Let It All In! Thoughts Are Just More Phenomena!

A.m. crabby thoughts, negative thoughts, crazy thoughts - unacceptable!

Oh really?

Well, unacceptable to act out on; unacceptable to continue with, spinning into more thoughts...

But squashing them with a feeling that it’s not ok, that bad stuff is happening, is also unacceptable!

Moment-to-moment awareness includes whatever happens in each moment, and that includes thoughts! Just as with sights, sounds, action, etc., we notice the thought, release it, and be available to the next moment.

This way, rather than being an “enemy” of awareness, thoughts are another thing to be aware of, without holding on to them, without pushing them away, and without labeling them.

Which brings us to labeling. In this open awareness, especially when practicing meditation, the mind may come up with labels for what we are aware of: “Sound”, “sensation”, “wave” (while seeing the ocean), “bird song”, etc. This is ok, but is not pure awareness. A good practice is to notice the label, let go of it, and remain aware of the happening. More aware, more purely aware, because the label has been dropped. This eventually becomes a habit, and more pure, “label-less” awareness becomes the new norm!

Outside of meditation, try this, and see what open awareness reveals - in my experience, some wonderful things! Try it with seeing people you work with. Say you see “Steve”, and the mind immediately labels him, “Yeah, that’s Steve”. But then drop the label and just see him.

Labeling someone, even with something as simple and innocuous as a name, puts that person in a mental box that we have created. Again, it’s conception rather than perception; being stuck in our heads rather than being present with awareness.

When we drop the label and really see that person, knowledge, insights, and empathy may very likely appear! But don’t take my word for it - try it yourself!!