I Am Not My Thoughts

Many of us (all?) have a near-constant ticker tape of words running through our minds: narration, ideation, judgment, planning, reliving, regretting, anticipating, explaining….

Subconsciously, or consciously, this stream of thoughts feels like the essence of who we are. Thoughts have an uncanny ability to make us think that they run the show: that they are our wisdom, our intellect, our character, our essence. When we anoint them with this power, we put them in the driver seat, and we’re left as hapless passengers, with no control of the destination, speed limit, or whether we’re jumping curbs along the way.

Sometimes (often?), when we sit down and turn our attention to the sensations of the breath entering and leaving the body, suddenly the cackling “thought gremlins” grab the wheel and we’re off on another bumpy ride, holding on for dear life.

When this happens, it can be fun to gently, quietly drop this phrase into the space of the mind:

“I am not my thoughts.”

And then, if only for a moment, we might catch sight of our true self, the clear-seeing, kind-hearted, innately wise self that is so often drowned out when we let our thoughts run the show.

The effect may last just an instant, but when the bumpy ride begins again, with thoughts at the wheel, we can again drop the phrase,

“I am not my thoughts”,

into our inner space, and again make contact with the bigger us that lies just beneath the surface.

May we all see thoughts for what they are, just one part of our lived experience, not our defining element,

Your friends at CMP

About CMP

CMP thrives on donations. All of our weekly sessions are free and open to the public, but donations are essential to our sustainability. CMP is a licensed charity in the state of CT as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Checks, cash and credit cards are accepted and donations are tax deductible. Visit our website (www.CommunityMindfulnessProject.org) to donate by credit card. Checks can be given to facilitators at our weekly sits or mailed to Community Mindfulness Project, P.O. Box 1713, New Canaan, CT 06840.