Comments on: Left, right, Verbalise, Visualise http://lindarushby.com/2020/06/13/left-right-verbalise-visualise/ Blogger, traveller, poet, indie publisher - 'I am the Cat who walks by herself, and all places are alike to me' Mon, 22 Jun 2020 08:22:09 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 By: Linda http://lindarushby.com/2020/06/13/left-right-verbalise-visualise/#comment-38 Mon, 22 Jun 2020 08:22:09 +0000 http://lindarushby.com/?p=660#comment-38 In reply to Trevor Clifton.

I think there are neurological studies that show the brains of people who practise ‘not-thinking’ long-term are less prone to stress and anxiety than those who don’t. I watched a Hoizon programme on this about 15 years ago, which inspired me to give it a try.
You might say that I’m not a great advertisement, but I do notice the difference when I do it regularly.
I have the same concerns about whether it can become a way of avoiding engagement rather than working to make the world in general a better place (as do a lot of people I know – especially Buddhists), but I guess it doesn’t do any harm, and increasing the number of well-balanced people in the world must count for something.

]]> By: Trevor Clifton http://lindarushby.com/2020/06/13/left-right-verbalise-visualise/#comment-35 Sun, 14 Jun 2020 17:47:20 +0000 http://lindarushby.com/?p=660#comment-35 Yes, I can ‘not think’ – only for about ten or twenty secs or so, then thoughts creep into my ‘non-thinking’ without me noticing. I have to concentrate to ‘not-think’! I determine, about once a month, to practice thinking of nothing more often ‘cos I understand it’s good for the brain – although how anyone might be sure of that I don’t know.
When I consider the percieved benefits of making the mind blank, Budhist monks always come to mind, but then I think of sitting cross legged ‘not-thinking’ for hours and ask myself: what good does that do anyone?
I will continue trying to practice ‘not-thinking’ more frequently because I do believe it’s a good mental exercise.

]]> By: Linda http://lindarushby.com/2020/06/13/left-right-verbalise-visualise/#comment-34 Sun, 14 Jun 2020 06:28:50 +0000 http://lindarushby.com/?p=660#comment-34 In reply to Trevor Clifton.

I don’t ‘see’ anything in my head. I just hear words, in an everlasting stream.
I can only draw by copying something, whether it’s something in the real world (like a bus shelter) or in a picture. And I can’t paint at all – or rather, I suppose I can splash paint around, but I can’t paint anything that looks like anything.
Can you switch your thoughts off? Are you ever able to ‘not think’?
I think we always assume that other people think the same way we do because we can’t imagine any other way.

]]> By: Trevor Clifton http://lindarushby.com/2020/06/13/left-right-verbalise-visualise/#comment-33 Sat, 13 Jun 2020 23:04:53 +0000 http://lindarushby.com/?p=660#comment-33 I see what I want to paint in my head (at least I assume it’s in my head) before I paint it – which usually is not the same as the final picture! but that’s due to my inadequate skills with the brushes.
Also, I thought these words before I wrote them.
Surely that’s the same for everyone?

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