Confused on concentration vs repression

[JonW]

That's beautifully put, Lucid.
I suspect that we all have a slightly different take on it. That's one of the things I love about mindfulness. It acknowledges that our minds and bodies are all different and doesn't advocate a one-size-fits-all approach. We bring ourselves to it, whole-heartedly.
And, yes, it really isn't about "hiding" from anything. Even the most difficult thoughts and feelings are seen, and they're seen for what they are, nothing more. We learn to create space around them by focussing on breathe, sound etc. When a particularly difficult thought arises these days, I sometimes observe it as though I'm looking down at a distant object whilst floating high in the sky in a hot-air balloon. The thought is there but it's distant from me. It can do me no harm.

[LucidMind]

That's beautifully put, Lucid.
I suspect that we all have a slightly different take on it. That's one of the things I love about mindfulness. It acknowledges that our minds and bodies are all different and doesn't advocate a one-size-fits-all approach. We bring ourselves to it, whole-heartedly.
And, yes, it really isn't about "hiding" from anything. Even the most difficult thoughts and feelings are seen, and they're seen for what they are, nothing more. We learn to create space around them by focussing on breathe, sound etc. When a particularly difficult thought arises these days, I sometimes observe it as though I'm looking down at a distant object whilst floating high in the sky in a hot-air balloon. The thought is there but it's distant from me. It can do me no harm.

Thanks JonW! I love your idea of observing thoughts as though they are far away...that's just what I meant by making space for your thoughts (feelings, sensations, etc). The distance you talk about reminds me of what JKZ writes about...how mindfulness practice lets us SEE the separation between our selves and our thoughts. WE are NOT our thoughts, We are not our feelings, we are not our sensations. We are the thinker without the thoughts .....I think...lol