Watching your thoughts

[Gareth]

I often practise what I call "thought catching," it's very similar to "choiceless awareness." I just sit there and watch the places that my mind goes.

But like you say, as soon as you become aware of the thought, it's like you have pulled its plug out of the wall; it simply disappears. I have found that to know where my mind is repeatedly going is tremendously important, particularly in times of difficulty. If my mind is constantly going to that same place, then it is a sign to me that I really need to be compassionate with myself around the issue. It may also be an issue that I need to address (If I can!) That ability to notice when I am thinking is of paramount importance in my mindfulness practice.

I'm really sorry Annette that I said I would look at the issue of the blue colour on the forum, and then I completely forgot about it. Unfortunately, my web developer is about to get married next week, so I'm not going to bother him just now. But I will try and remember. Are you managing ok on the forum?

[piedwagtail91]

We discussed this earlier after practice. Is it possible that we're taking this the wrong way?
What if we're not meant to visualise thoughts as clouds or leaves in practice, during meditation, which would mean trying to hang on to the thoughts, but that clouds and leaves are fleeting and they're used as an example of how lightly we need to view them in general?
The way things are worded sometimes doesn't make it easy to understand what is meant.

[JonW]

I found those visualisation techniques (clouds, leaves etc.) very useful when I was doing the 8-week course. But I very rarely call on them now. I look at them as useful stabilisers during the initial period of grounding in the practice.
A bit like those little wheels that the young 'uns stick on the backs of their bikes when learning to ride, so they don't fall over and crack their heads and suchlike.

I guess we let go of these techniques when we're good and ready. Give it another few months and I reckon I'll be ready to remove the stabilisers from my bicycle.
Jon

[Matt Y]

What if we're not meant to visualise thoughts as clouds or leaves in practice, during meditation, which would mean trying to hang on to the thoughts, but that clouds and leaves are fleeting and they're used as an example of how lightly we need to view them in general?

That's a really intriguing question!
My immediate response was; yes, these are just metaphors. Actually visualising your thoughts as clouds or leaves would be a bit like a literal translation of the Bible. Not that such visualisations can't be useful; but they are just pointers. We need to find a relationship to our thoughts that works for us.