Are you the creator of thoughts - or their witness?

Objective:

Thoughts often feel like ours - as if we actively choose and control them. But if you observe closely, you might notice that thoughts arise spontaneously, like clouds drifting across the sky. They appear, change, and disappear without any effort from you.

Can you see where a thought comes from? Can you see where it goes when it vanishes?

This exercise invites you to question the deeply ingrained belief that you are the thinker of your thoughts. What if you are not the creator of thoughts but simply aware of their coming and going? Recognizing this can reduce your identification with thoughts, bringing greater ease and freedom to the mind.

Exercise:

1. Find a quiet place where you can sit comfortably for a few minutes without distraction.

2. Close your eyes to minimize external input.

3. Observe your thoughts as they arise. Don’t try to stop or control them - just let them move freely.

4. Ask yourself:

   • Where did this thought come from?

   • Did I choose to think it, or did it just appear?

   • What happens if I wait for the next thought—can I predict what it will be?

5. Notice how thoughts emerge and dissolve on their own. Like waves in the ocean, they come and go, but the ocean itself remains unchanged.

6. Shift your perspective: Instead of being the thinker, simply be the one aware of thoughts. Awareness itself does not change - it remains still and present, no matter what thoughts arise.

Common Pitfalls & Insights:

The urge to control thoughts:
Many people feel frustrated when they try to “catch” where a thought begins. But that’s the whole point - thoughts arise spontaneously, without effort. Notice the frustration too - it’s just another thought!

The insight into thought’s fleeting nature:
The more you observe, the clearer it becomes that thoughts have their own rhythm. They never stay for long, and they don’t need to be analyzed or taken seriously.

Freedom from identification:
When you realize that thoughts come and go without you needing to do anything, you naturally stop taking them so personally. This can create a deep sense of lightness and freedom.

Practical Applications in Daily Life:

Break the cycle of overthinking:
When you notice yourself caught in rumination, pause and ask:

• Where did this thought come from?

• Do I even need to follow it?
  This simple shift can bring you back to presence.

Reduce worry and repetitive thinking:
If you find yourself stuck in anxious thoughts, observe them like passing trains - you don’t need to jump on. Just watch them come and go.

Practice in everyday moments:
While waiting in line, standing at a bus stop, or during a quiet moment - notice where thoughts arise. Try predicting your next thought. Often, you’ll be surprised to find that you can’t control it at all!

Deeper Reflection:

What happens if you stop believing your thoughts are absolute truth?

What if thoughts are just like sounds or scents - experiences that arise and pass, but don’t need to be taken personally?

By exploring this exercise, you may gradually realize that the real you is not your thoughts, but the open, clear space in which all thoughts appear and disappear.

-  Let this exercise become part of your day.  -

You don’t need to do anything special with it. Perhaps you begin your day by reflecting on the question, then let it rest in the background. If you’d like, read the exercise again in the evening and see if anything new has surfaced.

Remember:
There is nothing to achieve here. There is no "right" or "wrong" experience. All you are doing is gently turning your attention toward the awareness that is already present - and letting everything else take care of itself.

With warmth,
Suzanne