Self talk/ Inner Chatter

[ndm678]

Maybe this belongs elsewhere. It's the current hurdle on my path.

I'm in constant thought, sometimes its negative, most times not. People talk to me and I've 'checked out' or split my attention within a few seconds. I have brief moments of peace during meditation. I observe this happening, and I end up thinking about not thinking. This routine persists from waking to sleep. 

There isn't much on the web in regards to it. Most is about 'negative self talk. I watched a couple Eckart Tolle videos, he talks about finding the pause in between thoughts. I observed that there doesn't seem to be a pause, it flawlessly bleeds into the next thought tunnel.

Inebriated creates breaks, but I can't be inebriated constantly, nor do I want to be.

Attempts of self correction devolve into self conversations, processes and techniques, hey a squirrel, and so on.

The positive is I can be really deep with contemplation, but all and all it feels more like an hindrance.

It bleeds into my work (I mostly work solo, I troubleshoot and repair machines), not in a negative way. I have long drives also in my work (ebooks and sometimes just no noise distractions). I live alone and don't have many daily tasks there. I have the time to be undisturbed and still, and its constant monkey chatter. I don't watch much TV, I have a wonderful one in my head. I hike and go fishing. I spend days in the woods, alone with my chatter.

Maybe someone else has experienced this. It would be cool to shut it off for awhile.

 

[Thought Art]

There are plenty of books on this and entire schools of psychology around changing your entire inner dialogue. Leo has man books on his book list.

[ZzzleepingBear]

45 minutes ago, ndm678 said:

Maybe this belongs elsewhere. It's the current hurdle on my path.

I'm in constant thought, sometimes its negative, most times not. People talk to me and I've 'checked out' or split my attention within a few seconds. I have brief moments of peace during meditation. I observe this happening, and I end up thinking about not thinking. This routine persists from waking to sleep. 

There isn't much on the web in regards to it. Most is about 'negative self talk. I watched a couple Eckart Tolle videos, he talks about finding the pause in between thoughts. I observed that there doesn't seem to be a pause, it flawlessly bleeds into the next thought tunnel.

 

You already have some good momentum here by being aware of thought, as a doing on it own. So that's great.

Thinking about not thinking is where this meta hiccup really becommes a merry-go-round as you already noticed.

Here is what you can try and do. Instead of thinking about not to think once you catch yourself thinking. Try to confirm the thinking an meet up with it as if you want to get the point of the compulsive thoughts, as you would while listening to a child. If the child say, "Oh look there is a squirrel in that tree. You can confirm with, "yes, I see". This allow you to create a gap between what is seen, and what comment may arise as respond to seeing. 

Another thought might be self blaming thoughts like. "I'm such an idiot". Notice the thought and confirm it with something like. "Ok, I'm listening".

This approach invites the arising of the compulsive thoughts to play themselves out as you follow along in a present state of awarness of them. The smal comments you initially do, is to invite the thoughts that arises to make their point as if they have a point. When you listen into theses compulsive thoughts, you don't try to ignore or confronting them by doing so. An continuous inner dialog, can only be maintained aslong as it is a dialog. By listening in and confirming a thought as if you been waiting for a point to be made, you might start to notice that the thoughts intensity and rapidness start to go down.

Edited July 22, 2021 by ZzzleepingBear

[Nahm]

@ndm678

Who ya talking about? 

2 hours ago, ndm678 said:

Maybe this belongs elsewhere. It's the current hurdle on pineapple’s path.

Pineapple’s in constant thought, sometimes pineapple is negative, most times not. People talk to pineapple and pineapple’s 'checked out' or split pineapple’s attention within a few seconds. Pineapple has brief moments of peace during meditation. Pineapple observes this happening, and pineapple ends up thinking about not thinking. This routine persists from waking to sleep. 

There isn't much on the web in regards to it. Most is about 'negative pineapple talk. Pineapple watched a couple Eckart Tolle videos, he talks about finding the pause in between thoughts. Pineapple observed that there doesn't seem to be a pause, it flawlessly bleeds into the next thought tunnel.

