Is it possible to have a completely quiet mind?

[Farnaby]

Hi!

I've heard different opinions on this topic. Some people say you can only be aware of your monkey mind and learn not to fuel it and other people say it's possible to have a completely quiet mind. 

In my experience, my mind has never been completely quiet. I would describe the most blissful states I've experienced as my mind not sticking to any particular thought, emotion, perception and letting everything flow smoothly. But I don't remember a time where it has been completely empty.

Is it actually possible? 

What is your experience like?

Thank you  

[Gesundheit]

Absolutely, it is possible.

Is it possible to maintain it for too long? I doubt it.

Anyway, that's not necessarily related to happiness. I could think and be happy with my thoughts, and I could feel sadness without thoughts. The relationship between awareness and thought is what's important here. If there's friction, then there's resistance. If there's resistance, then there's unhappiness/suffering.

Edited December 21, 2020 by Gesundheit

[James123]

@Farnaby of course it is possible. Remain silent and still. Dont judge, condemn and fight with the thoughts. Just be witness. You are already awareness itself. Just witness whatever is there. Sooner or later, silence or present moment will take over so called monkey mind. Meditation, letting go and surrendering play key role in this progress. Specially after awakening experience, maybe so called mind will be permanently gone and transforms. Than %90 of the time you just think at the moment, rest is you are the moment. 

[Moksha]

Monkey mind is mistaken identification with your thoughts.

Aware mind is spacious observation of your thoughts.

Still mind is resting in yourself, free from thoughts.

Active mind is Conscious creativity through thoughts.

[erik8lrl]

Yes, with practice, you can reach a point where you have full control over your mind. Shut it off or turn it on like a switch. 

[Forestluv]

@Farnaby If you are into books, The Mind Illuminated by John Yates does a good job with the mechanics of mind how to use meditation to quiet the mind. 

[Farnaby]

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts and experiences!

Maybe I have experimented that "empty mind" state, but it only lasts for a very short period of time. Let's say I notice I'm lost in my thoughts. I can bring my attention back to the present moment, but very quickly my mind will start labeling things I'm perceiving (chair, room, trees, thoughts, cold, warm, etc.).

It's definitely not as bad as it was when I got completely identified with the thought stories and emotions, but it's usually not completely quiet either. 

I do think I spend most of the day being aware that I'm aware and with a certain distance between me and what is happening in my mind and outside, which has helped me let go of a lot of reactions that came from my wounded ego.

@Forestluv thank you, I'll check that book out  

Edited December 21, 2020 by Farnaby

[mandyjw]

4 hours ago, Farnaby said:

What is your experience like?

Oh look, a squirrel!!!

[Gesundheit]

Thinking is a function of the brain. I've experienced states of no mind which were very uncomfortable. There was a desire to form thoughts, but not the ability to do so. Just wanted to add this here as to support my point above.

[snowyowl]

5 hours ago, Farnaby said:

But I don't remember a time where it has been completely empty.

I think if you literally have a completely empty mind there would be nothing to remember, not even any awareness of time passing, rather like being in a dreamless sleep state, or a general anaesthetic. But there is a state of pure awareness without thought, where there are still sensory activities like hearing, feeling etc, which just flows through without anyone to observe it or think about it. 

I've got the TMI book as my meditation project for next year - btw it's available for free download on archive.org if you're short of cash. 

[Corpus]

3 hours ago, Moksha said:

Monkey mind is mistaken identification with your thoughts.

Aware mind is spacious observation of your thoughts.

Still mind is resting in yourself, free from thoughts.

Active mind is Conscious creativity through thoughts.

I like this. The mind is not to be abolished and if we think of it as the 6th sense gate having it permanently stilled (which I guess some non-meditators imagine to be the goal of meditation) would be to diminish ones experience. Like losing the faculty of hearing, or vision.

[allislove]

Thought is a feature, not a bug  
Just have to learn how to use this feature – do not cling to the thought if it doesn't feel good.
 

4 hours ago, Moksha said:

Monkey mind is mistaken identification with your thoughts.

Aware mind is spacious observation of your thoughts.

Still mind is resting in yourself, free from thoughts.

Active mind is Conscious creativity through thoughts.

Well said ^^

 

[Nahm]

Having a completely quiet mind is not having a completely quiet mind. 

[allislove]

9 minutes ago, Nahm said:

Having a completely quiet mind is not having a completely quiet mind. 

??

[Nahm]

@allislove

[Javfly33]

22 minutes ago, allislove said:

Thought is a feature, not a bug  
Just have to learn how to use this feature – do not cling to the thought if it doesn't feel good.
 

Well said ^^

 

The hell of being identified with thoughts is also a feature?

I always ask myself, why not everyone was born enlightened? 

[allislove]

@Javfly33

Exactly, everything is "by design", no bugs at all, perfection  
Identification with a thought, the road of self realization is a hell lot of fun, would be too boring without it. 

[James123]

16 minutes ago, Javfly33 said:

I always ask myself, why not everyone was born enlightened? 

Because when “you” are awaken, “you” realize that you never born. Self or universe was just a process of thoughts, which is nothing. 

[James123]

43 minutes ago, Javfly33 said:

The hell of being identified with thoughts is also a feature?

It is created by nothingness as nothing. Therefore nothing was never created, therefore separation has never happened. “You are already awake” says comes from that perspective. Because Whatever you do, so called believe in thoughts or life dont matter. You are already what you are. 

[Arcangelo]

7 hours ago, Farnaby said:

Is it actually possible? 

YES.