Why are we not able to observe thoughts? What does the famous practice of observing thoughts actually mean?
We are taught to believe that observing thoughts is something we need to do while meditating. We think that there are thoughts spawning, and we can actively observe this. If anyone actually tried this, you understand immediately it is impossible to actually observe thoughts. You either are observing, or you are thinking.
When a thought comes into perceiving, it is automatically observed. There is no need to observe the thought it self and "follow" it, it is actually impossible to do. Once you put your attention on "Observing" the thought gets stopped at its tracks. So what does observing thoughts mean? Well actually this whole "practice" does not make sense at all and I do not know who put it this way, it was probably a misinterpretation.
What you are supposed to do is to observe the observation of thoughts. A thought appears. There is an awareness of this thought, otherwise you wouldn't know it existed. It would not register in consciousness, there would be nothing to perceive it.
Now, be aware of the awareness itself, in which thoughts are perceived. That is true meditation, you are not supposed to give any importance or significance or meaning to thoughts, or to follow them in order to see what their roots are.
Thoughts are like clouds coming and going in the infinite sky. You are the witness of the thoughts, and they are completely random, they have nothing to do with you. There is nothing to do with them, any meaning to derive from them. They are completely impermanent and have nothing to do with your existence.
The problem is you were taking them seriously and believing that YOU are the one GENERATING them. The truth is, thoughts appear in nothing to nothing. They simply arise randomly in awareness, and you, the awareness was identifying as this coming and going phenomena. You see how faulty this is now, don't you?
Thoughts appear in awareness, and you that awareness which is perceiving them. The practice is to stay aware of the awareness, not to identify as what is being perceived by awareness, not to identify as thoughts, emotions, sensations, these are all arising in awareness. In meditation you experience this. Or more truthfully there is no "you" experiencing it, but itself experiencing itself. You are that.
- Sebastian Key
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