The Gate

I didn't really see the thoughts arise, they just appeared. I did notice how the thoughts were triggered from a sound, sensation, feeling or another thought and develop into a story. It also wasn't clear to see them pass away. I guess when my attention/noticing was captured by some other sensory input, it would end. There were times when I would suddenly realize and become aware I was lost in thought. When I did seem to be in the gap of thoughts, it was just an aware/noticing of what my senses were directly receiving. Just observing.

Maybe I need to practice this some more. ;)

Hi Kerry

Maybe I need to practice this some more

only if you want to.
Here's part 2:
Throughout your waking day, try to observe the gap between thoughts as often as possible. It can be done by noticing that ‘thinking’ is happening right now, then stop and just simply wait for the next thought to come. In the ‘waiting’ there is a gap between two thoughts.

Let me know how you go.

xx

Most of the time I am just on auto pilot. Just in an activity with no thought. i.e. folding laundry. Then a thought will just appear. It will often be triggered by an image, sound or sensation. Then the thought might develop into a story from memories and associations. There is no one creating the thought. It just appears. Once the thought has passed, i'm just back to the prior activity unless the thought creates a new activity.

When I'm not in activity and not thoughs, the gap between thoughts is just an open awareness. I'm just being.

That's lovely noticing.
More from me in the morning

That's lovely noticing.
More from me in the morning

Hi

Here is a thought exercise. Sit quietly for about 30 minutes and notice the arising thoughts. Just let them appear as they appear. Try your best to COMPLETELY ignore what they are saying and just notice how they appear without you doing anything at all.
Where are they coming from and going to?
Did you do anything to make a particular thought or thoughts appear?
Could you have done anything to make a different thought appear at that exact moment instead?
Can you predict your next thought?
Can you select from a range of thoughts to have only pleasant thoughts?
Can you choose not to have painful, negative or fearful thoughts?
Can you pick and choose any kind of thought?
Is it possible to prevent a thought from appearing?
It seems that thought has some logical ordered appearance, but look carefully and just notice if there is an organised sequence? Or is that just another thought that says ‘these thoughts are in sequence’ or “they take content from previous thought”, or that ‘one thought follows another thought’?

xx

Thanks Sioned,

I will work on this and let you know.

Much Appreciation
Kerry

ok.xx

Hi Sioned,

Did you do anything to make a particular thought or thoughts appear?
No
Could you have done anything to make a different thought appear at that exact moment instead?
No
Can you predict your next thought?
No
Can you select from a range of thoughts to have only pleasant thoughts?
No
Can you choose not to have painful, negative or fearful thoughts?
No
Can you pick and choose any kind of thought?
No
Is it possible to prevent a thought from appearing?
Not really. If I focus on my breath, thoughts stop, but one eventually pops up.
It seems that thought has some logical ordered appearance, but look carefully and just notice if there is an organised sequence?
The only organized sequence would be that usually the thoughts are within the same category to create a sequence or from associations of the first thought.
Or is that just another thought that says ‘these thoughts are in sequence’ or “they take content from previous thought”, or that ‘one thought follows another thought’?
It is a thought that notices the pattern from memory of the previous thoughts.

Is the noticing of the thoughts just another thought?

That's great noticing, Kerry, well done.
Get a sheet of paper and draw a line that divides that sheet in half. Label one half 'self' and the other side 'other'. Sit down and start a timer for 5 minutes. Every time you have a thought make a mark on the sheet. If that thought is about the self put a mark on the self side, if it’s about something else, mark the other side. If a thought about food occurs due to feeling hungry, mark that on the self side. Any thought that refers back to a self should go on the self side. (I'm bored, I'm tired, is the door locked (my safety) that video was funny (I was amused), my back hurts, I am frightened) get it?
Let me know how you go and what you notice.

xx

I would say the majority of thoughts that did arise were of the self, but not a lot of them. There was mostly just the noticing of different senses. Sounds and sights I mostly put in the other column. The noticing of sensations in my body, I put in the self column because they would represent certain parts of my body. Self story thoughts would appear sometimes, but not a lot.

When I did the exercise I was doing an open eyed meditation. Later at home I paid attention to my thoughts and realized probably 98% of my actions fall in the self column. Many of the actions there are no thoughts, just the action, but clearly for the self. When at work, my thoughts and actions are more of the practical nature for the task at hand, but ultimately, the task is to benefit myself.

Hi Kerry
Interesting that you noticed that difference - between when you are meditating and when you are not. Nice clear noticing!
Here is an exercise which examines the way in which the mind labels experience - it takes about 20 minutes and you will need a pen a paper.
This exercise is broken into 10 minute lots. For each 10 minute period pay attention to any bodily sensation ie is there any tightening, or any relaxing?
For the first ten minutes write down what you are experiencing right now using the word “I”.
For example: I am sitting on a chair, I am hearing a clock ticking, I am looking at a computer screen, I am feeling hungry. Get right to the point, no past or future fantasy, just a plain description of your experience right here and now.

Then for the next ten minutes continue writing down what you are experiencing but this time without using the word “I”. Just describe the experience as it is happening using verbs. For example: sitting on a chair, typing, breathing, blinking, hearing the clock. (Again, watch what is happening in the body.)

At the end of the twenty minutes compare the two ways in which the experience was labelled and answer the following four questions:

1. Is one truer than the other, and If so, which one?
2. What is here without labels?
3. Do labels affect the experience or just describe it?
4. Did you notice any differences in the body?


xx

Hi Sioned,

Here you go.

1. I would have to say not using the word "I" felt truer. There just seemed to be less baggage with the experiencing.
2. There is just the simple experience with the senses. No thought needed.
3. They affect the experience. It felt like they were filtering the experience.
4. During the second 10 minutes, my body felt more at ease and relaxed. The first 10 minutes there was a slight tension the whole time.

HI Kerry
Excellent! Interesting to notice the difference, isn't it?
Bring up a thought about a character labelled "friend".
Then bring up a thought about a character labelled "stranger".

Compare these thoughts.
Is there a difference in these thoughts?
Is there a true difference or is it just different content?

Now, bring up a thought about a character labelled "friend".
After that, look at a thought about the character labelled "me”.

Is there a difference?
Is there anything special about thoughts with the content "me-character"?

I'll be away over the weekend, so may not manage to post again until monday
xx