Noting:
Thoughts come and go while you meditate – you can’t stop them, so don’t try.
Just return to the breath without judgment or comment, just let them pass.
To better understand yourself – try the technique of Noting. When you realize your mind has drifted label the thought as either a feeling or a thought and return to the breath. Do this with every lapse of mindfulness. It may happen once, or every other breath – no worries, just note.
Practice noting (not judging) when you meditate. As you gain experience, add more descriptive types of notes: worrying, planning, dreaming, boredom, dreaming, thinking, etc. Practice this with softness and kindness – realize the mind will drift – this is natural.
Noting helps us understand the tendencies of our thoughts – who we are.
Over time you will notice trends: one session you may have many feelings or many worrying thoughts, or sometimes you will have scattered thoughts. Just return to the breath without trying to change anything. The simple act of noting will change everything.
After your session, you can reflect and say things like, “my mind was full of worry”, or “my mind was active” This an observation not a judgment.
TAKEAWAY: Observations open the mind; judgments close the mind.