Why is it impossible to stop thinking and to have a clear mind?

No matter how hard you try to clear your mind it cannot be done. Thoughts and observations are still present. Can we truly be thought-free even for just a few seconds?Why is it impossible to stop thinking and to have a clear mind?
It is impossible because that is what the mind does, and how we have conditioned it. It is like asking why is it impossible to stop breathing. Meditation (at least as conceived by the Buddha) is not about stopping thought, or reaching an empty place where nothing happens. His descriptions of the ';Jhanas'; (different levels of meditative attainment) are actually quite busy, although there is progressive refinement of consciousness.





Clarity for Buddhists is clarity in seeing things as they are. By quietening the mind - using meditation to get it to drop some of the discursive chatter - we are able to gain insight into how we habitually use the mind to harm ourselves. So our understanding can be clear, and our conscience and intention can be clear also, but this is different from stopping thinking altogether.Why is it impossible to stop thinking and to have a clear mind?
As long as it's impossible, we can explain many things about the mystery of mind but when it becomes possible to reach the state of clear mind, we can't explain about it as the mind becomes dirty, whenever desire is born irrespective of good or bad one.





It's possible for some people to get control over their minds by dint of meditation and 'Yoga'. First of all we need to practice concentration. Though, I can't help you for one or another reason, yet I would like to advise you to study few books of Swamy Vivekananda or other saints, who helped common people to reach the transcendental state of minds as well achieving inner bliss.
No you cannot be thought free, not even for a few brief moments. Your body is constantly using its senses to analyze the things around it, and there is always something to be analyzed. This is not the only problem. Your mind is constantly thinking about the current task at hand. Therefore, it is thinking about not thinking, which means you can't stop. Even if you were lucky enough to be able to stop consciously thinking, your senses would constantly be providing new information to the brain, and the brain will not ignore this information.
I would venture to say you are an introvert, and, as it turns out, this is primarily an issue introverts have. Extroverts, however, apparently do not have this constant dialogue going on in their head. So, as an introvert, it seem that the only thing one can do is meditate, as was mentioned before. I have found that thinking about thinking and then thinking about the fact that i was then thinking about thinking helps me to enter a loop wherein i am no longer truly thinking about much of anything except the process... and something clicks. It might work for you.. but then again, it might not. Worth a shot, right? Why would you want to stop thinking anyway? If your thoughts appear destructive or are painful, then you might try distracting yourself with something else to think about or listen to powerful, but non-aggressive music.


Also, there is a technique that is called ';thought stopping'; that is design to consciously acknowledge and eliminate negative thoughts as they happen, which is outlined in the second link below. I cannot promise it will result in a clear mind, but it will result in clearer and less negative thoughts.
From what I can tell, you can continue thinking and have a clear mind...if you're willing to do that. The fact that we continue to have thoughts doesn't preclude the possibility or the actuality that we can have clarity about who we are and how we intend to live our lives. At the very minimum, even if you can get to the place of thought-free, you are still going to be perceiving your life through your five senses and your ability to have conceptual thought. Best wishes!
Well, meditation can be useful to quiet the ';thought'; and to just be aware of what is going on. One popular method does this by just sitting and being aware of your breath, and nothing else. It will not happen over night though, your mind will wander, and you just bring it back, but with a daily practice you can gain much control over this and how you use your awareness...
It is impossible to stop thinking because every time we want to clear our mind we have simply five senses sight,smell,hearing,touch and of tongue most of which remains active if we think nothing and have a clear mind it is possible that our mind remains clear of thoughts only when we are sleeping
It's normal, it's ok to have thoughts. Don't fight it. Fill your mind with good thoughts.





Meditation doesn't stop you thinking, it just focuses your attention. The only way to stop thinking is to have a general anesthetic. Even when we're asleep we think - it's called dreaming.
The focus is NOT in what you stop doing......but in what you ALLOW to happen.





.....like when you lie down to sleep.





It would be like the difference between TELLING yourself to GO TO SLEEP......





....and letting (allowing) the sleepiness come to you on its own.





Do you have a cat ?





Even if you don't, you probably know that cats come to you when they want to. Actually, that is only partially true. Cats come to you when they are encouraged to (not when they're told to).





Encourage (allow) yourself the same.....





The practice is in the ';allowing';....





....just like you've mastered going to sleep.





Orin
It is called chatter. When you meditate you learn to let the chatter go. You look at it in your minds eye and let it go. The more you do this the easier it is to calm your mind. You find that you may find a grain of a moment that you are thought free. When you least expect it that calmness of your mind will bring you clarity.
It is not impossible but you need to know how (practically,not from a book).Thousands of people in the world live it every day :-)





http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/ind鈥?/a>
well... there are always think going on in the background of our mind but it is possible yes. how do all these people get to nirvana etc? they just stop thinking.








please answer mine:


http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;鈥?/a>
It is possible. Try this link.





www.coolspirit.info
wow, good question. Eastern religions seem to have a handle on that. Meditation ';clears your mind'; but I've never been able to completely remove all thoughts. cheers
Try meditation. I myself like a little clutter.
...yes...


...such is meditation...


...try it...even if you think a lot...
it's not silly eatthling..have you not heard of meditation?