# Quieting the mind



## Lauralee (Jan 4, 2002)

Is it possible to quiet ALL thoughts? It seems I always have an inner dialogue going and even when it is quiet, there are still background thoughts (usually about stopping the dialogue!). I want to achieve a state of COMPLETE inner silence, no thoughts of any type on any level. Is this achievable and HOW?Even while doing Mike's tapes, while I am concentrating totally on the sound of his voice, I find myself repeating what he said in my head. If I do not do that, my mind will wander. I feel like I have a class of unruly 8 year olds in my head and I cannot get them all quiet at the same time regardless of what I do! Even if I do get the kids quiet, the teacher (me) is still talking. HELP!


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Laura, Trust me, I'm no expert...... And I know exactly what you mean. But trying to "blank" your mind, as in completely blank, for me???........ not possible. I can however quiet things down in there significantly by focusing my thoughts on ONE thing in particular. If I have relaxing music on via headphones, I can just listen to every musical note, or just a particular musical instrument within the song. Or I can just listen to the music and try to feel where it takes me. Other times, without music, I just focus on ONE, relaxing, peaceful, positive image; the waves coming in on the beach, a sunset from the top of a mountain, laying on my back staring at a skyful of stars>>>>whatever sends me at that particular moment. The point, I think (real emphasis on "I think") is to not think about the past, the future or the days events. The point, I think, is just to focus on whatever pleasant image you can conjure up and stay in that image, being in that image only; with no past, no future, just the here & now of that calming vision. So instead of trying to kick everything out of your head, one is really trying to put IN One thing and nothing else.Ok> That is my guess, anyway.







BQ


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Lauralee, one thing with this is the more you practice, the easierr it becomes, although individual mileage may very and BQ posted good thoughts on this.I can do it but I have been practicing a long time. One way to try to do it is to picture (this may sound strange) yourself as a rock. A rock has no feeling or emotions. It is also better to use imagery then words when working at this level as the brain likes that better. It is easier to start like BQ said with one thought highly focused. I personnally do all kinds of things now with the HT. I can imagine myself as the captain of the enterprize and imagine anything I like lol, although that is different then what your saying here, but the possiblities are endless.Try however on your own closing your eyes and picture floating in space where there is no past and no future, just the present and the present is comfortable and you have no feelings of your body and your thoughts are calm. There is no rush and no worries. The minute something enters your mind let it go and focus on just bliss of mind and body. Try that for a while and let me know what happens.This whole process does take some practice, but it does get easier to do. Its also important to be able to let just things go and that get easier the more you do it.


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## Lauralee (Jan 4, 2002)

Thanks for the great answers! I do need a bit more though...OK, BQ, when you are focusing on the waves, or whatever it may be, is your mind running through a million things (look at the whitecaps, boy the sand is hot, is that a boat in the distance, that cloud looks like a squirrel, etc.)? Or can you just simply see the waves without interference from your thoughts? How long did it take you to be able to put in just one thing? Did your mind give you trouble at first?Eric, you can totally clear all thought? That is just amazing to me. Did you start to learn how to do that with Mike's tapes and progress from there, or had you been practicing before you started the tapes? You said it was better to use imagery than words. I can get the imagery, but as I mentioned to BQ, the words come, too (sand, squirrels, etc.). Will the words just turn off on their own as I practice or do I need to make a conscious effort to turn them off (adding more words in the process!)?I know this is just basic meditation, but for some reason my mind is a real talker. I can be very quiet on the outside, but there is constant chatter on the inside! Eric, I will try the floating in space, bliss thing and see where it takes me and I will let you know what happens!Thanks!Laura


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

lauralee, I was doing similar things for a long time now before Mike's tapes, however after the tapes it was a lot easier to do and way more highly focused. I use imagery now whereas before I used more words as well. It did give me some trouble at first so you know, but eventually it gets way easier to do. Somedays are harder then others to achieve it, depending on what's going on and how much mind chatter there is on any given day. It takes practice to turn off the mind clutter and words. Try closing your eyes and picture your self as a rock, no words no thoughts. Be a rock anotherwords. Try that for a bit like I said and see what happens. Also, no worries about the questions.


