Mindfulness and thoughts. Are we supposed to stop our thoughts?

[Stosh]

Neither my mind or anyone elses mind is empty..

Stosh

[C T]

Neither my mind or anyone elses mind is empty..

Stosh

 

You might (or might not) want to chance a glance at this Huffpost article then:

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/natasha-dern/why-do-we-fear-an-empty-mind_b_853551.html

[C T]

Discovering Buddhism: Module One -- Mind and Its Potential Edited October 24, 2012 by C T

[Tibetan_Ice]

TI

Edited October 24, 2012 by Tibetan_Ice

[Everything]

During mindfulness meditation where we focus on the breath, we are not supposed to dwell on our thoughts.

Sure lots of thoughts here on this topic

 

The purpose of the meditation is to release your attachment to these things such as thoughts, observations, sounds, feelings, visions, etc. Your become the observer by returning to your natural state of being, which is BREATH. Breathing is not who you are. You are breath itself.

 

When you die for example, you no longer have to be breathing, you return to being the breath again. Yet, now you are experiencing the process of creation: breathing. This physical reality is all about change, process of creation. The ebb and flow. The breathing in and breathing out. Contraction, expansion. You are at the center of all paradox, all these appearingly contradictory things. You are the observer of everything. You are not these things.

 

Only trough observation of these things will you realize, you are not the thing you are observing. You are the observer. Thus, you can begin to live with great expansion of awareness. With much ease. With much attentiveness, with much presence, with much stability of emotion, with calmness, with peace, with efficiency, with effectiveness, with joy, with love, with appreciation, with enjoyment, with inspiration, with creativity. How? You simply allow yourself to observe these things, for it comes effortless to you. The very foundation of this universe is based on well-being.

Edited October 24, 2012 by Everything

[Stosh]

You might (or might not) want to chance a glance at this Huffpost article then:

 

http://www.huffingto...d_b_853551.html

I read it even though I rarely follow redirects , because I respect your opinions and posts

This redirect though doesnt describe anything I am unaware of already

On two stages I stand my ground

 

One, there is described experience to the situation achieved , and therefore there is not complete emptiness

Two, the mind still contains all the stuff being ignored or bypassed or accepted , its just not at the fore.

 

Stosh

Ps I dont think I really dont need to sit in the state described to know the feeling of it

I feel I get it like some other abstracts, right here, right now, at face value

I feel I have a sense of the meaning of it , Im just not wallowing in it at the moment

Cant you remember a shadow of your past happiness , dread, sorrow etc blah blah blah at least

a bit even now while reading?

Stosh

[ChiDragon]

I seem to be reading conflicting ideas on this. During mindfulness meditation where we focus on the breath, we are not supposed to dwell on our thoughts. Obviously we can't control when thoughts pop up, but we are supposed to go right back to being mindful of our breath. With the goal being to reach a state of discipline and concentration where the breath is all that we are aware of, as we sink into a state of thoughtlessness and oneness...

 

So how does this apply to mindfulness in everyday life? I've noticed it's definitely beneficial to do mindfulness practices in life when i'm feeling very negative emotions. I am going through a train of thought that's just making me so angry and sad, but when I stop those thoughts and try to maintain mindfulness on my emotions and breath, I begin to feel much better.

 

Now, is the goal to be in that mindful state permanently? Because in order to be in that state, i'll basically be in a state of thoughtlessness. How are you supposed to get through life without thinking about things? How are insights and revelations supposed to pop up without analyzing things and thinking things through in your head?

 

It works out great as a coping mechanism, but should it be a way of life? That's certainly what monks try to accomplish, but i question their philosophy.

 

One apply mindfulness by entering the state of tranquility only during meditation. For a scholastic meditation, one was to get into a state of tranquility to cease all negative thoughts to refresh one's mind. After that, one will be in the state of inspiration and become well being again.

 

To answer your question, basically you are no longer in a state of thoughtlessness when you are out of the meditation state.