Some thoughts on being thoughtless! Experiments with thinking, thoughts and thoughtless state like a scuba diver at sea.

Mindless state, thoughtless state

In the ultimate state of bliss where all paths end, irrespective of the marg, religion or sampradaya or practises, there are no thoughts and mind goes absolutely silent. Self is now free from the mind and pure, it's true state is realised.

Nidra samadhi stithi

In shiv manaspuja, adi shankracharya has stated "deep sleep" is like "samadhi". In both states, there are no thoughts. The only difference is one is automatic and the other is voluntary.

Can one reach a thoughtless state through a process? I wondered...

Daily experience

We all experience the waking, dreaming and deep sleep states every day and night. In deep sleep, there are no thoughts, hence the mind gets rest. This is explained in depth in the mandukya upanishad.

A discussion in San Jose

During a recent discussion with my college friends, my buddy sachin questioned, how is it possible to have no thoughts at all. At the most, one can observe the thoughts. But having no thoughts does not look feasible. One can have a thought of...i don't want to have a thought...!

Even i used to think this way, some time back. 

Fundamentally, The reality for you, is the outcome of your own experiences. Unless you experience something, it will not be real for you. It's someone else's reality and whether to belive it or not, is upto you. But when you experience it, you know. You no longer have to believe. 

Morning session

Today early morning, was just sitting without any mudra, bandha, asana or pranayama in silence at home. Observing and being a witness.

Like a Scuba diver

Like a scuba diver, who experiences the waves at the surface, the mind experiences senses and thoughts initially. Like the scuba diver and his boat shake and move with the waves at the surface, mind creates thoughts that almost immediately manifest as words and images, and many times feelings. Remember the feeling of anger, as the thought of someone insulting you 20 years back? It's as if it's happening right now! That's the power of thoughts!

As the diver dives deep below the sea, there is peace, there is flow, there is silence. Similarly, when one observes and does nothing, there are no thoughts. 

The feeling of being thoughtless is actually like a deep dive, dark, cold, silent, hence the example!

Many techniques

To get to this state, there are techniques of inner om sound, yoga steps, mindfulness etc. You can use any one that appeals to you. The entire collection is in the bhairav tantra. 

Freedom:

The moksha described in scriptures, the enlightenment, the realization etc. All point towards making the mind a witness, an observer with no thoughts originating. The observation is so deep that the observer, the object being observed and the act of observing, all three become one! Can you realise this state?

Experiment with a stop watch today

An experiment with a stop watch today showed a time of around 26 mins, with very few thoughts. Maybe 3 to 4, that too very faint. Like the diver may hear the sound of the waves, when near the surface... But not intense enough. 

Measurement by smart watches

Correlation with deep sleep, which now a days can be measured with a smart watch, indicates that in the night, we have short durations of deep sleep, where there are no thoughts and that is what gives rest to the mind.. There are no dreams obviously in this stage. usually then deep sleep duration is within an hour...

It is this deep sleep of an hour that keeps you alert for next 20 hours! This is the power of resting the mind!

Basic principles

Often the basic principles of any path are overlooked and the practise is started. This is like going a workout without warm-up. It's not going to take one very far.

Let's see what are the common principles across paths. These are from yogas called yamas.

• Ahimsa (non-violence) ...

• Satya (truthfulness) ...

• Asteya (non-stealing) ...

• Brahmacharya (moderation of the senses/right use of energy) ...

• Aparigraha (non-greed)

Many paths like Jainism, Buddhism, bhakti marga etc. Have similar fundamental principles.

Once one knows that these principles are attached to a role, the application becomes very easy. Eg. Ahimsa has to be relative to the situation, and within the context of dharma, which allows for himsa to protect it. It is not absolute.

The very design of these principles is to set the foundation of non attachment to the goal and being fully involved in the action in the present moment. This is often overlooked.

It's not an issue with the principles themselves. But it is the issue of application in the context of the roles you are playing.

As a business man or a father, it is not possible to follow these principles in an absolute way. In a role of a father, one will be attached to his own son!

Balanced approach with awareness has to be applied here.

As the progression in the path goes ahead, automatically, the thoughts contrary to the basic principles slowly crease to come to the mind. As thoughts become words and words become action, the action contrary to these is also eliminated slowly. Without any suppression of temptations.

