Listen to the podcast:

Or, read the blog:
I recently had a conversation with a listener who asked why meditation teachers discourage thinking. Our ability to think, he said, is what makes us human. It’s what allows us to solve problems and achieve goals, so why would we want to shut it off? This is a good question deserving of a thoughtful answer.
No, you don’t have to stop thinking
Let’s start by addressing a common misconception. Clearing your mind of all thoughts is NOT what meditation is all about. Meditation teaches you to become aware of thoughts when they come up and to notice that they are merely phenomena that come and go. When a thought comes up, you do not have to follow it with your attention. You can let go of it and refocus your attention.
 Another way to say this is, you are not your thoughts. You are a person having thoughts. Most people over-identify with their thoughts, they feel as if their thoughts define them. Let me give you an example.
On a recent visit to my mother’s house, I walked by her curio cabinet full of knick-knacks and I thought to myself, “I don’t want all this stuff; it’s going to be such a pain to deal with all of it.” In other words, I was thinking ahead to when, one day, I’d be executor of my mother’s estate and be responsible for her possessions.
 If I were identified with my thoughts, I might think I was a monstrous person, not only wishing for my mother’s death, but being disrespectful of the possessions she holds dear. I might feel pretty bad about myself. Thankfully, I was mindful in the moment and I realized that my thought was just a random phenomenon that popped up. I love my mother and do not wish her dead, and there’s no need for me to worry about dealing with her possessions until that time comes. I simply let go of the thought. It didn’t say anything about me as a person and it wasn’t worth thinking about any more - although it does make a good teaching example!

Peaceful Moment of the Week: Autumn Landscape

Meditation teaches us to notice our thoughts and see them from a more objective point of view without identifying with them.
The more you practice meditation and mindfulness, the easier it becomes to notice and let go of thoughts. The ability to let go is what makes it feel as if you are calming your mind, or having fewer thoughts. The truth is thoughts may arise just as frequently as they always did, but they no longer demand your attention. They no longer drag you with them. They no longer concern you.
It’s common for a novice meditator to become agitated when they notice just how busy their mind is. And, in the beginning, it’s hard to let go of thoughts. Even when you successfully let go of a thought, another one might pop right up.
A seasoned meditator is more relaxed when a thought comes up. They know that a thought is nothing to be concerned about, because it’s possible to just let go of it. They, too, might have days when their mind is very busy, but they know to just keep patiently noticing and letting go.
As I’ve said many times, noticing and letting go is mediation. It’s what you’re attempting to practice when you sit down to meditate.
What’s wrong with thinking?
So, now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s address the question of whether thinking is a good thing or a bad thing. It can go either way. Obviously, our ability to think, reason, make decisions, and problem-solve is immensely valuable. You don’t want to shut that off, nor does mindfulness practice encourage you to shut it off.
Instead, you can think in a mindful way.