How To Maintain The Observer Mode While Thinking?

[Mariem]

Hello,

when it comes to meditation, I can sit and be in the present moment without any problem. when a thought arises i'm aware that my monkey mind will make his move so I try to "be" rather than 'think", and then the thought disappears and dissolves.

but when I'm doing an activity: running, contemplating nature i can be a good observer because  I find it easy.

apparently i can't maintain the observer mode when i'm thinking, it is like whether i'm aware or  i'm thinking.

how can I maintain the observer mode even if thoughts arise?

should I practice or it should be natural ?

thanks

Edited June 20, 2016 by Mariem

[cetus]

@Mariem Throw out everything so that only empty awareness exists. Then there will be no practice. There will not even be a "you" to do any practice. Does that sound too easy?

42 minutes ago, Mariem said:

should I practice or it should be natural ?

.

[Mariem]

@cetus56  thank you for your answer, how about the first question ?

[cetus]

1 hour ago, Mariem said:

how can I be aware of my thoughts ?

This is the first question you are referring to? I'm not totally sure what that means exactly. "I' wants to be aware of "my" thoughts? Maybe you could expand on that.

[Mariem]

@cetus56  sorry, I edited the topic

[cetus]

@Mariem Thought are just thoughts. Like clouds moving across a blue sky. They come, than they go. 

[Mariem]

@cetus56 , when i m the sky i don't see clouds they don't exist .( when i'm meditating, there is no thoughts  only presence, even if a thought arises i bring my attention to the present moment and the thought dissolves).

but in my daily life, when i'm not meditating, if a thought arises , an automatic identification will happens  ( i become the cloud) .

so either i'm "the sky" or  "cloud(s)", it is difficult for me to be the sky and to observe the clouds coming and going , do you see what i mean?

 

Edited June 20, 2016 by Mariem

[cetus]

@Mariem I see, your main topic question you are referring to. Contemplation and deep observation both come from a place of stillness and silence. "Thinking" is within the movement of the mind. If you held that place of stillness and silence it would permeate everything else you do.

[Mariem]

thank you for you answer ^^

[Andre]

Read here. Maybe you will get something from it http://www.theartofancientwisdom.com/meditation/

[Mariem]

@Andre Thank you for your reply !

[charlie2dogs]

On 6/20/2016 at 9:17 AM, Mariem said:

Hello,

when it comes to meditation, I can sit and be in the present moment without any problem. when a thought arises i'm aware that my monkey mind will make his move so I try to "be" rather than 'think", and then the thought disappears and dissolves.

but when I'm doing an activity: running, contemplating nature i can be a good observer because  I find it easy.

apparently i can't maintain the observer mode when i'm thinking, it is like whether i'm aware or  i'm thinking.

how can I maintain the observer mode even if thoughts arise?

should I practice or it should be natural ?

thanks

i will answer this here for the benefit of others,  there are two things you should practice, one is being still and quiet and experiencing the real part of yourself, that which is giving life to your body, experience it deeper and deeper until you are one with it.  To do that you will have to be in the moment of life,  so you can practice being in the moment in a conscious, present, aware state of being, these two things will take you where you need to go, just drop everything else and do these two things and change will come.  let the thoughts pass, like clouds give them no attention when you are doing this, in time it will become a natural state of being, and you will begin to learn and understand new things, and you will see life as the observer first and foremost,  after that if a decision needs to be made you will have seen it in clarity, and you will know what to do, and if it is unimportant you simply turn away from it and it ceases to exist.

[Mariem]

@charlie2dogs  thank you very much, i will apply what you said ^^

[Mariem]

thank you all

Edited June 21, 2016 by Mariem

[Naviy]

@Mariem Start with becoming conscious of your breath as often as you can. When you do activities - too. Become fully aware of 2-5 breaths, from their beginning to their end. Do this during the day for 10, 50, 100, etc. times.

Edited June 21, 2016 by Naviy

[Andre]

@Mariem Awesome. i hope it helps

[Mariem]

@Naviy ok, that seems to be very useful, i'll try thanks!!

[30secs]

@Mariem

Actually I also ask this question a lot , for me when you want to maintain mindfulness even lot of thoughts and thinking coming up is to be "gentle" while watching it. Sometimes when I observe my thoughts , let go about it in a careless manner and find out it's coming back. Be gentle about the thoughts like you are holding a baby, and I can say it's a very effective way because right now I improve my patience and I can meditate longer in a calm manner. So be gentle.

[Mariem]

@30secs , i'm so glad to hear that i'm not the only one struggling in this x)

as eckhart tolle say, thoughts are little entities that want to grow that's why they use our attention. and that's why it is hard to observe them.

i think that it needs some practice, and by practice i mean meditation in order to develop techniques to observe thoughts like:

1) "becoming conscious of your breath"  @Naviy  

2) "let the thoughts pass, like clouds give them no attention" @charlie2dogs 

3)"Be gentle about the thoughts like you are holding a baby" as you said.

Edited June 22, 2016 by Mariem