Community Discussions
Explore the latest discussions and community conversations related to this domain.
How do you use the word “think”?
Main Post:
When I learned the word ”think” I thought it could be about what you believe and/or expressing an opinion.
“I think Anna will win”. Is that that I believe that she will win or is it that I want her to win? Like she “ deserves” to win.
I can also say ” I think that she is a good singer” Then it’s my opinion. In my language there are two different words for it which makes it more clear. How does it work?
Edit thank you all for intresting diskussions!
Top Comment: I believe. It does not imply desire.
IWTL how to think
Main Post:
quite frankly I don't know how to think critically or analytically. I'm from a place where people put their emotions first rather than logic, people here believe in superstitions more than science. for me, i just not able to think clearly. I'm 22 now and totally emotional dumb. yah! emotion is not bad but taking decisions based on emotion is not good I guess. My mind gets hot if i started reading big paragraphs, i don't understand the topic easily, i fogot things often. nowadays i even can't focus on a particular thing. i don't even know if i can change my thinking or not. please guide me with this one. how can i develop my proper thinking or let's say scientific way of thinking?
Top Comment: Honestly the best way to start is learn how other people think or come to conclusions. So this means reading books, listening to audiobooks, listening to podcasts filled with conversation about a specific topic, and even youtube videos. And I know you're like "I don't have the attention span!" you don't need it. Consistency beats everything. So if you can only handle reading 10 pages a day that's 3,650 pages a year. That's like 10-18 books a year. One page is around 1min of reading so it's like 10mins everyday. If you listen to audiobooks you can even listen while doing the dishes, or chores, at the grocery store, walking the dog, etc. And simply start with any topic you're interested in. Critical thinking is used in literally every field in the world. If you like comic books and anime, there are tons of people that critically analyze the plot, messaging and themes. If you like cars, or games, or sports, anything. There's videos and podcasts and books on that topic. So just consume that type of content. When you start listening in, and seeing other people think critically, it will plant seeds in your brain. Thoughts you wouldn't normally have or think of. And overtime when you come across a situation those thoughts will sprout and you will naturally start to think about this situation in a way you wouldn't have before.
All I do is think and its ruining my life.
Main Post:
I’m barely present anymore, I catch myself daydreaming, overthinking everything or just constantly in thought pondering things while I’m on my way to work or at work, even at the gym. My mind is in the clouds
All I do is think, help me. How to stop?
Constant fantasies, constant fantasies about doing things I know ill never do because im scared. My brain never shuts off
Top Comment: I think this is where a meditation practice has to come in. Find a comfy chair, and sit down, set a timer for even just 5 minutes and just feel the air flow in and out of your nose as you breath. Your mind will keep going back to wandering, but just gently remind yourself to get back to feeling your breath. Even if 4 and a half minutes are spent with your thoughts wandering, that's okay. Just sitting there without putting more stimulus into your brain from your phone etc. is beneficial. Try to increase the time spent meditating by five minutes once you feel comfortable with your allotted time. Mediation doesn't solve everything, and it doesn't make the thoughts disappear. It can even be used as a form of escapism. But I've noticed that after a good meditation session the thoughts will be that bit quieter. It allows your mind to work itself out. It gives the Self space to act.
Thinking about thinking? What’s your personal experience with being trapped in the hellish cycle of thinking how you should be thinking and thinking about how you engage with your thoughts?
Main Post:
I remember a time around 7 years ago when I suddenly became aware of my thoughts and aware of the potential my mind has to ruin itself (I thought I was going crazy and was petrified). Meditation and drugs brought this obsession to life and ever since I have not been able to stop thinking about thinking about thinking etc etc. I have no sense of self left. Letting go/acceptance is but a mere strategy or angle I can’t help myself obsessing over. It’s taken over everything. I could go into so much more detail but I am writing this because I want to hear your experiences? I would like to write a book which talks on this topic as I feel many self help books unintentionally make things worse for people like us - the information they hold is often just gobbled up by our minds and feeds the same loop. There is something that needs to happen before we can use this information in a healthy way. Let’s have a discussion about your difficulties with this, things that have made it worse/better and anything else you’d like to share! Sending my love to those suffering right now, you are not alone!
