A Million Thoughts: Learn All About Meditation from a Himalayan Mystic

A deeply unhappy but rich woman, used to the superstitious ways of living, approached a mystic once. She went with a long list of petty problems and complaints. It’s far easy to cure a disease or treat a patient than cure someone who is actually healthy and of sound mind. The woman was miserable in spite of all the worldly comforts that life had provided to her. She was fit as a bull, had a loving family, hefty savings and a beautiful home. The mystic cast a glance at her troubled round face and thought there truly was nothing he could give the woman, there was certainly no panacea. And yet, there she was seeped in pain sitting by the mystic’s feet hoping for a solution.

After a long pause, he said to the lady, “I will give you an ancient talisman. This will solve all your problems.”

He pulled out an old rusty copper coin with a hole in it and asked her to bury it near the roots of a banyan tree on the night of the full moon. “But, for the talisman to work,” he warned, “there is a condition that must be fulfilled. When you bury the ancient coin, you must not think of any white elephant with three legs, a lame monkey or a talking frog. If you imagine any of these even for a moment, the remedy will fail.”

The woman offered sweets, gold and clothes to the mystic and left happily. The full moon night was ten days away and she reminded herself everyday to not to think about the three legged elephant, lame monkey or the talking frog. Not a moment went by when she didn’t remember the mystic’s last words. For the remedy to work she had to stay away from thinking about these three, she thought. On the night of the full moon, when she went to bury the coin, only three things sprung to her mind: a white elephant, a lame monkey and a talking frog. The very thoughts she had worked hard to avoid.

The golden rule of meditation is: you cannot not think about something by thinking about it.

It’s impossible to avoid thinking about anything by telling yourself that you are not going to think about it. If you follow the golden rule of meditation, following the below mentioned six principles will become much easier.

No Recollection: Don’t Pursue Thoughts of the Past

Your mind will repeatedly draw thoughts of the past from its vast store of memory. Don’t pursue those thoughts. Simply drop them and gently draw your attention back to the present moment. If you do so mindfully, thoughts of the past will not interfere with your meditation.

No Calculation: Don’t Pursue Thoughts of the Present

When you refuse to disturb your attention and let go of any thoughts of the past, your mind will shift to thoughts of the present situation. You will think about where you are sitting, your surroundings, temperature of the room, fragrance of the incense and so on. Once again, pay no heed and draw your attention to the object of your focus.

No Imagination: Don’t Imagine What May Happen in the Future

When you drop thoughts of the past and present with determination and alertness, your mind will conjure up all these images. You may start to think about the future or dream your life a certain way. If you remember that thoughts are empty in their own right, you’ll find it relatively easier to drop the thought. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself daydreaming while meditating. As soon as you find yourself thinking about the future, drop the thought and get back to the present moment.

No Examination: Don’t Analyze Your Thoughts

No matter what type of thought it is, don’t get into analysis. For example, a thought of you getting hurt or abandoned in love might arise. If you start analyzing why it happened to you or where did you go wrong or why did your partner do this and so on, before you know, it your concentration will be lost. While meditating no thought must ever be examined, unless you are doing contemplative meditation, in which case you train your mind to contemplate on a singular thought. For now, just be mindful that any examination or analysis will have an adverse effect on the quality of your meditation.

No Construction: Don’t Try to Create an Experience

Sometimes with persistent meditation, you experience beautiful sounds, fragrances, hues or even glimpses into different states of consciousness. One of the most common mistake meditators make is to crave for the same experience again. This deviates you from the path. If you find yourself longing for a certain experience or waiting for it, gently draw your attention to the present moment. Remind yourself that any desire for an experience is no more than a thought. And thought must be dropped at all costs.

No Digression: Don’t Wander; Simply Stay in the Present Moment