The Trouble with “Thought”
-Why on earth is there any trouble?
-Why are you saying that?
-because I’m “thinking”
-But why do you think about this “thought” ?
-Don’t make me go crazy!
-No…you are crazy!
-Now you’re getting me really mad!
-You see….there is trouble with “thought”
-Fine, Explain…as I see you want trouble…but I’ll control myself!
-Oh…Who’s controlling you?
-I—Am of course!
-Who do you think you are?
-You mean the one who is thinking?
-Indeed!
-Fine, and where do your “thoughts” come from?
– Inside my head!!
– Who put them there?
-No one…they just are there!!!!
-Really?
-YES!
-You mean you were born with your thoughts?
-Of course not..don’t try and make me feel stupid!
-No truly not…I’m just wanting to find out…. Have you ever?
– Ever what?
-Wondered where your thoughts came from?
-No
-Then why are you so cross when you’re asked the question?
-I mean until some one suggested the earth was not a flat slab
people had never questioned it did they?
In fact they got really mad and insecure to ask such a question!
-So what are you getting at?
-Just asking what is a “thought?
-It’s putting 2+ 2 together and saying it’s 4!
-Oh…don’t cheat!…if I had two oranges, one in each hand, then
that’s obvious…there are two oranges…concrete fact!
And if I gave you one, then I have one…concrete fact, right??
-Ok, that’s simple to see!
-But is it different from seeing the “thinking”?
-Of course..if I did not think, I’d not be able to add or subtract!
-Ok…don’t let us get into knots over this…
Are all thinkings or thoughts the same?
_ Well, they come from the same place I guess??
_ right..
_ Are you not thinking all the time you’re asking these questions…I mean what are you getting at?
_I’m not getting at anything..just wanted to know why you got so mad when I asked you that question?
_Because it felt like you want to make fun of me!
_And where did that feeling come from?
_Because I don’t like to be made fun of!
_Are you sure that was my intention?
_Well no , but I’m still feeling you”re laying a trap for me!
_And all these feelings come from where and why?
_Is that not natural? Feeling bad when some one is trying to confuse you?
_oh…is that what you think? That I’m trying to confuse you?
Why is the challenge make you feel bad?
Why do you take everything you think you know for granted?
That’s why everything keeps getting solidified over generations…fixed like a stone!
_Tell me more..
_don’t you sometimes wonder what it would be like if you were the only person on this planet?
_well even if there was no one else, I’d still have experiences which would be in my thoughts?
_ Like hunger, fear, thirst, need for shelter…and I guess having learnt about dangers and how to avoid them?
_ for sure…also feelings
_yes I guess fear must have been a big one!
_ Then I guess came thoughts of how to avoid dangers and find ways to feel more secure..
_ and so on, and on, until today when the branches have covered the whole of the sky…..
Pause
_Don’t you feel sometimes like you are in a play?
Like every one is acting in some play?
_not really…except when we are in a theatre!
_ The theatre of Life!! That’s what we are in…it just keeps on rolling away on auto pilot!
_ What on earth are you going on about?
_ I mean we never question anything!
As if the commentary running constantly in our heads is like a blood stream in our veins!! But it’s NOT!
_Well I’m not even aware of the running thoughts in my head!
_Well no ..it’s become second nature!
_And it’s over crowding us like a dark cloud and we just see facts when we really need to!
_Then how should we stop the running commentary if it’s second nature ?
_ Not with amnesia!
Not when we need to run away from danger, not when we have an appointment…
_ You know I’m slowly seeing something…but it’s really hard as say when I have an appointment, say to see results of a test I’d taken…Then my head gets throbbing full of thoughts…I just had such a day it was torture! The anticipation made me go almost crazy!………I had no control over it! Not only that but the thoughts made my heart beat faster, fingers tingling…I just could not Think straight!
_ Ahh that’s the suffering of “unnecessary thinking”
_ easy said!
_ yes but at least we have seen it’s unnecessary ..the whole of our live’s experiences get jumbled up in a storm, blowing so much dust that we can’t even see the path ahead to see where we have to go!
_ This is the Theatre in the head!
_ with no director
_ well the director is run by all the scripts of all the stories lived by ourselves and others throughout our cultural back ground!
_Poor little me!
That is really the trouble of thought!!
_ it’s taking us for a wild run wherever the wild horses want to go..
_Quite insane!
Quite…especially all our emotions are caught up by the thoughts too…
_ So suddenly if I feel sad or anxious…was it due to thoughts I was not aware of thinking them?
_I guess that’s part of it but we also have deep imprints of thoughts layered into our consciousness over generations and those are much harder to see.
_ How many of us humans could ever be free of all that humongous heavy load?
_ yea….It’s hard work!
_ Then what…won’t we feel a lot more insecure…not having any railings to hold on to??
_That’s fear of the unknown kicking in!
_ Have we tried it out at all?
_ not sure if it’s at all possible.
_ not to have a constant commentary running up in the scull?
_yes
_why?
It seems it has to do something with security!
_If I have to undergo an interview, or any other task which is not routine, I naturally feel anxious…
_ then what?
_then my thoughts look for all the possible situations related to the upcoming event to see how it would cope when the event happens.
_Yea…it’s pure punishment but who wouldn’t feel the same?
_ I’ve heard performers say that that very anxiety makes them perform better.
_or forget everything and not be able to perform at all….
_ I guess that’s when the brain has given up all it’s energy to anxiety and for it’s survival goes blank!
_ I’ve seen that a few times.
_ I’ve also noticed how much energy is generate by that search….
_ I just had a “thought”! hahaha
_ would you not say that all living organisms have an inbuilt survival mode?
I guess in health that is the case.
_ well would this permanent thinking not have the same function?
_ you mean wearing itself out stupid?
_NO!!…I mean trying to feel secure!
_would you say it is achieving that?
_ not exactly but it’s trying to!
_ How stupid must we be to realize the runaway busy, crazy drama constantly in our heads is not giving us peace and quiet to really be able to Think when really necessary!!
_ So we’re back to square one!
_ These days there are so many methods to calm down…
_Also every one knows the expression “burn out” which is literally overloading the brain!
__
Silence…………………….
_ is there not a moment like happened right now when the brain sees itself?
_ You mean has reached it’s own conclusion?
_ Wow…that just happened..it just lasted a few seconds!
_Yes I felt it too!
_ But it did not take long before that silence was interrupted…
_ That’s true… but it was a great start to just come to the end of “Thought” where time too had stopped….
_ Is end of thought end of time?
_It sure felt that way…
Now I see what my thoughts want to do with it!…
It wants more of that!!
Oh!
