Yogi: When I am out for a walk, it is easier to be aware of walking, seeing and hearing, but It is more difficult when I sit in the hall because there are a lot of thoughts coming up again and again. It is hard to come back to the moment.
Sayadaw: Do you know that when you know the thought, you’re in the present moment?
Yogi: Yes, but sometimes it takes me away and I have to come back.
Sayadaw: That’s not bad; it’s just part of how practice is and it’s ok. Just practice with that.
When you realize the mind is thinking, you acknowledge it and then you bring it back. You can do that over and over and it’s fine.
The more we acknowledge thinking when it arises, the more skillful we’ll become at recognizing thoughts and not getting involved.
It’s actually a good practice – when we don’t see thoughts enough, we don’t know how to practice with them and every time they come, we get lost.
If we notice thoughts more and more, we get less and less involved.