In here Sam...

[vinceschubert]

i'm not talking about "that space" (that only exists in your expectations)
Just cast around watching for a feeling that will just appear - a feeling that says 'what is in my direct experience is ALL that is, and it just IS. (no need for thoughts about it, but if they are there, then they are part of 'What IS' - not their content - just the thought itself.)

[loftygoal]

I am in my bedroom. I can see the bed walls and other things. But if I go out to the hall I am sure I can find my sofa set and TV.

[vinceschubert]

True, you imagine them, you have a sensation of certainty that they are there, but as it is they are not part of your direct experience. They only exist in your mind.
Now imagine a unicorn, See the flowing mane and the spiraled horn on its forehead.
You don't believe it is real, but it exists every bit as real (or unreal) as the stuff in the next room.
What if while you are sitting here doing this, your mates quietly took that stuff from the next room and hid it ?
You had the image of it where you last saw it, but it turned out to be only as 'real' as the unicorn.

Have another go;
Just cast around watching for a feeling that will just appear - a feeling that says 'what is in my direct experience is ALL that is, and it just IS.

[loftygoal]

No Luck yet. I understand intellectually that this is all that is. The next moment is totally unpredictable.

But not experientially

[vinceschubert]

So Sam, what is stopping you from Experiencing all that you experience and excluding the overlay of thought/emotion.

[loftygoal]

The knowing that next moment is predictable. Though it is not. I know I'll eat now then goto sleep and then wake up and goto office tomorrow.

So I not only experience this moment but also know what the future most probably would be like

[vinceschubert]

Seems to me that that all of that is just thoughts, just stories.
Where is the experiencing in that ?
Sam, is there something stopping you from experiencing this moment ?
Why do thoughts always interfere ?

[loftygoal]

Sam, is there something stopping you from experiencing this moment ?
Why do thoughts always interfere ?

Getting caught in thoughts about past or future or about what shouldnt or should happen is preventing me from experiencing this moment fully

I dont know why thoughts interfere. Or why I get caught up in thoughts. Some thoughts are more sticky than others. I think probably because they either entertain or threaten the central "I" thought.

[vinceschubert]

Ok Sam, You said it. "Getting caught in thoughts..." is How it happens.
So what does "getting caught" entail.
"Getting caught" is getting sucked in to the content of the thoughts.
Why does that happen ?
Is it because you think that your thoughts are important ?

[loftygoal]

Whether I think thoughts are important or not doesnt seem to have an effect on me getting caught in them. I've read Adyashanti say "None of the thoughts in your head are true". I was surprised by it and probably it did have some effect for sometime till I remembered that. Afterwards things were back. But the getting caught aspect though never changed anytime during that period.

I think this deep belief that thoughts are important remained even though I added a new belief on top of it that "None of the thoughts are important/true". The same thing applies to me believing there is no I.

Coming back to getting caught. It looks like that is the key to all the confusion.

[vinceschubert]

Ok, let's focus on that process. (i agree that it's a key)
There are two ways to interact with thoughts;
1. you can see that a thought has appeared and it has content.
2. you find yourself reacting emotionally and only later using memory are the thoughts behind seen.
(i guess theres a third way where no thought is seen later as the next one is being acted out)

When 1. is the happening no action required. The seeing is all that is needed to act/not act and not be sucked in.
When 2. occurs, that is when later you realise that you had been sucked in, a quick reference to the thought process that led to the automatic reaction is enough. Recognition is the key.

Your brain is wired to auto-react.
The momentary recognition then let it go with the intention to rewire the brain to see thoughts coming.
So Sam, practice this.
Every time you recognise that you have been carried away, chuckle, then a quick search for the thought process that preceded being carried away. Another chuckle and the intention to get better at this and a picture (story) of when you will be able to see all thoughts without being sucked in.
Try this for a day and report back.

[loftygoal]

I have observed the same two or three categories that you mentioned.

Mostly it fell into class 3 where I wasnt able to root-cause the origin thought. Most thoughts were concerns or worries about pressures at work or other things that I used to think about

[vinceschubert]

Sam, did it at any time fall into class 1 or 2 ?

[loftygoal]

yeah there were 2's too but 1 I am not sure. I dont know if I was able to witness a thought while it is happening. It was mostly post-analysis like 2 or 3

[vinceschubert]

Right Sam, 2's are ok to start with.
So see if you can do it each time you think of it.
Just notice as soon as you realise that you were totally absorbed in the content of a thought, and chuckle to yourself, and have the thought that this will get easier and better, and that you will notice earlier.
i've heard it said that it takes 2 weeks to change a habit. (to rewire the brain)
Have no attachment to the outcome of this. It is just a thing you are doing.
i must say i'm surprised that your meditation hasn't done this for you, but anyway....
Also don't be surprised if resistance to this pops up in some way. If it does it will be encouraging as it means we are close.
You may also find that it 'clicks' and suddenly becomes easy and clear.
Report back in a day or two with how it is going.