Joseph Goldstein explores how much power our thoughts hold over us and shares methods of applying mindfulness to our stream of thoughts and emotions.
Find upcoming opportunities to practice in person with Joseph at dharma.org
Working With Thoughts
How can we relate more skillfully to all of the thoughts and images that arise in our minds? Joseph looks at how we can stop our identification with thought and apply mindfulness to thought as an object.
“In the course of our ordinary lives, these thoughts come and we get lost in them, caught up in them and often act on them. Even when we do not act on our thoughts, they still have the power to condition strong emotions in us. Thought is a very powerful force.” – Joseph Goldstein
Coming Back to the Moment (7:50)
Joseph asks us to look at how many of our thoughts have to do with the past or the future. How much of what goes through your mind is in the moment?
“When you catch yourself in a stream of thought, that is a particularly good time to ask yourself a question that almost nobody ever asks themselves – what is a thought? Not asking what is the content of the thought, what actually is thought as a phenomenon?” – Joseph Goldstein
Practices for a Placid Mind (14:40)
Joseph shares practices that we can train our mindfulness to respond to thoughts more skillfully as they come and go.
Each Step (22:30)
We close the podcast with a 5-minute guided meditation practice and Joseph shares a mantra for us to remember when we become overwhelmed by thought.
Meditation teacher Joanna Hardy shares a toolkit for being with thought and emotion on Ep. 41 of the Be Here Now Guest Podcast
Image via Oliver.zs