Why you should not force the Mind to stop thoughts in Mindfulness?
This is natural for all human that our Mind always creates thoughts and such thoughts also disappear in the Mind. Obviously this natural that the Mind acts its own way as being a natural creation. But, the problem or distractions only arise when the Mind starts to create thoughts one after one to make the human being to keep in distractions. In such cases, the common nature of almost everyone is that to force the Mind or insist the Mind to stop reducing thoughts. But, forcing the Mind o stop thoughts really can stop thought? What might happen if force the Mind to stop creating thoughts? On the side, in Mindfulness, thoughts flow naturally? Why you should not force the Mind to stop thoughts in Mindfulness?
You can understand in depth why you should not force the Mind in Mindfulness. Before going in detail, let’s have some basic understanding of thoughts & Mindfulness so that you can very clear understanding.
What is thought?:
Our common understanding is the thoughts are the natural creation of the Mind. Thoughts arise in the Mind and disappear in the Mind. Whether we are aware of not aware of thoughts, thoughts always continue to arise in the Mind. Let’s examine what Wikipedia says about thoughts?
According to Wikipedia, the term thought or thinking refers to cognitive processes that can happen independently of sensory stimulation. Their most paradigmatic forms are judging, reasoning, concept formation, problem-solving, and deliberation. But other mental processes, like considering an idea, memory, or imagination, are also included. These processes can happen internally independent of sensory organs, unlike perception. But, when understood in the widest sense, any mental event may be understood as a form of thinking. Including perception and unconscious mental processes. In a slightly different sense, the term thought refers not to the mental processes themselves but to mental states or system of ideas brought about by these processes.
The simple way can express that thought is an idea or opinion produced by thinking or occurring or arising or appearing suddenly in the Mind. In fact, consciously or unconsciously whether a human being notice or not, the Mind keep continue to create thoughts and such thoughts are also being disappeared in the Mind. It is like endless activities of the Mind that naturally occurs. No matter whether a human being like it or not, the Mind never bothers at all. It moves its own way that is obviously no way to avoid as the Mind is a natural creation and, such natural creation is deigned to act such way.
What is Mindfulness in brief?:
Mindfulness is the natural ability of the Mind to bring back its Attention to the Present Moment. Of course, the Mind has also the ability to be aware of the Mind itself and its movement of the Mind. What Wikipedia say about Mindfulness?
According to Wikipedia. Mindfulness is the practice of purposely bringing one’s attention to the present moment without evaluation, a skill one develops through meditation or through other training. Mindfulness drives from Sati, a significant element of Buddhist tradition.
If we examine the definition as stated on Wikipedia, it is very clearly indicates that Mind has to achieve such ability to be in Mindfulness. How the Mind can achieve such abilities? This question comes also. Isn’t it?
A person can develop or cultivate Mindfulness through Meditation or some form of training related to the Mind. In fact, Meditation is the most commonly & widely acceptable path to cultivate or develop Mindfulness from the inception of Mindfulness.
Mind is a natural creation that acts naturally even in Mindfulness:
The Mind is a natural creation that associated with human being. In fact, the Mind (the Brain) is playing the driving force of human life. If the Mind doesn’t work, in fact, no existence of human being at all. Being natural creation, obviously, activities & movement of the Mind will occur naturally. This is not a mechanical device that can be controlled manually or mechanically. Right?
No matter whether the Mind is in Mindfulness or not, the Mind always acts naturally. In fact, there is no way to stop the Mind from such natural activities. As the Mind is a natural creation and no way to resist over such natural activities, let the Mind be in the natural flow that is the key factor to keep in consideration.
Understanding the natural activities & natural movement of the Mind, in Mindfulness, always let the Mind remain as natural and also let the Mind act & also to move in natural way so that the Mind can perform its activities in a free flow of state where natural attributes remain untouched.
Hence, should not force the Mind to stop thoughts and all other activities that naturally creates by the Mind in Mindfulness.
Forcing the Mind to stop thoughts can impact naatural momentum of the Mind:
In fact, forcing over natural creation is nothing but to force the natural activities. In such case, suddenly, a resistant or blocked impacts over natural momentum. This is very common scenario for natural creation, which also applicable for the Mind that has been created naturally.
As being a natural creation, the Mind also act naturally. There is always a natural momentum or rhythm or flow in the Mind. Such natural flow naturally occurs in the Mind which are absolutely invisible. As a result, such invisible activities or movement has no way to stop by any means like forcing or insisting. That also applicable to let the Mind stop thoughts forcefully is nothing but creating an impact over the Mind even such force is being applied by the Mind to stop thoughts intentionally.
Once there is force or resistance or intervention on a natural movement, obviously, there is an impact. In such case, when the Mind, intentionally try to force to stop thoughts, the Mind might be a sudden halt from activities or movement due to sudden & unexpected force. That leads to a breakage of natural momentum or rhythm of natural flow. But, immediately, the Mind become aware that natural momentum stopped forcefully, then, the Mind starts to bring back its own natural momentum to keep going on.
