What if I have lots of thoughts during meditation?

Since it is the nature of our minds to think it is natural to have thoughts even when we meditate. However, an increase in thoughts during meditation can be a sign that we are under a lot of stress. Since the mind and body are intimately related, when we are re-balancing or releasing stress from the body our minds can become even more active. So, on one level, a meditation with a lot of thoughts is a very good meditation! Our meditation may not be giving us the deep level of silence we had hoped for, but it is helping to rid the body and mind of toxins and stress and this is a very important benefit of meditation.

The best way to handle lots of thoughts is to maintain an innocent attitude towards them. If we struggle with the thoughts or become critical of ourselves the thoughts tend to become stronger. Try to observe them without judgment, allowing them to pass in and out of your awareness with as little attention as possible. Remember you are the thinker of the thoughts and not the thoughts themselves. There is no need to become overly concerned or frustrated by any particular thought or even by thinking in general. Simply innocently return to the meditation practice when you notice you have become distracted by a thought.

What if I see colors or images or have emotions or unusual sensations in my body?

Those are all examples of thoughts. Colors and images are visual thoughts. Being aware of emotions or sensations in the body or finding yourself distracted by a sound in the environment is the mind thinking as well. Unless any of these experiences is too uncomfortable the instruction is to simply return to the meditation (ie. the sound of the mantra, observing your breath, visualizing a bright light in your body, etc.)

What if I have an important insight during meditation?

Of course, you need to be the final judge regarding whether or not a particular thought during meditation is significant to you. Depending upon the type and purpose of our meditation sometimes there can be a message. Yet most of the time our thoughts during meditation are just thoughts and are simply a sign we are releasing stress and that our mind has become more active. Knowing this we can gently shift our attention back to our meditation practice without energizing the thoughts with an undo sense of importance. We can know that if it is important the information will still be there when we need it.

Thoughts are part of the process during meditation. There is no need to become disturbed by them.