent brain. No more. The clouds are not the blue sky, and your thoughts are not who you are.
3. Yes – meditate regularly
That place from which you can observe your own thoughts is easiest to reach from silence. You only need a few minutes a day to notice the effect. And even if it feels useless, you find out later that it was useful.
Very simple: sit or lie down and inhale and exhale deeply . Close your eyes, and bring your attention to your breathing. For example, say “in” and “out” in your head with each inhalation and exhalation. When you find yourself getting distracted, gently bring your attention back.
No more. That’s all.
Do that for a few minutes. And notice how slowly but surely you create more distance between you and your thoughts. Not only can you observe them better – fewer thoughts are also generated.
Delicious. What a rest! And with so little effort – by doing nothing. Meditation is beautiful stuff. Keep diving deep in yourself to know yourself better and better.