Obviously, there might have possible impacts over the Mind due to forcefully stop thoughts. The Mind might face distraction over natural momentum. In that case, the Mind might try to figure out the cause of sudden lose of natural momentum. As a result, the Mind might start to be wild until it get back its natural momentum or rhythm of natural flow of activities or movement.
Hence, it is always to let the natural Mind to be in the natural momentum or rhythm where the Mind can act & move naturally.
Forcing the Mind to stop thoughts can lead the Mind to get wild & create more thoughts:
Forcing the Mind to stop thoughts might stop thoughts for a while. It never last more than a while as sudden lose of the natural momentum of the Mind. But, the Mind can again pull back its natural momentum and, then, start to act as usual with its own natural momentum or rhythm. But, the Mind might start to find out or figure out as sudden stoppage occurred. In such case, the Mind get distracted and keep continue to find out here & there to settle and also to find out why such sudden natural momentum stopped for a while.
In such situation, there is always the possibility to generate or create more & more thoughts to find out the root of such stoppage of momentum or sudden force over the Mind. Then, the Mind, obviously, face distraction and starts to move around within the cloud of thoughts. The more the Mind try to find out or figure out, the more & more thoughts starts to come out from the Mind. Naturally, the Mind get more wild due to moving around within the huge cloud of thoughts.
Of course, the Mind can get back to the natural momentum or rhythm of flow after some time when the Mind become aware. But, once such natural momentum of the Mind face distraction, the Mind, obviously, become afraid to face such situation again. In that case, the Mind always try to keep itself in the comfort zone where no distraction & too little distraction. Once the Mind move to comfort zone, it is hard to break such comfort zone for the Mind as it become used to have more safe & comfort in such comfort zone.
Understanding the natural momentum of the Mind, let the Mind always act & move naturally and, let your Mind try to stop thoughts.
Stopping thoughts is stopping awareness of the Mind in Mindfulness:
In Mindfulness, awareness always remains in the Mind. That means, the Mind i=has the ability to be aware of its movement, activities, and, also the Mind itself. If the Mind is not in awareness, in fact, the Mind can’t keep aware of itself.
Once force apply to stop thoughts, suddenly, natural awareness of the Mind also get impact. That means, awareness also face sudden stoppage or breakage of natural flow of awareness that flows naturally. Once momentum get lost, it takes quite some time to back in the cycle. As a result, the Mind become not aware of its movement & also aware of the movement & activities of the Mind too.
As awareness is the natural creation of the Mind, in such case, wherever the Mind moves or wanders or acts, awareness also follow the same as a shadow of the Mind. Of course, natural creation always act naturally that is the reality of natural creation. Hence, should not force the Mind to stop thoughts in Mindfulness.
The Mind can’t bring Attention to the Present Moment while force apply on the Mind in Mindfulness:
Due to sudden stoppage or break of thoughts by force, the Mind is getting to face distraction over awareness. If the Mind is not aware of its movement & itself too, the Mind can’t bring back its Attention to the Present Moment. As no awareness, that means, the Mind is not aware at all where it is right now.
Without awareness, the Mind is absolutely not aware of its Attention, too. In that case, the Mind move here & there, in the Past or in the Future randomly. It is like to move blindly where there is no direction at all. If the Mind is not in the Present Moment, that means, Attention of the Mind is not in the Present Moment too. Once the Mind lose awareness, the Mind is also losing Attention too. In such situation, this is totally difficult to bring back its Attention in the Present Moment.
Hence, let your Mind be in the natural momentum that naturally happens in the Mind. Let the Mind act & move naturally, where thoughts are also arising & disappearing naturally. Understanding the natural creation, you should not force the Mind to stop thoughts in Mindfulness.
Conclusion:
Being a natural creation, the Mind always acts & moves naturally. In fact, there is always a natural momentum or rhythm of such movement or activities are there in the Mind. Once sudden breakage or stoppage over the Mind, obviously, such natural momentum get impacted. In such case, the Mind might go wild ad may create more & more though and starts to face distraction.
In fact, no external or intonation force can do any impact over the Mind. Of course, there might a while stoppage or breakage due to sudden impact over the Mind. But, It’s for a while. Again, the Mind pull back its own natural momentum & keep continue to move naturally.
In Mindfulness, always let the Mind keep continue its activities & movement naturally where the Mind is always in the natural momentum or rhythm. As a result, the Mind is not only aware of its activities & movement, but also aware of itself. Being aware of itself & its movement & activities, the Mind always be able to observe itself too. Being aware & observe moment to moment, the Mind always remain in Attention wherever it moves or wanders. As a result, the Mind can bring back its Attention to the Present Moment in case the Mind become aware that its Attention is not in the Present Moment.
Understanding the natural creation, let your Mind be in natural momentum where the Mind can always act or moves naturally. In that case, natural attributes of the Mind always remain natural.
Hence, you should not force the Mind to stop thoughts in Mindfulness.