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An unclear mind.

MythilMythil
edited July 2010 in Meditation
Hello all.

I've been practising Tai Chi as part of Kung Fu for a while now and even before considering meditation I have been able to regulate my breathing using the Chinese method, which is also possible if you are not moving.

I like to keep things simple though whatever I do, Tai Chi or "sit down" meditation it starts going well but then my mind will start racing with certain things, little fantasies or what not. Some times I manage to loose myself in the moment only then to realise that I have lost myself in the moment and then it's over because I thought about it, if you get my drift.

The main question here is, how do I stop thinking?

Comments

  • NomaDBuddhaNomaDBuddha Scalpel wielder :) Bucharest Veteran
    edited July 2010
    Mythil wrote: »
    Hello all.

    I've been practising Tai Chi as part of Kung Fu for a while now and even before considering meditation I have been able to regulate my breathing using the Chinese method, which is also possible if you are not moving.

    I like to keep things simple though whatever I do, Tai Chi or "sit down" meditation it starts going well but then my mind will start racing with certain things, little fantasies or what not. Some times I manage to loose myself in the moment only then to realise that I have lost myself in the moment and then it's over because I thought about it, if you get my drift.

    The main question here is, how do I stop thinking?

    You can't stop thinking. Why don't you try to let your mind wander, and just watch it wander around. From my experience, I can say that when I meditate, I watch my mind wandering, until it "dissapears from my sight", and a sensation of emptiness ( I can't find a word to describe...It's more like the sensation of regaining my lost self...I don't know how to describe it) comes into its place. Too bad that those kind of sensations come rarely, as I loose myself in the process of unfettering my mind.
  • pegembarapegembara Veteran
    edited July 2010
    Mythil wrote: »
    Hello all.

    I've been practising Tai Chi as part of Kung Fu for a while now and even before considering meditation I have been able to regulate my breathing using the Chinese method, which is also possible if you are not moving.

    I like to keep things simple though whatever I do, Tai Chi or "sit down" meditation it starts going well but then my mind will start racing with certain things, little fantasies or what not. Some times I manage to loose myself in the moment only then to realise that I have lost myself in the moment and then it's over because I thought about it, if you get my drift.

    The main question here is, how do I stop thinking?

    You don't. Thinking happens and all you can do is watch it come and go, same with feelings, emotions and sensations.
  • kannadakannada
    edited July 2010
    Mythil wrote: »
    The main question here is, how do I stop thinking?
    Of course you can stop thinking - but there should be no attempt to try.

    Just notice the space-between-thoughts. The more you notice the spaces the larger those spaces grow...

    Dead easy...

    http://newbuddhist.com/forum/showpost.php?p=119471&postcount=5
  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    edited July 2010
    Just to chime in here, thoughts are natural. If you continue to notice when thoughts steal attention and just return to your immediate senses, eventually you begin to see that they are another sensual phenomena. Once you are aware of thought in this way you don't get so easily sucked into their content and lose awareness. It is like standing in a gallery looking at a painting. You can get so absorbed in the painted representation that you don't see the paint, frame, and room you are standing in. If instead you remain fully aware, you can see the image, understand it's symbolic content, and still see the painted surface, canvas, frame, room, along with the feeling of your feet on the floor. It isn't easy, but with persistence it becomes normal. The thoughts that seem to most strongly suck us in are those related to personal narrative.

    I don't know anyone who is aware of thought in this way one hundred percent of the time. But people who have developed this practice automatically notice when they have lost awareness and return.
  • lightwithinlightwithin Veteran
    edited July 2010
    As long as you have the intention to return to the object of meditation, it's alright if your mind diverts from the main focus. You take note of the distraction (with no narration, comment or scolding yourself for benig distracted) and just keep coming back to the moment and the object of meditation, over and over, again and again, as many times as it takes.

    It will become easier to stay focused and aware in time. Don't give up and best of luck in your journey.
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