You might picture a Buddhist monk sitting perfectly still, mind utterly blank.

That’s not quite how it works for all of us.

If that monk in our picture does have a super quiet mind then it took him some time and lots of hours meditating without his mind being so quiet in order to get there.

In reality, our minds are naturally busy. Thoughts flit around like butterflies, and during meditation, they’re bound to pop up. That’s okay! The key isn’t to silence those thoughts, but to learn how to observe them without getting caught up in their whirlwind.

Now, I’m no expert on meditation and very much a beginner myself but, having a very active mind and a lot of internal dialogues I wanted to explore more just what to do when thoughts inevitably pop up, mainly to check that I am taking the right approach. I actually do feel like I’m getting somewhere. I’m certainly finding my own meditation practice both easier and it’s also starting to make more sense than before. I think the key word here is trying. Maybe I have in the past been trying a little too hard, or at least, in the wrong way.

I think meditation works much better when we’re not really trying at all but rather accepting. Some days you may feel that was not a very calm meditation experience at all because your thoughts were jumping all over the place. With my new approach, I’d let them, without trying to stop them but also without engaging with them, just instead observing, letting them be but also recognising they are something separate from where I want my focus to be.

Here’s the thing: suppressing thoughts creates resistance, and resistance fuels the fire. The more you try to push a thought away, the stronger it becomes. Instead, we want to cultivate a sense of spacious awareness.

So let’s try this: Imagine yourself sitting on a hillside, watching clouds drift by across a vast blue sky. The clouds (your thoughts) come and go, but you, the observer (your awareness), remain ever-present.

Here are some techniques to help you practice this:

• Acknowledge the Thought: When a thought arises, simply acknowledge it with a mental label like “thinking” or “planning.” Don’t judge it, analyze it, or get swept away in its story.
• Bring Your Attention Back: Gently guide your attention back to your anchor, which could be your breath, a mantra, or bodily sensations.
• Be Kind to Yourself: Don’t beat yourself up if your mind wanders. It’s natural. Just acknowledge it and bring your attention back with kindness.

Meditation isn’t about achieving a perfect state of emptiness. It’s about training your mind to be less reactive to thoughts, to observe them with detachment, and to return to the present moment.

With consistent practice, the space between your thoughts should become wider. You’ll experience a sense of inner calm and peace, regardless of what thoughts may arise.