Watching Thoughts
Level: Foundation (F6-F7)
Duration: 10-15 minutes
Prerequisites: Body and breath awareness
Introduction
You've been learning to pay attention to your body and breath. Now we're going to explore a new territory: the space where thoughts happen.
Think of this practice like sitting by a stream, watching leaves float by. You're not trying to stop the leaves, catch them, or judge them. You're just watching. Similarly, in this practice, you'll watch thoughts arise and pass, without trying to control them.
This is preliminary work with the mind. Think of it as learning to observe the weather before you become a meteorologist. We're building a foundation that will support deeper investigation later.
What You'll Discover
In this practice, you might notice:
Thoughts appear without you deliberately creating them
Some thoughts trigger emotions or physical sensations
Thoughts can disappear as easily as they arose
There's a space or stillness that remains, even as thoughts come and go
Don't worry if you don't notice all of these right away. This is just the beginning of getting familiar with your mental landscape.
The Practice
Getting Settled
Find a comfortable seated position. You can sit on a cushion, chair, or bench—whatever allows your body to be relaxed but alert.
Take a few moments to settle your body. Let your shoulders drop, soften your jaw, and release any obvious tension. Your eyes can be gently closed or half-open with a soft, downward gaze.
Notice your breath moving naturally, without trying to control it. Just three or four breaths, feeling the body breathing itself.
Opening to Mental Space
Now gently shift your attention from the body to mental space. This isn't a physical place—it's the inner domain where thoughts, images, and memories appear.
You don't need to look for this space. It's already there. It's where you experience thinking right now.
Let your awareness simply rest in this mental space, remaining open to whatever appears: a thought, an image, a memory, a planning impulse, a fleeting emotion.
Watching Without Engaging
When a thought arises, simply notice it. You're not trying to think the thought more intensely, analyze it, or push it away. You're just observing: 'Ah, there's a thought about dinner,' or 'There's a memory,' or 'There's planning happening.'
The key is to remain relaxed. If you try too hard to watch thoughts, they often disappear. It's like trying to see a shy animal—gentle attention works better than intense staring.
When you notice you've gotten caught up in a thought—following its story, arguing with it, or spinning off into imagination—just gently come back to simply observing. No need to judge yourself for getting caught. Just return to watching.
Noting the Space Between
As you watch thoughts come and go, you might notice gaps—brief moments when no thought is present. These moments can be refreshing, like a clear patch of sky between clouds.
You don't need to create these gaps or make them last longer. Just notice them when they naturally occur. This is the mental space itself, temporarily free of content.
Working with Challenges
When There Are Too Many Thoughts
If your mind feels overwhelmed with thoughts, like a busy highway, don't try to stop them. Instead, relax more deeply. Take a few conscious breaths, feeling your body settle. Then return to simply watching, like observing traffic from a distance rather than being in the middle of it.
When Thoughts Disappear
Sometimes when you try to watch thoughts, they seem to vanish. This is natural—your attention affects what you observe. If this happens, just rest in the quiet space. Eventually thoughts will return, and you can resume watching them.
When You Keep Getting Lost
Getting absorbed in thoughts is completely normal. The practice isn't to never get lost—it's to notice when you've gotten lost and gently come back. Each time you notice and return, you're actually succeeding at the practice.
Closing the Practice
After 10-15 minutes, take a moment to appreciate that you've begun exploring mental space. Let your attention return to your body and breath for a few moments before opening your eyes fully and returning to your day.
What Comes Next
This simple practice of watching thoughts is foundational. It teaches you to observe mental events without automatically believing them, following them, or identifying with them.
As your practice develops, you'll explore:
How thoughts arise and dissolve
The relationship between thoughts and emotions
Whether thoughts have an owner
How mental space relates to freedom and wellbeing
But for now, simply practice watching. Get familiar with this new territory. There's no need to rush ahead.
Practice Tips
Short and regular is better than long and sporadic. Even 10 minutes daily builds familiarity.
Don't judge the quality of your thoughts. Boring, profound, mundane, creative—just watch them all with equal interest.
Maintain a light touch. Gentle awareness works better than forceful concentration.
Be patient. Learning to observe your mind is like learning any new skill—it takes time and practice.