How to Think

In Chapter 5, one of the practices I describe for enlarging awareness is the practice of questioning everything. This could also be called the practice of thinking, as thinking is a skill that can be summed up in the action of "asking yourself questions".

When we think, this is what we do. We ask, for a simple example, "What do I want for dinner?" and the mind returns an answer, "Pizza." Or we ask something more complicated, such as, "Should I marry this person?" Which not only returns an answer or answers, but very likely many other questions we must subsequently ask ourselves if we hope to answer the initial question.

The more you ask yourself questions, the more you are thinking. And the more you are thinking, the more you are growing aware. You see, there's more to it than just asking yourself a question; you must also LISTEN for the answer. This practice of listening, or focusing attention, is just as powerful in the process of thinking as it is in meditation or any other awareness-increasing exercise.

Our thoughts, however, are also directed by Karma, as we discuss in Chapter 1. Some questions are asked out of habit, and answers returned in the same manner. So much so that the asking and listening dynamic is replaced by simple reaction. A good example is the person who tells you a fact you know to be blatantly wrong, and when you correct him, he just goes on believing it to be true. To ask himself "Could I be wrong, and this person be right?" is so difficult, that the reaction of shutting out unwanted facts takes over. No one does denial by conscious choice.

So, it's important to question as much as you can, especially ideas that you don't examine too closely. Of course, I wouldn't tell you what to think (despite the title of this entry), you must find your own answers to truly understand the nature of your own experience. However, I will admonish you to ask the best questions you can. Because the more you do, the more you will discover, and the richer you life will be for it.

Jim