Thought!

The way you think determines your actions. Next time you are climbing, create space and become conscious of your thoughts.


Neurons Are Responsible for Thought and Memory

It is important to make our thoughts the object of mindfulness. Professor David Bohm gives us an interesting analogy for thought. He talks about when he first rode a horse. The man from whom he was hiring the horse told him, “You must think faster than the horse, or else you will go where the horse wants to go.” Using this analogy of the horse as thought, thought can also put us to sleep by its gentle comfortable rhythm which we need to be careful of in every day life. Unless we are aware and mindful of thought it can take us off slowly in all sorts of directions. Bohm’s definition of thought is that thought is not fresh, direct perception. It is that which has been ‘thought’ – the past carried through into the present. Thinking on the other hand is in the present-fresh thought as opposed to reactive thought. It is easy for us to be climbing a route and for our thought to take control of us but if we practice mindfulness we find that we can stand back from thought. Thinking is fresh, in the present. It is not thought. Thought is stored in our minds already. Thought can be an active set of reflexes just like the knee reflex! Thought will never change unless we see the source of it. Mindfulness allows us the possibility of seeing thought more clearly. We will not just act habitually or blindly on all the energy of thought but will act in a mindful and skillful way.

David Bohm, the distinguished theoretical physicist was considered by Einstein as his 'intellectual son', and by the Dalai Lama as one of his 'scientific gurus'.

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; for it becomes your destiny.
Upanishads

Thoughts can lead to emotions. If you think of something nice you will feel good, if you think of something that you've done wrong you will feel bad or guilty. Emotions also affect thought. When you're angry or fearful you can't think clearly. Thoughts and emotions can be like a stuck CD playing over and over again, popping up unexpectedly, taking over our clear perception of what's actually happening. Often they are insignificant, so it's important to create space from these repeated emotions and thoughts by being aware and mindful. These thoughts and emotions also affect us neurochemically in the body. For instance if you think that you're in danger just before you get a piece of gear in when leading you may start to feel fear and your sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) will be activated; adrenalin will start flowing, your breathing will become shallow and maybe you will even hold your breath, your muscles will tense from a lack of oxygen, your heart will beat rapidly. When you have placed the gear you will probably adjust your body position and feel safe again and your body will reach homeostasis. The state of the body is profoundly affected by our thoughts and emotions.

Notice thoughts that drain your energy in a yoga posture or when climbing. Notice the thoughts that support or create positive energy.