“What can help me stop thinking when I meditate?” Speaking as someone who has practiced and taught meditation for many years, I can only answer this question with one word “nothing”. Nothing can help a person to stop thinking for several reasons.

Where Do Thoughts Come From?

It may sound contrary at first but please bear with me. We cannot stop thoughts and the mind from thinking because we do not “think” nor are we creating our thoughts. Thoughts arise or occur and are perceived by the brain much like an aroma is perceived by our sense of smell or like a butterfly is perceived by the eye.

If we pass a bakery and smell fresh bread, we know the smell even though we did not make the bread. We did not create the butterfly either. In both cases we only cognize a perception that has registered on our senses. The eye does not “know” the butterfly, it is the mind, receiving the image that then says “butterfly” as a reaction to the encounter.

For example, you are meditating and catch the scent of bread baking. Perceiving the aroma leads to, “I love the smell of fresh bread.” Immediately after you think, “I remember when I was a boy, walking to school and passing Mrs. Miller’s bakery shop. Those were good times. Whatever happened to Mrs. Miller? I remember she had a son. Whatever became of him, did he take over the family business?” Hello story and goodbye meditation. Sound familiar?

Thoughts are the same as any perception, they have no “self-nature” and are seen by the experienced meditator as empty. Another way to look at thoughts is that they are empty of any reality or significance until they receive a name or context by the mind.

The challenge for the meditator is not that thoughts are occurring but that they entangle the mind, and busy it with a perceived notion that very often becomes a “story”. So, what can be done to get past the distractions?

Moving Beyond Thoughts

To transcend the process of getting caught up in the procession of thoughts we need to train the mind to focus on and be within the nature of mind itself. Thoughts are not the mind, but they are a by-product of the mind. So, the problem with thoughts is that as the perceiver, we “chase” our thoughts, become attached to the thoughts, and finally, identify with the thoughts.

Practical Steps

Once you are in meditation, there are several approaches that help you “stay in the moment”.

One tried and true method is to meditate with your eyes slightly open. This reduces the tendency to fantasize and daydream. In addition, focus on your breath and count each inhale or exhale up to ten, then begin again. If you have become entangled by a thought during your count, return to one and start again. The goal is not necessarily to reach ten but simply to stay with the present, free from thought distractions.

Take a mental step “back”. Move “inward” toward your “center of being” then relax, and let go of any thoughts, agendas, expectations, or preconceived notions.

Adopt the attitude of waiting or listening without any notion of what you are waiting for or hoping to hear. The key is to take the time to deeply relax the body, the emotions, and the mind.

Relax the Body

The key to establishing a meditative focus is relaxation. Relax the body and take your time. Sit on a cushion or in a chair but be sure to leave the back free and unsupported if you can. In any case, keep the spine straight and erect. Tuck your chin slightly into your chest. This will help to extend the spine and relax the muscles in the jaw, mouth, and neck. Keep the mouth slightly open with the tongue behind the top teeth and breathe through the mouth and nose very softly.

Establish your sitting posture deliberately and with the thought that you could sit in stillness for hours. In other words, the body is the foundation of your meditation, it is a part of the mind and therefore, the body is also meditating.

Relax the Emotions

Once the body is relaxed, turn your attention to the emotions and become calm and serene. Focus in the solar plexus and visualize a pool of still water with a mirror-like surface reflecting the open, blue sky. Let the feeling of spaciousness pervade your feeling nature.

You may experience a feeling of buoyancy or elation. This is the natural state of the mind affecting the feeling nature. It is the reason why people who practice meditation, yoga, Buddhism, or other spiritual traditions are often seen as calm and happy.

Relax the Mind

Now that the emotions are calm, turn your attention to the mind with the intention of allowing the mind to simply rest, to relax within its own nature. Thoughts are work, thoughts pull the mind away from itself only to get entangled in all the drama of the personality. The personality is simply another thought.

Let it all go. Do not suppress thoughts or try to “shoo” them away. Relax into the center of your being, amd remember that consciousness is equally present everywhere. You do not need to meditate in your “head” simply rest in this state, it is as natural as sleeping but instead of losing consciousness, you become aware, alert, and clear. Become like space, empty of a separated self but full of “life-presence”.

**How Can I Stop Thinking When I Meditate?** The simple answer is… you can’t!

Conclusion

Once you have developed your ability to sit in stillness you will find you have opened the door to a new version of yourself. You may find that you are more patient, less annoyed, or agitated by people or situations that used to bother you. You may also find that you become more sensitized to what is often referred to as, “the good, the true, and beautiful” aspects of life.

These changes are the “calling card” of the soul or from yourself as an authentic being. The inward path of meditation is the most fascinating study one can ever pursue. Through it, you can discover that in your own unique and special way, you have so much in common with all that lives and breathes.

How Can I Stop Thinking When I Meditate? The simple answer is… you can’t!

Recommended Meditations to Quiet Thoughts

Mindfulness Meditation on Spaciousness -a guided meditation for watching thoughts and observing the “space between thoughts”. This meditation practice slows down the number of thoughts that enter the mind and increases the space between one thought and the next.

5 Minute Mindfulness Meditation - a 5 minute mindfulness meditation perfect for beginners! If you’ve always wanted to try meditation and weren’t sure where to start - start here!

Mindfulness Breathing Meditation - this meditation introduces the fundamentals of mindfulness meditation. We begin by taming the mind by observing thoughts and trying not to let ourselves attach to them. After a while, we can start training the mind to remain open, still and spacious.