Lost in Thought..."Daydreaming"
Shoshin
No one in particularNowhere Special Veteran
It would seem that some of us( well it’s possible quite a few of us…in fact I’d say the vast majority 
) go about our daily lives lost in thought, on autopilot so to speak and only taking the controls/becoming actively aware (if we’re lucky) when things start to turn pear shaped…
At cushion time one might 'observe' ones thoughts as they flow, and seeing them for what they are 'just thoughts'(movement confined to the brain) however, once the session is over and one rises from the cushion back so it would seem into the daydream-lost in thought...
Do you know when you're thinking, that is, are you 'consciously aware' that thinking is taking place ? How often are you aware of this phenomenon ?
What benefits do you think (excuse the pun) would come from knowing that thought is taking place ?
How would this improve the quality of ones life ? ( no longer being taken for a ride by ones thoughts)
Perhaps we are all to an extent just Daydream believers "Living the dream" so to speak...(Be it pleasant _or _nightmarish )
What do you Think ? Or haven't you giving it much Thought ?
Comments
I don't take thoughts as seriously, especially thoughts about the I, awareness kicks in and you have a choice. Either to believe the thoughts and create further thoughts or note them and let them disappear. The more you choose to let them go, the less they tend to show up and the stronger the reflex for awareness to check thoughts.
Most of the time you don't need the thoughts constantly labelling experience. Thoughts are simply labels, they come and go.
is knowing that you are thinking a solution? everyone knows they are thinking just as they know that things are impermanent. But does it make a difference? Is the action of thinking about the fact that you are thinking helpful? do you find in your own experience?
@Jeffrey what I meant by knowing is more along the lines of with practice when some disturbing thoughts occur there is conscious awareness that the thought process is taking place, and one can ride it out so to speak instead of becoming entangled in it and feeding the emotions that often come with it...
Yes I agree that most people are aware that they have thoughts but not many are aware when they are actually thinking,(they just go with the flow of the thought patterns-thought>word>deed ) this awareness that you are speaking of occurs normally after the fact/after the damage is done so to speak...
In my own experience I find it extremely helpful in helping to maintain a peaceful state of mind...
As @Earthninja mentioned
Not just thinking "I am thinking" that's just another thought.
When you observe thoughts like this, you no longer become the 'thinker of thoughts' but rather the observer. They then have no power.
You could get the thought "I hate my life so much" but if you are simply watching an understanding arises.
This thought is not self and impermanent. The thought then disappears. If you believe you think the thoughts, then you have a problem. It then created a whole stream of negative thoughts.
It's not simply knowing you are thinking. You have to objectively and equanimously watch them.
I would say this the solution to all problems.
Ajahn Jayasaro on 'thinking'
One could see this conscious awareness as just creating a space between the thoughts and which slows down our normal reactive nature, kinda like a buffer zone/time out a "No mind land" ( a take on "No man's land...I know it's a little corny but Corny's my middle name-besides the word exists so it might as well be used
)
Ah yes ..lost in thought........daydreaming.........nope...not meeeezzzzzzzzz..
..What was the question again? oh yes
When you consider how earnestly and for how many years we spent constructing our identity's dream world, and with only one nano moment at a time available in which to deconstruct it, I just marvel that anybody ever gets off their dream beach to practice at all.
Maybe the time is ripe for a newbuddhist's timeshare dream vacation plan. Why struggle with acceptance of all things icky when a NB escape beach is open 24/7.
Perhaps at the clothing optional side of the beach, lobster who seldom wears anything anyway, might offer complementary absentee notes to anyone with a questioning teacher.
The plan still needs a little work.
Dream on @how dream on....
Oh, the bliss of springtime in the northern hemisphere...!
The only thing that disrupts the consistency of my mindfulness equilibrium and sets me off daydreaming lately are topless gardeners and road-builders.
My neighbour has developed a gorgeous golden suntan by the way...
@DhammaDragon
Wow, topless gardeners & road-builders?
Most of our working tradeswomen keep their shirts on up here.
Perhaps our drivers are more dis-tractable than yours.
Thanks for sharing ... or not ...
Have they no sense of equality.
I just love the idea of all female construction crew, well maybe some gay males who like to wear a hard hat and make the tea ... up in the scaffolding whistling at the passing suits ... "come on dahlin' show us your four pack" ...
and now back to the reality of fantasy ... must be some mistake ...
Many moons ago I worked for a Buddhist building co-op, and we weren't allowed to wolf whistle at ladies and suchlike, not even mindfully. We also had a woman in the team ( gasp! ).
We were on a roofing job once and the woman who lived next door came out and said: "Please remove that scaffolding pole from my back passage". We did as she asked and with only a minor lapse in Right Speech protocols.