OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR THOUGHTS... Amâncio Maurício Xavier...
OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR THOUGHTS
Thoughts are pieces of information—recorded and flowing within the brain—that result from environmental stimuli or situations.
If we become hooked or stuck on thoughts stemming from well-resolved or desired situations, we feel joy.
However, if we get stuck on thoughts arising from difficult or unwanted situations, we feel stress; if we get stuck on thoughts stemming from frustrating situations, we feel anger; if we get stuck on thoughts arising from threatening or dangerous situations, we feel fear; if we get stuck on thoughts stemming from unresolved situations, we feel anxiety; and if we get stuck on thoughts arising from poorly resolved situations, we feel depression.
Whenever we find ourselves stuck in our thoughts, we can practice the exercise of attention.
Being stuck in our thoughts means we are thinking. Attention, on the other hand, means focusing our senses—hearing, sight, smell, taste, touch, or interoception—on something for a few minutes.
Daily attention practice enables us to detach from our thoughts. If we detach from our thoughts through this daily practice, we experience serenity or well-being.
Alternatively, we can notice and label our thoughts, analyze their causes and consequences, and finally seek the best solution for the underlying cause; this metacognitive process is called reflection. It allows us to gain wisdom regarding the situations that trigger our thoughts. Thus, reflecting involves connecting one thought with others to find a better solution for the situation we are experiencing.
Therefore, the problem is not our thoughts themselves, but rather the nature of our relationship with them; if we are hooked or attached to them through the habit of thinking, we will experience unpleasant emotions and feelings; if we remain unhooked or detached through the daily practice of mindfulness, we will experience pleasant emotions and feelings; however, if we engage in voluntary attachment through the daily practice of reflection, we will gain wisdom regarding our everyday situations.
