The Illusion of Thought

When I speak to people, they speak from their mind; they lament from a film playing inside their mind's eye. They entertain these images and thoughts as though they were so desperately real. When I see this, my heart goes out to them, because along with the story comes a heavy emotional burden, much like a slab of concrete.

Sometimes I'll ask them to stop and place their attention on an object in the room, a table or a cup. I then ask them to remain with the object, while bringing forth an image in their minds eye of a yellow car.

The question is: what happens to the table or cup, as the attention turns to the yellow car in the mind's eye? Be very astute, and look very carefully. What happens to the table or cup?

Does the table or cup disappear? What happens when you move your attention back and forth between the image in the mind's eye, and the table or cup?

These questions point to what is real and what is not real. Thoughts live in time, but ultimate reality can not hold time, it can only create the illusion of time.

So the stories we all share about bereavement, toxic gossips, dramas, are all a fallacy created as a means to uphold an identity, usually from a victim, rescuer or perpetrator perspective.

As Byron Katie says, who would you be without those stories?

This is a terrifying question for many. It points to the most existential truth of what you are and what you are not.

How are you creating your own internal film? What position do you play in that film?

I see a lot of victim positions, recently. Are you playing the victim? The victim wants comforting, and to do that they will try to control the situation using various victim-based narratives, “I haven’t got enough money. I’m going through a bereavement. They hurt me with what they said”. Is that you?

Have a look.

Believing too heavily in the thought space creates neurosis. From that neurosis spawns a whole range of irrational behaviours, and for some, it can morph into severe narcissism.

It pays hugely to look into how you identify with thoughts.