Thoughts Emerge From Consciousness
“Where does a thought go when it’s forgotten?” — Sigmund Freud
Quick! What are you going to think next? Yes, it was a trick question since you’re unlikely to know what thoughts will emerge in your mind until they do. Yet identifying with thoughts is an unsupportive habit, given they seem real when we experience them. The French philosopher René Descartes stated Cogito ergo sum, meaning: “I think therefore I am.” He proposed thoughts are evidence we exist. Much has developed since then, given that philosophers and neuroscientists now agree our thoughts do not define us.
Thoughts emerge from consciousness and slip away just as quickly as they appear. To associate with our thoughts is misleading since some ideas could be more helpful. Take, for example, the inner dialogue that occupies our mind when we’re at the park and notice someone playing with their dog. Our awareness registers what we see through our nervous system, yet the mind adds a dialogue about what it perceives. “What a cute dog, it has so much energy,” we reason. Observing the dog alone is not enough; the mind feels bound to narrate what it sees. Therein lies the problem. The mind adds its narrative to everyday events, which we accept as truth. In most cases, the mental narrative is often negative self-talk.
The Power Of Mindfulness
“Rather than being your thoughts and emotions, be the awareness behind them.” — Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth
We are the witnesses of our thoughts, which occur through us like a radio transmitting a frequency signal. We are not the signal but the receiver of the signal. Thoughts alone are not the cause of our suffering and unhappiness. It is when we identify and attach ourselves to them we suffer. Does this make sense? Are you comfortable knowing what you think does not make up who you are because your thoughts constantly change? It may not surprise you that our thoughts will likely change as we mature. For instance, what we thought during our teenage years was no longer helpful to us as adults because we had outgrown our environment. Comparable to the childhood toys we no longer play with, new thoughts occupy space in our minds to reflect our current reality.
Similarly, we cannot stop thoughts from occurring more than preventing vital body functions. Our aim should be to reduce the volume of thoughts by becoming the perceiver, thus identifying with them less. Mindfulness is a valuable tool to help us manage our thoughts because we learn to observe them with a detached focus. We aim to allow thoughts to enter our awareness and notice them instead of becoming invested in them. We relinquish control when we place our awareness on identifying and attaching ourselves to transitory thoughts. In other words, power is maintained in choosing thoughts over others. Reflect on this moment: You are only aware of thoughts in your field of awareness, and that is where they exist. How about those fleeting thoughts that come and go that you don’t have time to associate with? What of the thoughts that enter your stream of consciousness while dreaming? Why don’t you accept those thoughts as accurate? Thoughts require an observer. Otherwise, they are nothing more than a barrage of matter in consciousness.
Negative Inner Dialogue
“Few minds wear out; more rust out.” — Christian N. Bovee
A thought appears real when it is given enough attention. It’s as though our mind flags it in consciousness, like an email program. Yet, flagging it in our awareness draws focus on the thought until we orientate our attention elsewhere. While I intend to convince you that your thoughts are not the essence of who you are, it would be remiss of me not to offer a solution for overcoming negative thoughts. Who better than the teacher Eckhart Tolle, who reminds us: “Be present as the watcher of your mind – of your thoughts and emotions as well as your reactions in various situations. Be at least as interested in your reactions as in the situation or person that causes you to react.”
In other words, avoid the inner dialogue accompanying negative thoughts since it sparks negative thinking and can lead us into a dark hole that engulfs us. To follow our thoughts means to agree with them. To dismiss insignificant thoughts allows them to pass through consciousness without occupying mental energy. If we try to trace our thoughts, we realize they emerge from the depths of our psyche. Yet, ruminating on disempowering thoughts reinforces them in the mind. Our beliefs, mood, past trauma and childhood wounds, nutrition, illness, and level of consciousness can influence our thoughts. By changing these, we can shift the intensity of our thoughts.
In his book Buddha’s Brain, Author Rick Hanson states, “There’s evidence that negative memory – both explicit and implicit – is especially vulnerable to change soon after it’s been recalled” (Monfils et al. 2009). Therefore, to overcome the weight of negative thinking, pay attention to your thoughts by being mindful of your mental landscape and intercept them before they take control. I advise my coaching clients to practise mindfulness and keep a journal to note their predominant thoughts. Over time, they can observe their thoughts by becoming detached from them. They see that their thoughts have nothing significant to tell them and that they can decouple from them. I wish to leave you with something to reflect upon the next time you are inclined to contemplate a thought. You are not your thoughts because thoughts come and go; you should allow them to do so with little attachment.
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Tony Fahkry
Expert Life Coach