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Lauralee, did you read this as it is an important part of the picture. http://www.mindbodymed.com/EducationCenter/fight.html I also want to go over something else here that I feel is an important part to this. And that is in part the success of being able to do this.This is something I just saw, have no idea who she is really although I think I did post a thread by her before I think. But she brings up some important issues to what happens when you achieve a certain peace of mind. Check it out and I will tell you what I am thinking on it. http://fsc.fsonline.com/fsj/articles/070101char.shtml


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Laura the only word I can think of for what I do is "immersion". I immerse myself in the image and am "watching" it, like a video, only live, lol. Eric??? Help me splain this??? LOLI may feel the image but I ain't talking about it, well that I'm aware of anyway. (Psst> if I am, don't tell me.







lol)You will get this Laura, it just takes some time, discipline (believe it or not-to set time aside to 'practice') and practice and your thoughts will calm down. Good for you for even being aware of this flighty thought thang. Many of us with IBS can have this.Keep rolling along







BQ


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## LML (Jul 17, 2001)

LauraleeYou've gotten great advise from some experts, and while I've just begun Mike's tapes I have done some of this sort of thing before. One thing thathelps me is to try to see all those bothersome thoughts that race thru the mind as images rather than words. The words become more problematical than imagry. Then mentally put the images in little bubbles and allow yourself to watch them drift off. It's easier for me to eliminate a lot of the mental stuff if I just acknowledge it, and release it that way. Trying to consciously drive it away takes too much focus and energy. I also find that if I really relax my body, bit by bit, the mind eventually follows. Keep trying, and don't put pressure on youself to get it perfect ... you'll get better at it with time.


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## Lauralee (Jan 4, 2002)

Eric, I read the two links. I had read the first one before, but since I killed off so many brain cells in my hard living youth, I had forgotten about the pointers at the end! Thanks for the reminder.About the second link, what I found interesting was the old path/new path thing. I have done something similar to this on my own, but never had a way to move from one path to the other. I thought I had to backtrack on the old path, back to the beginning of the new path (the fork of the Y) and go on from there. It never occurred to me that I could cut right across the middle! As far as the peace being too comfortable and boring, so you go back to the old ways, I guess in a way I agree with that. So, what were you thinking on it?BQ and LML, thanks to you both! I will just keep practicing and let the chatter die on its own. I will use some of your suggestions, all good ones!My husband tells me I have a bad habit of over-analyzing everything. He is probably right and that is probably part of the problem. I don't just let things happen, I have to think about them too much! Why, oh, why, do I do that to myself?







Another odd thing...the past two nights, I have been listening to Side 3. I do not remember anything past the well and I have woke up both nights during the beginning of Side 4. I usually wake up during the count at the end of Side 3. What's the deal?


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Laura, I willl answer your last question first. You are probably going under further and that is a good thing, you don't have to worry in the slightest on that.







You can analize and let go at the same time. LOL It gets easier the more you do it.The point I was talking about here, and this happened to me when I was done, was I had more energy and was calmer, yet that was new to me and the extra energy at first was actually kind of weird and hard to deal with untill I settled into it and was use to it. This was a good point she brought up and worth mentioning here. Extra energy can be like good stress and work sometimes agaisnt staying calm. LOL Although you adjust and get use to it and can focus it also on other things.You and me both had a hard living youth, I think I know what you mean.







Its okay from new research it seems most of them grow back and in the past they did not think that happened.







Learning to let go and not over analize is very important, that is a part of the mind chatter. Be a rock first.


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## Lauralee (Jan 4, 2002)

Wow, Eric, I thought those brain cells were gone for good! So, they think now that they grow back? Certainly good news for some of us!







I tried to be a rock yesterday. I can tell you that I am the noisiest rock in the history of the world! I will keep trying though. I'm not going to give up that easily.







You know I was falling asleep during Side 3 and waking up during Side 4? Well, last night it happened again, but this time when I woke up, I heard Mike say that hypno was safe ( I usually hear him say not to listen in the car). That is usually my clue that I am on the beginning of the next side because he only says that at the beginning. So, I turned it off. But then, I started to worry that I really was still on Side 3 and turned it off too soon! I couldn't get it out of my head that I messed up and cut it off before it was over. So, does it matter if you turn it off too soon? I really don't think I did. I think I just confused myself. Listen to me worry! How pathetic is this?!


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