Watching Thought

One area to explore in personal development and beyond,
is how we understand thinking.
Is it a tool we use?
Is it what in essence characterizes "the self"?
How does thinking affect our lives, our plans,
or is all of that just thought?

The mind is defind by its content.
The content of mind is thought.
Thus, "no thought - no mind".
This is not necessarily a bad thing,
it might be the solution to many of our problems!

The following is from the Introduction of
one of my books. Perhaps it will serve a
purpose here.

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 INTRODUCTION

I don’t know how to think. DO YOU?

How does one THINK?
Do you squeeze your eyes shut, tighten your entire body and will a thought into being?

What are the mechanics of thought?
Or do thoughts just happen?

Are they just there and over the years we develop
an ability to attach to them in some way.
And then do the thoughts become “my thoughts”
and “her thoughts” and “their thoughts”?

But if thoughts just happen, then where do they come from?
Some would say that ‘you’ think.

If that is so, then how would you think to stop thinking?
After all, if you are the one in control of those thoughts you call yours,
then shouldn’t you be able to stop them at will?

Go ahead.
Stop thinking.
What will you do?
Shout in your mind “STOP!” or “SHUT UP!”.
But those are still thoughts.
That is thinking.
It hasn’t stopped.

All of this is happening, and yet someone (something or some nothing)
is seeing all this as it happens.
...