If you have the right idea, meditation is happening; if you have the wrong idea, then anxiety and worry are happening.

A sick yogi said that she only started to meditate when she returned to her room; and then, the mind settled down.

Why didn’t she meditate when she started to be sick? Because of the wrong idea of ‘I’m sick’. Because she didn’t recognize this thought, she couldn’t change her thoughts.

Because of the ‘I’, all anxieties surfaced. But awareness was happening all the time; that is why she could report the whole process from the Dhamma hall to her room. But defilement was present all the way – she only changed her attitude and started to meditate when she reached her room.

In her situation, she didn’t have to try to be aware; she had to try to change her idea. That is why you need to check your thoughts.