Inebriated creates breaks, but pineapple can't be inebriated constantly, nor does pineapple want to be.

Attempts of pineapple correction devolve into pineapple conversations, processes and techniques, hey a squirrel, and so on.

The positive is pineapple can be really deep with contemplation, but all and all it feels more like an hindrance.

It bleeds into pineapple’s work (pineapple mostly works solo, Pineapple troubleshoots and repairs machines), not in a negative way. Pineapple has long drives also in pineapple’s work (ebooks and sometimes just no noise distractions). Pineapple lives alone and doesn’t have many daily tasks there. Pineapple has the time to be undisturbed and still, and its constant monkey chatter. Pineapple doesn’t watch much TV, pineapple has a wonderful one in pineapple’s head. Pineapple likes to hike and go fishing. Pineapple spend days in the woods, alone with pineapple’s chatter.

Maybe someone else has experienced this. It would be cool to shut it off for awhile.

There is the illusory self of thought, as much as you are a pineapple. 

[Thought Art]

@Nahm Yeah, but they are real for those who are drowning in them. One must gain mastery over their minds!

Edited July 22, 2021 by Thought Art

[Nahm]

@Thought Art

“They”…? “Those”…? “Them”…? “Their minds”…?

[Thought Art]

1 hour ago, Nahm said:

@Thought Art

“They”…? “Those”…? “Them”…? “Their minds”…?

Yes, I mean there appear to me anyway, to be many schools of psychology throughout human history. Why is that surprising to you?

It is all one. But, this One, has a lot of complexity too it that needs to be addressed beyond non-dual understanding. It think non-duality as a paradigm and school of thought if over applied quickly becomes a prison and antithetical to its own self. It should, and ultimately does include EVERYTHING. Which includes human psychology, survival, self image, beliefs, etc

I don't think I am the only person in existence, or the only being as I am here, dualistically manifest within the one whole. There appears to be with whole social matrix and survival game taking place on a mass scale. 

Enlightenment could be viewed a vertical progress, transcendence, non-duality, seeing the oneness that we are all at our true core... but you still need to learn to think which is why I appreciate western psychology. 

My favourite Bon Iver Lyrics is "Gnosis ain't gonna buy you no groceries"

Edited July 22, 2021 by Thought Art

[Nahm]

15 minutes ago, Thought Art said:

Yeah, but they are real for those who are drowning in them. One must gain mastery over their minds!

Yes, I mean there appear to me anyway, to be many schools of psychology throughout human history. Why is that surprising to you?

It’s not surprising, it’s nonsensical. Compare direct experience & the abstractions. 

15 minutes ago, Thought Art said:

I don't think I am the only person in existence, or the only being. There appears to be with whole social matrix and survival game taking place on a mass scale. 

Those are related. 

15 minutes ago, Thought Art said:

Enlightenment could be viewed a vertical progress, transcendance but you still need to learn to think which is why I appreciate western psychology. 

Godspeed on outthinkin God. 

[Thought Art]

1 hour ago, Nahm said:

It’s not surprising, it’s nonsensical. Compare direct experience & the abstractions. 

Those are related. 

Godspeed on outthinkin God. 

Hey, I don't know what I don't know. Not trying to out think God. But, from my perspective there are billions of God, walking around with all these problems. 

Man, this whole thing is loaded. 

Edited July 22, 2021 by Thought Art

[Nahm]

@Thought Art

 So loaded. 

There was a subtle change of context. I’m suggesting the ‘drowning in it’ is only ‘the separate self’, which is only ‘in’ thought. That there isn’t ‘the thinker of thoughts’, or the ‘one who must gain mastery’. How no one bats an eye at God being the ‘ground’ beneath every single footstep in dumbfounding perfection without fail… yet simultaneously claiming a role of ‘the thinker’. Likewise, that there could be ‘complexity beyond nonduality’. It does indeed seem like “I’m in constant thought”, and “complexity” is something more than just another thought, but the subtle realization these are not actually direct experience, nor possible, stands to be liberating. Learn away, enjoy the heck out of the experience for sure. The ‘learner’, separate self thoughts, the ‘identity’, doesn’t add anything to the experience or enjoyment, ‘it’ takes away from, complicates, etc. Seems to, anyways. 

