The stream of thoughts or restless thinking is what we call the activity of the mind, which always comes in the way of the concentration and tries to create doubt and dispersion of the energies.
Have you ever seen those people who try to stop a quarrel by shouting still louder than the ones who are quarrelling? Paying attention to thoughts that keep coming and going is something like this.
To deal with this mind two things are necessary
(1) Instead of trying to control or fight with or suppress it, stand back from it: one looks at it and sees what it is but refuses to follow its narratives or run about among the objects it pursues, remaining at the back of the mind quiet and separate.
(2) When you stand back as an observer, instead of listening to the thoughts, listen to the underlying silence. The more you concentrate on the silence behind thoughts, the more the silence will emerge and establish within you, along with this silence peace too will naturally settle.
This of course will take time and you must have patience and perseverance to continue practice of concentration.
Share your insights with others in our community by writing to ieadmin@auroville.org.in
Extensive Compilations
To learn more about concentration read our extensive compilations from the works of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother.