Re: Letting our thoughts go.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Murah
A common practice in our zazen practice is to "let the thoughts go". We neither become attached to the thought, nor do we suppress it. To me however, this is like describing the taste of an orange to a person who's never eaten an orange.
When a thought arises in my mind, I take notice of it. The thought (to me) then turns into thinking. I don't seem to understand the "letting go" part. If I let go, then I start suppressing it and trying to ignore it.
The gist I'm getting from this " letting go" is that I should take notice of the thought, see it, and observe it with equanimity until the thought naturally passes. During my practice however, I find this very difficult. When ever I try to observe the thought, it turns into thinking and I start suppressing. The cycle constantly repeats itself
I'm really confused as to what to do. Maybe I already answered my own question by writing this. However, I would still really appreciate some input.
Thanks!
-Murah :D
Hi Murah,
May I take a stab?
It may be one of those things that, if you try too hard to do it, you probably can't do it. It is something like riding a bicycle in that regard: If you analyze what you are doing while actually trying to ride, commanding your legs "left right left right," good chance that you will tumble off the bike.
Perhaps, it is something you just have to let happen, allowing the mind to settle like you allow the snow to melt on a warm day: it happens without any effort from you. In fact, you probably do it, or something like it, all the time "without thinking about it" (pun intended). For example, you know those moments when you just look warmly at the face of someone you love, thinking nothing in particular but feeling so much? Or, when you just swim the australian crawl through a pool, not thinking anything but moving smoothly through the water? Or (my favorite) when you have been carrying a heavy load of bags for miles, which you drop to the ground ... ah, what a relief, and nothing to think about that!
To rephrase an old joke ...
"Thinking" is like hitting your own hand with a big hammer.
It just feels SO good when you stop.
Anyway, I would not try to force it or analyze it too much. Just let it happen.
Gassho, Jundo