Splash Biography

Thoughts are very important for obvious reasons. They tell us everything we know, guide many of our actions, and instill a wide range of both positive and negative feelings within us. But what are they, and how can we learn more about them? A natural and simple answer is: observe them! But if we try to observe our thoughts, we quickly realize this is extremely difficult because, for most of our waking life, we are lost in thoughts. Our mind wanders here and there and drags us along with it, seldom, if ever, coming to rest. Because of the erratic nature of the mind, there really isn't space to see our thoughts objectively. In order to gain distance from thoughts so that they can be observed, it's necessary to develop concentration-- this is the goal of the practice of meditation on the breath. Without concentration, there is no way to sustain distance from thought for more than a few seconds.