Thoughts in meditation

The mind cannot remain a vacuum

Many teachings tell you that you must have no thoughts when you meditate. That is a fallacy for thought itself is part of meditation.  You do not need unconsciousness. Your mind must not be devoid of thought.  You can do that by being conked on the head with a club where you become unconscious.

You must be aware

So if thoughts come and go, be aware of them but become an observer of the thoughts as if you are in the cinema watching the movie on the screen.  And, you know you are not that which is happening on the screen, you are the observer –  you are watching the screen.

When you have that ability to observe the thoughts that pass through your mind, you will find your mantra, your sound, leading you to greater and greater and greater depths.

It is a misconception that the mind must be empty of thought.

When your mind is empty of thought, then you won’t exist.  It’s impossible to exist without motion, and the mind must have motion.  The mind cannot remain a vacuum. The idea is to bypass the thoughts by observing them so that the thoughts do not affect you, do not master you, but you are the observer of the thought, and therefore you are the master of the thought.

…Gururaj Ananda Yogi