#106 Thoughtlessness
Wherever the mind goes, at that very moment, one should leave that thought. By not allowing the mind to settle into thoughts, one will be free of thoughts.Verse 129, Vigyan Bhairava Tantra
Whenever you find yourself thinking, immediately stop thinking and come back to the present moment. That is what this verse is teaching us. The mind always takes us into time. Our thoughts are always about the past or the future. The present moment is not a part of time – it is a gateway to eternity. In the present, the mind cannot exist. We are simply aware. The present moment is a present, a gift from God. It is in the present that we reach God. Yet we keep ignoring this present. We let our mind take us to the past or the future. However, God is always there for us, waiting for us in the present moment. If only we could make ourselves available in the present, we would be able to meet God. Yet, usually we are not present, we are absent. We are lost in the past or the future. This is an important meditation practice that will have to be used sometime by everyone. It does not matter which meditation you are doing. You will occasionally find yourself thinking. You will then have to practice what this verse is teaching you will have to stop thinking and come back to the present moment, and to your meditation practice. By not allowing the mind to settle into thoughts, one will be free of thoughts.
Stopping the continuity of thoughts
The mind has a habit of thinking continuously. By stopping thoughts whenever one notices they have arisen, one breaks this habit. Then the mind falls silent. This is the greatest gift you can give yourself – the gift of silence. Silence of the mind. One then experiences the incredible joy of one’s true nature. Most people make the mistake of believing that money is the solution to all . their problems. The more money one has, the happier one will be. That is why books on how to make money or become rich, are very popular. Actually, our happiness is not dependent on anything external. The more control you have over your mind, the happier you will be. The fewer thoughts one has, the more aware one becomes. With greater awareness, one experiences greater joy. People are sometimes scared of living in the present. They feel that they have to constantly think about their future, and plan for all the various problems they might face. Actually, all this thought is unnecessary. Most stress and anxiety are due to our thoughts about the future. We are facing an immediate problem, and start visualizing various bleak scenarios that may result from this problem. Or we worry about other problems we may face in the future. What people do not understand is that all this thinking and worrying makes one feel miserable in the first place. Therefore, why think about all these things? Instead, deal with life one moment at a time, and deal with each situation as and when it arises. The ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus taught that external events on their own do not disturb us. It is our thoughts about them that cause us unhappiness.
Once we stop our thoughts, we are at peace. He also said that we suffer when we want things to be different from what they are. The first thing we do when we face a problem is actually the last thing we should do – that is to think and worry. We worry because we think we are separate from God. When we understand that we are one with God, we realize that God will take care of us.
“Worrying is not having faith in the Divine.”
A master lives life from moment to moment, and is happy with whatever shows up in her life. She realizes that all events are a blessing and a gift that leads one to God. Sometimes circumstances we call undesirable are a blessing that may not be apparent until much later. Therefore live fully in the present moment. Forget about the past or the future. There is no joy there. All the joy, all the love you ever wanted, you will find by being in the present.