“Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet. It is a way of entering into the quiet that is already there—buried under the 50,000 thoughts the average person thinks every day.”- Deepak Chopra
What he doesn’t know is that my brain doesn’t belong to the average person. My brain thinks probably 150,000 thoughts a day. I don’t think there is a “quiet” already there. Truly. I wish it was that easy. I get insomnia because I can’t stop thinking thoughts, many of which are random…. I hope I recorded Lost, or I’m going to be pissed…… Dammit dog, quit with the farting…..The hip bone’s connected to the…..thigh bone; the thigh bone’s connected to the…..Hey, I have to remember to change the laundry…… The shower needs cleaning…..I wonder if I should go to the grocery store. Let’s see… we need fruit and veggies and laundry soap ….. Did I sign the permission slip for the kiddo’s field trip…….….. I wonder how much is in the bank. I’d better check that…… The thigh bone’s connected to the…..no, wait, I already went through that……..When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie……………I’d better check on……
See? Random.
Ok, so I’m warped. We knew that. The point is that I don’t think that I have a “quiet”. Is there anyone else out there like that, or just me?
You’re not alone, for the only time I feel like I’m not thinking is when I’m sleeping. And even then, I still think thoughts are flowing. I’ve found that I think less when I play golf. It’s quite amazing since I haven’t played in years (15), but I just started playing again. All I think about is hitting the ball straight. If life was only that easy. Unfortunately, when I’m done playing my thoughts begin swirling again. And in all my thoughts my son is central. I sure do miss him. I’m hoping I’ll see him soon though. See, I can’t go without thinking of him. He’s such a precious little boy and not just because he’s my little boy.
I’m a lot like that, too. I lay down and that seems to be my “thinking time”. Randomly. Intentionally. Sometimes worried thoughts. Sometimes happy thoughts. But constantly running.
You’re not alone, my friend!
oh, deepak, he makes it seem so easy….
i want him to try and meditate at my house. sit his cross-legged butt down on the floor while my 4 year old pukes and my 1 and 1/2 year old screams MAMAAAAAAAAAAA!!! at the top of his lungs. how you meditating now, mr. chopra??
I have a hard time winding down enough to go to sleep too. It was so bad at one point in my life that I kept a notepad and pencil next to the bed so that all the things I knew I needed to remember the next day went onto paper!
I think we all do have ‘quiet’, but some of us experience much, much differently than Deepak. For example, do you space off while driving? Meaning you get to where you are going and don’t remember how you got there? I consider those moments ‘quiet’.