And really, the sooner this is brought to attention, the sooner the practice is undertaken, the sooner the end of suffering is. Arguably, that one recognition, the ‘why’ of the practice, is the most significant realization which could be ‘had’. 

[Thought Art]

1 hour ago, Nahm said:

@Thought Art

 So loaded. 

There was a subtle change of context. I’m suggesting the ‘drowning in it’ is only ‘the separate self’, which is only ‘in’ thought. That there isn’t ‘the thinker of thoughts’, or the ‘one who must gain mastery’. How no one bats an eye at God being the ‘ground’ beneath every single footstep in dumbfounding perfection without fail… yet simultaneously claiming a role of ‘the thinker’. Likewise, that there could be ‘complexity beyond nonduality’. It does indeed seem like “I’m in constant thought”, and “complexity” is something more than just another thought, but the subtle realization these are not actually direct experience, nor possible, stands to be liberating. Learn away, enjoy the heck out of the experience for sure. The ‘learner’, separate self thoughts, the ‘identity’, doesn’t add anything to the experience or enjoyment, ‘it’ takes away from, complicates, etc. Seems to, anyways. 

And really, the sooner this is brought to attention, the sooner the practice is undertaken, the sooner the end of suffering is. Arguably, that one recognition, the ‘why’ of the practice, is the most significant realization which could be ‘had’. 

See, I don't know about that. I don't really know if I understand you tbh, I will re-read here shortly.

Personally, imo I have thoughts, a body and nervous system that make up a lot of the elements of my experiences. And, ideally I develop thoughts, a state of being, a physical quality based on nutrition, proper skeletal alignment, and body awareness etc. The learning and developing mastery over ones thoughts, mind, body, behaviours, habits, etc I think are great for enjoying the experience while here as a human. 

There may be a groundless ground, a no self, a true self, God, non-duality and a nobody as the truth of the experience. But, I still would like to master these dualistic elements because I see that as being important personally.

I don't know if I am understanding you, I think we have very different types of seeing and being. I am trying to develop a nuanced and integrated understanding of reality, and admit I am still just getting started. 

Edited July 22, 2021 by Thought Art

[ndm678]

@ZzzleepingBear Thanks for the tips, I'll practice them.

@Nahm I, pineapple, understand where you're (pineapple) coming from. I just haven't realized I'm a pineapple as of yet. This pineapple hasn't been able to apply a direct experience yet, but we pineapples need to start somewhere ?.

@Thought Art I, the pineapple, will check out Leo's (pineapple's) book list for some more info. Thank you for the suggestion.

[ZzzleepingBear]

You're welcome @ndm678 . And once your thoughts calm down, you can with more ease shift your awareness to your breath and body sensations in general, and of course your direct environment, more so than before.

[LarryJustin]

I'm a newbie here. I need your tips. How to improve self-confidence? Thank you!

[The Buddha]

@ndm678 Be aware of your breathing. Mind and breathing are one and the same, if you focus on breathing mind dissapears, if u get lost in mind breathing dissapears. The most effective method for me is Soham, So taking air in, ham taking air out. Soham is the sound the breathing makes naturally, so it's very easy.

@LarryJustin Accept yourself, love yourself. You don't need anyone's aprouval. Accept the fact that you can't live to anyones expectatives, not even yours. Accept the fact that you everybody can't like you, accept that people may dislike you are hate you. Accept to be rejected or laughed at. Accept the possibility of great failure, lost, pain and suffering. Accept your fears in the moment by awareness, feel them fully, feel your fears, breath through your fears and then let them go.

[LarryJustin]

Thank you so much @Buddha for your positive reply. I will definitely try to follow it. 

[ndm678]

Thank you @the Buddha. I will practice Soham.