'In many ways, it would be better if we thought much less.' SMTaylorauthor explains why.
Most of the greatest experiences of our lives occur in the absence of thinking. For example, one of our most pleasurable experiences is the state of"flow," when our attention is absorbed in challenging and stimulating activities, such as playing music, dancing, writing, or reading. Ideally, we might have a stimulating job that provides us with regular experiences of flow. One of the reasons why flow equates to well-being is that we stop thinking.
Similarly, one of our most positive experiences is the feeling of awe, when we’re struck by powerful works of art or spectacular landscapes. An intense and beautiful piece of music or art—or a beautiful building or natural scene—stops our minds. Even if just for a few moments, our thoughts are stunned into silence.. The whole aim of meditation is to stop thinking. We focus our attention on our breathing or a mantra or a candle flame, and gradually our minds become calmer and quieter.
In a state of deep meditation, we may experience the state of being conscious without thinking at all. This is one of the most powerful and positive states we can experience. There is a sense of deep peace and wholeness. It is this state which contradicts Descartes’ dictum most of all. Rather than ceasing to exist, we have a much purer and deeper sense of identity.I certainly don’t believe we should stop thinking altogether. As highlighted above, conscious thought is necessary and useful.
This may seem like an unrealistic ideal, but in my research, I have met many people who report that their minds are much quieter than they used to be, and who regularly experience periods of no thought. This is one of the effects of the phenomenon I have termed"" a shift into a higher functioning state that sometimes occurs in the midst of intense psychological suffering.
Following this transformation, people also report that they feel more present and sensitive to beauty. They report a greater sense of well-being and a feeling of living more authentically, with a greater sense of purpose—perhaps because they have become free of their thinking mind and the superficial identity it creates.
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