Thinking About…

One of the unexpected benefits of the pandemic shut down was that we all started connecting via the Internet, largely Zoom, with people around the country and the world from our own home. All the Dharma centers have moved their offerings to the online platform as did my home Sangha, InsighLA. Now we have access to all the different communities and teachers. What a blessing! I’ve been gratefully attending a daily practice group with one of my respected teacher, Gil Fronsdal of Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City on YouTube for the last few months.

The topic this week has been about “mindfulness of thinking.” We’re all thinking about something most of our awake hours. It’s a simple concept and very powerful tool if we can learn to utilize it.

These days I’m thinking about my mom being dislocated from her apartment for almost 30 years; about how and when I will get to travel to see her; about how much longer my kitty will be around; about the issues in our world at large; and about all the business and personal matters I need to tend to on a daily basis. My mind can spin out easily, and I end up feeling stressed and anxious. I’m sure many people experience that, especially these days.

Once I can become aware of what I am thinking about and how such thoughts are affecting my mood, attitude, and my body, etc., I am able to make a choice to let go of those thoughts, especially when what I’m thinking about is fear or desire based. But gosh, it is so easy to go down the rabbit hole with some obsessive thinking! As Gil teaches (or I should say how Buddha taught), if the thoughts are not wholesome or skillful, it’s a good idea to let go. O.K.

So this is what I’m thinking about today — thinking about thinking…