How to respond to "interesting" thoughts?
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2014 2:18 pm
Fri 29 Aug 2014, 8:00 pm
Hi All,
Nice to meet you all. I have "dabbled" with mindfulness for awhile, but more recently have been taking a course and working on a more formal practice. I have a question about insights and "interesting" or "important" thoughts, and I would be grateful for some discussion about it.
OK, so in mindful practice, we attend to our breathing, note when our mind wanders, maybe observe what sort of thought or fantasy it is, and then gently escort our attention back to the breath (or whatever the focus of the meditation is). However, in a course I was taking, we were asked to make notes aobut our experiences and observations during meditation to share later. Sometimes a thought will emerge that I find really interesting, maybe even a small insight, or maybe some idea or task that I feel will be important to remember. The problem is, if I return to my breathing, it is is almost certain I won't remember it later. Putting aside thoughts that I just think are "whey kewl," what about the observations that are a part of my course that I want to share with others?
Or am I kidding myself? Is none of the stuff that comes up particularly important, and the task is to return to the breath no matter what?
Does anyone else share this conflict and found a way through it?
Thanks!
Aloha,
Rex
Khon Kaen, Thailand
http://www.MindBodyThailand.net
http://REBTinfo.info
Hi All,
Nice to meet you all. I have "dabbled" with mindfulness for awhile, but more recently have been taking a course and working on a more formal practice. I have a question about insights and "interesting" or "important" thoughts, and I would be grateful for some discussion about it.
OK, so in mindful practice, we attend to our breathing, note when our mind wanders, maybe observe what sort of thought or fantasy it is, and then gently escort our attention back to the breath (or whatever the focus of the meditation is). However, in a course I was taking, we were asked to make notes aobut our experiences and observations during meditation to share later. Sometimes a thought will emerge that I find really interesting, maybe even a small insight, or maybe some idea or task that I feel will be important to remember. The problem is, if I return to my breathing, it is is almost certain I won't remember it later. Putting aside thoughts that I just think are "whey kewl," what about the observations that are a part of my course that I want to share with others?
Or am I kidding myself? Is none of the stuff that comes up particularly important, and the task is to return to the breath no matter what?
Does anyone else share this conflict and found a way through it?
Thanks!
Aloha,
Rex
Khon Kaen, Thailand
http://www.MindBodyThailand.net
http://REBTinfo.info