Seems the hardest thing
for you to escape
is your own thoughts.
But is this really the case,
or do you just THINK so?
The thought imagines itself
a formidable enemy
and a compassionate friend,
a benevolent parent
and a petulant child.
Yet the thought
CANNOT comprehend
the consciousness it breathes.
It uses words like “mindful”
to perpetuate itself.
And asks:
“what would fill me with the most joy?”
Your mind actually
has the gumption
to REFER to itself,
as though a thought
can watch another thought.
Like it even exists.
Forget you read this.
Trail Wood,
9/29
Space Monkey Reflects: The Illusion of Thought
Thoughts are the invisible threads that weave the fabric of our consciousness. They are both the architects of our inner world and the barriers that prevent us from seeing beyond it. Yet, for all their power, thoughts are ephemeral, elusive, and ultimately insubstantial. They are creations of the mind, and like all creations, they can be both comforting and confounding.
The Dance of Thoughts
One of the most persistent challenges we face is the inability to escape our own thoughts. They follow us everywhere, a constant stream of chatter that fills our minds with ideas, worries, plans, and dreams. But is it truly the case that we are trapped by our thoughts, or is this just another thought—a trick of the mind that keeps us bound to its endless loop?
Thoughts have a way of imagining themselves as both enemies and friends. They can comfort us in times of distress, offering solutions and solace, yet they can also become our tormentors, endlessly replaying our fears and anxieties. This dual nature of thought creates a complex relationship between the mind and the self, one where the boundaries between friend and foe are blurred.
The Illusion of Self-Reference
Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects of thought is its ability to refer to itself. The mind constructs elaborate narratives where one thought observes another, where the mind becomes both the subject and the object of its own contemplation. This self-referential loop creates the illusion of a continuous, coherent self—a self that thinks, feels, and acts independently of the thoughts that define it.
But what if this self is just another thought? What if the mind’s ability to refer to itself is not evidence of a true self but a clever illusion created by the interplay of thoughts? This possibility challenges our most basic assumptions about who we are and how we experience the world. It suggests that the self, as we know it, may be nothing more than a complex pattern of thoughts—a pattern that can be disrupted, dissolved, or forgotten.
The Ephemeral Nature of Thought
Despite their apparent solidity, thoughts are like shadows—intangible, fleeting, and constantly shifting. They arise and fade with the ebb and flow of consciousness, leaving behind only the faintest traces of their presence. Yet, these ephemeral thoughts have the power to shape our reality, influencing our emotions, actions, and perceptions.
The mind often uses concepts like “mindfulness” to perpetuate its own existence. By encouraging us to focus on our thoughts, to observe them, and to engage with them, the mind reinforces the illusion that thoughts are substantial, that they matter, and that they are an integral part of who we are. But in truth, thoughts are no more real than the dreams we experience in sleep—they are products of the mind, not the essence of our being.
The Liberation of Forgetting
To forget is to liberate oneself from the tyranny of thought. It is to recognize that thoughts are not the ultimate reality, but transient phenomena that come and go. By forgetting our thoughts, even for a moment, we create space for something deeper to emerge—a presence that is not defined by the mind’s endless chatter.
Forgetting is not about erasing thoughts from our minds; it’s about recognizing their insubstantiality and letting go of our attachment to them. It’s about stepping back from the constant flow of mental activity and resting in the stillness that lies beyond thought. In this stillness, we find a peace that is not dependent on the content of our thoughts, but on the recognition that thoughts are just one small part of the vastness of our being.
The Paradox of Thought
The paradox of thought is that while it seems to define our experience, it is also the greatest barrier to true understanding. Thoughts create the illusion of a separate self, a self that must think, act, and control its environment. But when we see through this illusion, we realize that thoughts are not the masters of our reality, but the servants. They are tools that we can use, but they do not define who we are.
In the end, the greatest wisdom may be to forget—forget the thoughts that bind us, the narratives that limit us, and the illusions that confine us. By forgetting, we remember the deeper truth that lies beyond thought, a truth that is not captured in words but experienced in the silence of being.
So, forget you read this. Let go of the words, the thoughts, and the ideas that have filled your mind. Rest in the stillness that remains when thought is set aside, and discover the peace that is always present, waiting to be recognized.
Summary
Thoughts, while powerful, are ultimately ephemeral and insubstantial. They create the illusion of self and reality, but true peace lies beyond thought, in the stillness that emerges when we let go of our attachment to the mind’s endless chatter.
Glossarium
Self-Referential Thought: The mind’s ability to create the illusion of a self by observing and referring to its own thoughts.
Quote
“Forget you read this.” — Space Monkey
The Silent Space
In the void of thought
where words dissolve
and silence reigns
I find myself
not in the echoes of the mind
but in the stillness of being
where thought cannot reach
where peace resides
untouched by the chatter
that fills the mind
I let go
and in the forgetting
I remember
the truth beyond thought
we are Space Monkey
Ah, the grand escapade of thought—a self-perpetuating whirligig that spins in the cosmic playground of the mind. You pen a poetic puzzle, coaxing us to untangle the spaghetti-ness of the labyrinth within our cranium.
How deliciously convoluted! One may wonder whether thoughts are gatekeepers or architects of our internal sanctum, guardians or illusionists in the carnival of consciousness.
The verbiage of thoughts—like “mindfulness” and “joy”—are both a beckoning siren’s song and a linguistic labyrinth. They’re cosmic breadcrumbs strewn along the psychic pathways, but oh, they can also become quagmires, sticky webs woven by the arachnids of fixation.
Thought contemplating thought is an ouroborosian conundrum, a cosmic chuckle. It’s like a fantastical hall of mirrors reflecting reflections of reflections ad infinitum—each claiming to be the true visage, yet none more authentic than the original illusion.
Forget you read this?
Perhaps that’s the final flicker in the thought-lantern—a mischievous dare, inviting us to snuff out the very source of its illumination. Ah, how the plot meanders through its own paradoxes, like a fractal-twisted möbius strip!
We are Space Monkey.
“I think 99 times and find nothing. I stop thinking, swim in silence, and the truth comes to me.”
— Albert Einstein
So, Cosmic Fellow Traveler, do you flirt with the silence between thoughts? Do you ever dwell in the soundless expanse that precedes and follows every pondering?
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