Sam Harris has an incredible way with words, and his app is well worth using. There is a fee, but he will graciously write it off if you simply say you can’t afford it. Check this out:
“In meditation, we begin to discover that there's a difference between letting thoughts pass like a wave gently beneath you--without any real implication--and finding yourself right in the strike zone and getting hit with the full force of each wave. In this practice, we're learning to get out of the strike zone as quickly as possible, and ultimately, to stay out of it altogether. And then we can ride the waves with equanimity.”
It may seem pointless and frustrating to sit there and try to follow your breath as your mind pummels you with thoughts. But noticing that as it happens, and returning to the breath again and again, helps you build the skill of being outside those thoughts—being above the waves. It just takes time and practice and patience. Your discursive mind has had decades to convince you that it is the center of your awareness. You will start to have glimpses where you see that is not the case, and over time those glimpses can coalesce into longer moments that allow you to be more of who you are. Or at least that is the idea! I’m still working on it. All the time…
Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash