Understand that a chaotic, distractible mind is a common human condition, not a unique flaw. This helps overcome the “fallacy of uniqueness” and reduces self-judgment in meditation.
Realize that whatever you frequently think and ponder upon becomes the inclination of your mind. This influences your patterns, perspective, and perception, motivating diligent thought work.
Strive to remove greed, hate, and delusion from your thoughts, preventing them from determining your thinking’s nature and direction. This allows for clearer reflection and wisdom.
Identify your intentions before speaking or acting. Insert a meditative pause to mindfully work with them rather than reacting impulsively.
Practice discerning whether your thoughts are helpful (wholesome) or harmful (unwholesome). Use mental games, like “piling” thoughts, to clarify understanding and set boundaries.
Actively change unwholesome thoughts (e.g., hate, anxiety) to wholesome ones (e.g., loving kindness, confidence) to shift mental energy and break negative patterns, both in meditation and daily life. You can also redirect attention to present moment sensations to ground yourself.
When unwholesome thoughts persist, contemplate their unwanted consequences (e.g., missing present moments, reinforcing anger). This builds dispassion and motivation to let them go, even in reflection after the fact.
If deeply caught in a persistent unwholesome pattern where further attention would worsen it, skillfully withdraw your energy by turning away, stepping back, or distracting yourself, to avoid feeding the pattern.
For recurring unwholesome patterns, investigate their underlying mechanisms and causes (e.g., bodily sensations, linked emotions, desire to construct self) to understand them as conditioned patterns rather than who you are.
For very persistent unwholesome patterns, apply strong resolve to say “no” to them, not out of aversion but out of wisdom, asserting your virtues are stronger than defilements. Use this only after trying the other strategies.
Engage with recurring thoughts to learn from them for a few times. Once you’re no longer gaining insight, consciously decide to free yourself from the pattern and its energy.
Embrace diligent practice as a source of great joy. Recognizing that not being caught by mental habits is attractive leads to a remarkably different, more peaceful mental experience.
Don’t just read about mindfulness; actively find ways to apply the teachings in your daily interactions and activities. This includes mini-meditations or observing mental patterns while doing chores.
Focus on understanding and overcoming the forces that continually distract you, such as restless thinking, rumination, chronic worry, and anxious thoughts. This deepens concentration and achieves freeing insight.
Work towards becoming a “master of the courses of thought,” where you can consciously choose what thoughts to think and not think. This allows you to guide your mind rather than feeling it’s out of control.