Origin of thoughts

All thoughts originate relative to your roles. For example, an actor will get a thought of how good he/she looks, a scientist may not.

The memory, intellect and feeling, the three other parts of the mind, all are related to the roles. Make the role zero, by being aware, and the source of thought itself is eliminated.

Making the role zero does not mean leaving the role and taking sanyas. It only means, realising that you are not the role, it's your role . This clear understanding is enough.

Manifestation of thoughts.

Sachin asked me the other day, how do you know, you have a thought. When your eyes are closed and you hear or see things within, just like in a dream state, you know there is a thought being manifested. It is as simple as that. Thoughts will usually manifest in the mind as words or images, almost instantly.

It's interesting to note that, when i think of Everest, an image of Everest forms in the mind. This is because you have seen the image before and it's associated. For someone who has never seen a picture of Everest, will not get the image in the mind... It will be a meaningless word.

Thoughtless state is like deep sleep

Similarly, when there is no thought, there is nothing, just like deep sleep. The only difference is, you are aware. There is no focus, only awareness.

This is a quick and easy way to distinguish if you have or don't have a thought in the mind. It should not create words and images in the mind. It should not create a series of thoughts, called thinking!

Thoughtlessness methods.

Various methods exist, like yoga, gyana, karma and bhakti to silence the mind.

Practicing thoughtless state

You can experiment as follows.

• Sitting with eyes closed at a quiet place is a good start. Thoughts will keep coming. This is the sign of a active mind. Not necessarily, active intelligence. Observance of these thoughts, without controlling them is the first step.

• Catch the moments between two thoughts as described in vigyan bhairav tantra and you will observe that the gap slowly increases. Resulting in lesser and lesser thoughts coming in the mind in a few days or weeks.

• Once you reach thoughtless state, you may still have thoughts, but of a different kind now.

Thoughts in thoughtless state.

1. I am not having thoughts.

2. I don't want to have thoughts

3. Let we wait for the next thought

4. Let me find where thoughts come from.

5. What if a thought comes?

6. Wow i am thoughtless for so much time.

7. I am special for not having any thoughts.

From the above, it is a clear that, even in a thoughtless state, the mind is capable of engaging itself into the causes, effects, queries of thoughtlessness itself! Isn't this super interesting. However, it is to be understood, that these are also thoughts, but of a different kind.

Absolutely silencing the mind.

This is easily done with the sound anchor of aum, breathing and heart beat. No other method is easier than this. In these observations, you are only a listener. You don't control anything, as these three are beyond control anyways. This leads to no attachment.

The Buddhist techniques related to breathing are described in the first few methods of vigyanbhairav tantra text.

Now when the mind is silent. From the observer, observing the sound and the sound itself, become one.

There is no difference. This is the adwaita stage.

A fundamental insight

I have a habit of over thinking, like most of us. This becomes intense at times. This constant thinking is stressful, as i constantly either worry (has reduced a lot as the journey progressed) or plan or learn or imagine. The mind is always working. Even in dreams! There is no rest to the mind, other than the hour of deep sleep.

I had frequent episodes of bp going high last year. Like everyone, i took action with pranayama, diet, lifestyle change, food, sleep etc. i knew i had to get the mind to calm down. I even put alarms to relax every one hour. But it was not working. I was stuck. I was not finding a way ahead. This happened during a vacation in Nepal! Then...

I got this book.

"Don't belive everything you think" by Joseph Nguyen

It's less than 90 pages.

This recommendation came to me from my friend, Jyoti in Kolkata, who called me, knowing about my kathmadu trip.

We had not interacted for over an year. Then as, we discussed about quantum physics and it's similarity with consciousness, and she sent me this book title to read, as a recommendation. I found the title interesting...I searched and got the ebook and finished reading it in the next two hours.

This book had the missing link i was looking for. It was a Eureka moment. The best gift for my 55th birthday, that week! The book has a fundamental distinction between thought and thinking.

Difference between thought and thinking is the key to stress management and leading a fulfilled life. This is the key. I got it with this book clearly. This amazing book should be a must read for all.

This book has inspirational goal setting, being in the moment, thinking vs thought etc. All the key elements covered to beat stress and get life to next level.

Gradual progress:

Slowly, i am moving into a state, where during the day, there are no thoughts for a few minutes at a time during the day. The mind of well rested and fresh, when it has to think. 

