Stopping Thoughts Instantly

Photo credit: Shirley Booth

Stopping thoughts is what advanced yogis spend 20 or more years trying to attain. To this end, they meditate—daily—for hours at a time. Stopping thoughts is why Buddhist Monks chant for hours in their temples. (Chanting interrupts thought patterns).
Why are stopping thoughts—having a quiet mind—so important?

Because, say both ancient and modern spiritual gurus, you can only access your spirit through a quiet mind. Your spirit is found in silence. It cannot be accessed through your monkey—or incessantly chattering—mind.

But what if you don’t have hours a day for the next 20 or so years to devote to spiritual exercises, such as meditation, that are known to quiet your mind? No problem. I just learned a method of stopping thoughts instantly that is incredibly effective.

AN EASY WAY OF STOPPING THOUGHTS

Stopping thoughts is so easy that a beginner at meditation can do it. Follow these steps of stopping thoughts, and you will experience pure consciousness, perhaps for the first time.

Step 1: Sit down in a comfortable chair, eyes closed.

Step 2: Breathe slowly and deeply, in and out.

Step 3: Let your thoughts do what they will for 10 or 15 seconds. Don’t try to influence them or control them in any way.

Step 4: Now, stay very alert while you ask yourself this question: “Where is my next thought?”

Step 5: Did you notice the break in your thoughts as you waited for your next thought? That, my friend, was pure awareneness.

Step 6: Now ask the question again…and again…and again…(re-stating the question every 15 seconds) each time noticing the gap between your thoughts. By the way, you don’t have to always ask the same question. You could just tell yourself to catch your next thought as it’s developing. Conversely, you could ask yourself, “What will my next thought look like?” The question does not matter. All that matters is your attention to the GAP between your thoughts. Within just a few minutes, you should notice your mind becoming calmer and your body becoming relaxed without you doing anything more than being aware of this space between your thoughts.

You may not realize it instantly, but the value of stopping thoughts recharges your connection to Spirit. At this level of spirit, you can be, do, or have anything that you desire. Try it and see for yourself.