One of the most challenging aspects of my practice is quieting my mind. I will suddenly realize that I am running through a grocery list in my head in the midst of holding warrior pose. Or thinking of all the chores that need accomplishing around the house in downward facing dog.
It's interesting to think that we can turn off the TV or the radio, but we can't turn off our minds. They are constantly streaming~random thoughts, lists, ideas, assessments, fantasies. How useful it would be to be able to turn off all that chatter. And just be.
Useful and confronting.
I have read that during meditation it is helpful to think of our thoughts as clouds drifting across the consciousness. When we notice these thoughts we are to touch them lightly, as a feather touching a bubble and let them pass by without judgment or attachment. And then bring our focus back to the breath. The ocean-like movement of our breath becomes a focal point, rather than the thoughts.
I "touch" my thoughts lightly and return to my breath about a bazillion times during a single practice. Hoping someday to lower that to a million. ;-)
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