Top Comment: Zen is not peeling the potatoes and thinking about God. Zen is just peeling the potatoes." -Alan Watts
How to think?
Main Post:
Seriously, apart from school. I want to learn how to think in general. I used to hate thinking because it stresses my mind. I rarely ever use my brain, i always consume things like entertainment. I want to create things, i want to be a creator not a consumer. I want to generate ideas not accept them. If you knowwhat i mean
Top Comment: I once heard that the best way to think for yourself is to review other people's thoughts. With that being said, I think, at least for me personally, reading a lot of books has helped me to exercise my brain enough into being a better thinker. Aquiring more knowledge will ultimately enable you to consider things or possibilities that you may not have considered before. I'm guilty of it too, but just consuming too much TV, games, etc, doesn't really give your brain the exercise you need for such things. Just some food for thought, everyone is different, but maybe this could help you! I kind of think of it this way...tv, games, things that don't require much brainpower = fast food. Reading books = those veggies you don't like, but should eat anyway.
IWTL How to think deeply and critically
Main Post:
I want to be able to cultivate taste. I want to learn how to edit and refine ideas. I want to be able to know how to look at something and see where it can be improved. I've been fascinated by people who think uniquely, to have their own perspective on life. How do I reach this?
Some resources I've gathered around reddit are the great courses - Your Deceptive Mind as well as Learning How to Learn by Barabara Oakley, I'd like to find more resources or even courses that tackle critical thinking.
Top Comment: The main one is probably internalizing concepts and truly understanding them on a fundamental level rather than doing the good old superficial skim as we tend to. Next is probably having the ability to conceptualize abstractions in such a way that you dissect the relevant components of a given idea and then try to apply them across various disciplines to see how they fundamentally relate to other things / concepts. I am a bit strapped for time cause I have to prepare for work, will fix this up later tonight, I hope this at least makes some sense meanwhile.
The difference between thoughts and thinking.
Main Post:
I recently read this book that cleared up years of confusion for me and has made my meditations consistently enjoyable and effortless for the first time in years. It's called Don't Believe Everything you Think by Joseph Nguyen.
He explains in the book (ch. 3 I think) that thoughts are what pop in your head effortlessly. Like sounds you don't do anything to create them, they just appear. These are what you don't resist in the meditation and just allow to flow. And according to him they are fundamentally part of your true nature which is blissful and at peace.
Thinking on the other hand is when you use effort to think about your thoughts or something else. According to him (and I personally believe this is true) thinking is the source of all suffering and is what you're not supposed to be doing in meditation.
So when you recognize that you're thinking you simply stop. When you are having thoughts, don't worry about them they're going to be there and you can't stop them. If you do this then your mind naturally begins to settle deeper and deeper.
I've been trained in TM, Vedic Meditation, Natural Stress Relief, Conscious Mental Rest and had experience for years practicing concentration based meditations. None of them ever worked for me until I understood this basic distinction. Hopefully it helps someone else like it has me.
Top Comment: I’m not trying to be rude or argue, but I respectfully have the complete opposite take that may resonate with some people. Personally I think the thoughts I have with no effort? Not really me. I have intrusive thoughts all the time. If anything, they are less the real me and when I use effort to think, that is the real me. Intrusive thoughts with no effort: you are so stupid to kill yourself Thoughts that require effort: it’s ok, everyone makes mistakes and we learn from them that’s what life is all about. If I believed my immediate free-flow intrusive thoughts all the time I would be very unhappy! I’m very glad I can use effort to think things through and choose peace. I have heard that intrusive thoughts are not who we really are; our reactions to intrusive thoughts are who we really are. But I do agree overall that just because you think it, that doesn’t make it true! Our feelings and thoughts are valid, but just because we think or feel something, that doesn’t make it a fact. Thank you for listening.
Can you describe you how think? : r/TrueAskReddit
Main Post: Can you describe you how think? : r/TrueAskReddit