I hear this question so often. Our lives seem to get busier by the decade and most of us haven’t been brought up to understand the value of thinking less, or indeed how to achieve it. So we end up with very busy minds.
Meditation, and Mind Calm* in particular, is not a matter of emptying our busy minds. We learn to shift our attention away from our minds, using simple and enjoyable techniques. Deprived of the attention we usually give our thoughts, as a result our mind tends to quieten down without any apparent effort on our part.
But if thoughts do persist, we don’t judge them or ourselves. In Mind Calm we aim for Peace with Mind rather than Peace of Mind, meaning that, through regular practice, we develop a better relationship with our thoughts and feelings. We are likely to go on having thoughts for the rest of our lives, because we are human beings, but a regular meditation practice helps us to watch those thoughts rather than spending all our time caught up in them.
So the answer is, no, it doesn’t mean you can’t meditate! Regular meditators still have thoughts that come and go, and sometimes get caught up in their thoughts. We learn not to judge the busyness of our minds. We know that peace is there, that, as for everyone, still silent spacious awareness is the constant context of the busyness.
If you learn Mind Calm, you won’t be expected to try to empty or clear your mind. You will simply learn some techniques to help you place your attention elsewhere. If you’d like to know more, comment here or get in touch; I’d love to hear from you!
* Mind Calm is a modern day meditation technique created by Sandy C. Newbigging.
