Is it possible to not think about anything? It is true that our consciousness is always in a whirlpool. Paul Lambert, Southampton
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Reader replies
You can't just not think about it. Because thinking involves creating a concept, even a concept that might be nothing at all. However, you can also empty your mind and sit without thinking. This does not mean unconsciousness, but the experience of pure consciousness, that is, the mind before we do anything to create our normal experience or the endless fountain of thought. It takes a meditation teacher and a little discipline, but the resulting experience of infinite stillness and peace is exhilarating. Ursol
Think long and hard about the “benefits” of Brexit. Wihuwahu
It is not consciousness that is constantly swirling. It is the thinking function of the mind that is very busy. Consciousness is always peaceful, but it is often overlooked as the background to all experience. lemuel babcock
Yes, that's the answer. In the north-east of Scotland it is called dwarming. Coco Saradge
I'm a philosopher who has faced this question from students many times over the years. The important thing to note is that thinking about nothing is not the same as thinking about nothing. Not thinking about anything simply means not thinking about anything, and certainly that may be possible (for example, in dreamless sleep).
Not thinking about anything means thinking about something, and thinking about Father Christmas means thinking about something, even if there is no Father Christmas to think about. Of course, since there is nothing, you cannot think of something without thinking about it. But one can have the idea that there is nothing, that is, there is nothing. Of course, one cannot think something true that way, but one can still do this, and this is thinking something.
This kind of thinking occupied some of the earliest philosophers. For example, the pre-Socratic Parmenides thought that such considerations could prove that time does not exist. He was wrong about that, but I'm glad that such thoughts continue to occupy people today. It's useless, but it's a lot of fun. Dr Benjamin L Curtis, Nottingham Trent University
Speaking as an owl that doesn't exist, as you can imagine, I've been thinking a lot about nothingness and nothingness. Therefore, I can confidently say that it is possible to not think about anything at all. For example, one of the definitions that I have for free in my dictionary is “trivial,” but I think very few people have no trouble thinking about trivial things.
But on the other hand, you can't just not think about it. If you happen to notice that you are not thinking about anything, you should not seriously consider the possibility that you are dead just because you are not aware of it. There's no owl
There are many politicians who seem to do just that every day. the true hooha
I'm trying hard to think of an answer, but I can't think of anything. eddie miscellaneous post
I read an interesting take on this issue in one of DT Suzuki's essays on Zen Buddhism. Suzuki argues that purpose is misunderstood and that it is important to withdraw active control of thought. He simply observes the thoughts of his mind as an outside observer, observing the mere flood of thoughts that pass through his mind without steering, blocking, or otherwise interfering with the process. I am offering to become a passenger. As if he were observing the flow of thoughts of others.
This is an interesting exercise that will give you confidence in your mind's ability to process things when left alone, and may even stimulate your creativity. It's strange and wonderful to see where your mind wanders when freed from conscious control. enjoy! Dr. Marr
I have been meditating for over 30 years. After 10 years of zazen and retreats, I continue to meditate intermittently (and very regularly even after retirement). One of the basic steps in meditation is to simply allow thoughts to come and go without getting lost in them. Treat them like clouds floating in the sky. Over time, thoughts and other objects of consciousness (such as sensations) diminish and, in some cases, disappear completely. A state in which the mind and body are removed tends to be a state of pure consciousness.
The further step is to bring that awareness back to yourself. I've done this several times. Sitting in pure awareness without thinking is definitely possible with practice. And according to Zen, I myself don't know if it's right, but it's the gateway to enlightenment. I would also like to add that my first experience of a few minutes in this state happened naturally one night, before I had any experience with meditation. Soloki
It's entirely possible to not think about it at all. In fact, Jean-Paul Sartre wrote half of Being and Nothingness about it. More seriously, there is a difference between thinking and consciousness. When you meditate, you quickly realize that thoughts, the constant flow of ideas, images, and sentences that we experience all the time, are just one category of phenomena that occur in consciousness. In my experience, I find that if I meditate for enough time in a good mood, my thoughts slow down. If you're lucky, it might stop for a while. Peter Wright
It's a bit contradictory not to think about anything. It is possible to empty your thoughts, but it is not easy to find it, and you cannot think how to get there. It is the abandonment of thought that leads you to nothingness, where everything is. lolala
“Sometimes I sit and think. And then I just sit again.” peter markham