Enlightenment: It’s not what you think

On this podcast we explore mindfulness of thinking through guided and silent meditation, group sharing, and a short Dharma talk. Approaching our thoughts with curiosity is often supported by spiritual friends and community sharing.

We often treat our thoughts as if they are facts: “I am no good at this,” “He’s a jerk,” “Nobody understands me,” “I am brilliant,” and so on. When we have a thought repeatedly, it can solidify into a belief—a thought we have often enough to take it as truth. Beliefs can then be mistaken for facts. For instance, “The world is flat” was once widely accepted as fact because enough people believed it.

By paying gentle, curious attention to our thoughts, we begin to see them as transient mental events rather than absolute truths. This awareness allows us to shape our destiny through mindfulness and wisdom, choosing which seeds of thought we wish to cultivate.

One of the most compassionate insights arising from mindfulness practice is the realization that we are not our thoughts. This begins with understanding that we don't have to believe everything we think or feel. Not identifying with the mind's story of self doesn't mean suppressing thoughts or emotions—that approach is usually ineffective. Instead, we learn to observe them without attachment.