Many times, as i walk, or sit, i observe the things around me. I hear the sounds, but i don't interpret them, analyse them, when it's not needed. I just let go. This automatically reduces triggers for generating thoughts.

When i get a thought, it's about some role. And the awareness of i am not the role, it's my role, keeps the intensity of the thoughts low.  They will appear, but they are distant, blurred and sounding like a whisper...

Thinking by choice

Getting into the train of thinking hence is by choice and not automatic. I can observe myself thinking, intense in work, but when it ends, it's like diving deep into the ocean in just a few seconds, just calmness remains. Nothing else. More and more time is spent in this state in the day now.

Let's explore the relationship with time.

When i think, either i am in the past or future as i think about someone or something. I am not in the moment. I am proceeding a lot of information, consciously, making decisions, judgements etc.

In the present moment, there is no thinking. A thought could pop up in a still mind. Thats all. Or no thought will popup for a long time. Both are ok. Usually there are no thoughts for a long time.

Let's explore it's relationship with roles and self.

Once the difference between many roles and self identity is clear. You know it's in the context of role that mind thinks. Overthinks etc. The self does not. It is thoughtless.

It's a habit you can change easily.

Constant thinking is a habit. being in the present moment is also a habit. And habits can be changed with awareness. It's simple.

Letting go

Over thinking is usually a result of trying to control everything. Beyond a point you can't. Accept it. Let go. This is the fundamental principle.

Connect to inner self.

You have to connect at a level deeper then the mind itself to get the mind to calm down.

It's not necessary to think all the time.

There is nothing to be missed, by not thinking all the time.. Imagining scenarios, making plans etc. Slow down. It's ok to be not thinking at times. This can also be a state. Be open to this possibility.

How to be in the present moment.

The Easiest way to be in the present moment is.

• Focus breath or heartbeat or aum sound. Don't think. Just observe. As i can hear the internal aum sound by just putting awareness to it, i just anchor the mind to this sound and the thinking stops immediately. You can try with breath or heartbeat too.

• Just observe and let the thought come to your mind.

• When it comes, note it down. Don't act on it. Otherwise you will start thinking!

• Don't get into the train of thinking. If you do, stop it immediately.

• Spend maximum time of the day in this mode.

• When you have to think like at work, think for a limited time, only about the task at hand. And nothing else at all. After that stop thinking.

• You will soon develop the awareness of the thinking mode and thoughts mode.

This simple technique is a combination of mindfulness, nada yoga and mission control, all combined together, connecting the dots!

Being in nature helps

The recent trip to Alaska, follwoed by a trip to Vegas helped to sink in this state even more...

Three states:

There is a no thoughts mode, a thought mode, (where a thought pops up like a bubble) and a thinking mode, where active thinking is done. The state of alertness allows me to be at rest most of the time, when thoughts come, in note them down, now a days in the note taking app. I think when i have to. In all the stages, anchoring to inner om sound is constant. When i thought comes, i don't start thinking automatically.

Benefits of the thoughtless state.

After all this, what are the benefits of this state of being thoughtless?

Reduced sleep:

The sleep duration has reduced automatically now. The mind does not need so much sleep to get rest anymore. On days, when the body demands more sleep, i just let go. There are no alarms to wakeup in the morning. 

Manifestation of desires for loka kalyanam:

When there are no thoughts, the time stands still for me. In this state, any manifestation done, yeilds rapid results. Especially when they are directed towards helping others.

Reduced stress levels

Stress levels are lower as attachements and aversions are lower and hence, the ability to action increases.

As my mentor, ambrishji says: stress is the inability of the mind to handle a situation.

The inability originates from the mind, due to it being attached and avoiding certain things, events, people etc. Usually its a manifestation of deep rooted greed or fear or some emotion. Once the mind is not seeking or avoiding anything, the stress level has to reduce. Needless to say the lifestyle diseases are automatically kept at bay.

Higher energy levels

Mind consumes a very high amount of energy. Monks ear very less, not because their activity is low, it a because their mind is at rest. With this state, the energy levels are high and one sleeps, because usually, it is time to sleep. This gives you more time to fulfill your roles, for sarva loka kalyanam initiatives.

Higher sensitivity

Subtle changes to the environment, people, their behaviour, are easily noticed. In fact, sometimes, looking at someone, you can almost read their mind.

Blessing

May you reach the thoughtless state without having any thoughts about the state! 😆