How Good Are You At NOT Thinking?

I was reading an article the other day which asked the question, "Do you know how to not think?".  What a great question! 

We probably all take our ability to think for granted, but our mind can be a double edged sword. 

Using our mind effectively can bring us wonderful rewards and smooth our path in life, but too much thinking can lead to stress, and a deterioration in our physical, mental and emotional well-being.

So do you run your mind, or does your mind run you?  If you can't switch off, if your mind is constantly racing ahead to the next thing, or running in a loop around the same issue, then your mind is running you.

But, if you can stop, and rest, and let your mind settle and still, then you are in control.  And the more you stop to not think, the more in control you will become.

So what happens when you choose to stop and not think?  When you are not thinking:
 
Your attention turns to your experience ... of life
Life is passing every minute of every day, whether or not you notice it happening.  Sometimes it's a good idea just to stop and notice our life as it happens, NOW, rather than planning on the future or pondering on the past.  Because 'now' is the only life that you actually have, so why not relish it. 

You become an observer of your thoughts - and that can be very revealing
Your thoughts are just things, things over which you don't have total control.  By stopping to observe your thoughts come and pass away, you can become more aware of how transient they are.  They take root only if you give them attention and emotional energy - so be aware of where your attention and energy are! 

You release the need to engage and react to events
Not thinking allows you to become an observer, rather than a participant in your thoughts and the events of your life.  It gives you time out: to gather composure; to become more rooted in your experience; to become more grounded and centred; and to be more able, eventually, to react in a way that is appropriate.

You are BEING
We spend a lot of our lives in the busy-ness of DOING and striving towards HAVING - and there's nothing wrong with that.  As long as we pay due regard to BEING.  It's a balancing act and not enough time spend just being can lead to us becoming disconnected from ourselves and then the energy we put into doing and having may take us away from our heart's desires instead of towards them.

So why not take some time out today and just see how long you can spend not thinking!

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