What is in a Thought?

What is in a Thought?

What is in a thought? Have you ever wondered what a thought was made out of? We have these things called thoughts all the time. When we are talking, resting and working we may have thoughts. So what are these things called thoughts? Some thoughts make us happy and some make us sad. Some thoughts motivate us to take action and still others may cause us to procrastinate.

Scientist can measure our mental activity when we are thinking. Some measurements show the electrical activity changes while other research has shown the blood flow patterns associated with the thinking process. Then there is the more recent research that shows significant chemical activity changes take place when we are thinking. Scientist have mapped thousands of specialized chemicals generated in and around the brain when we are thinking.

We can recognize when we are thinking and identify when we are being quite. In fact, we have the ability to watch ourselves having a thought! The actual activity of thinking can be observed as if someone else was having our thoughts. Meditation can be used to enhance our ability to control our thoughts. It has been said that our thoughts are the only thing we can control. We can choose to think about anything we want.

How about this? Do we have thoughts when we are not consciences? What are we doing when are not have any thoughts? Are there ways of thinking that are more powerful or more desirable the other methods of thinking? What is the relationship between our senses and our thoughts?

Some of our thoughts are memories of the past, some thoughts are about the future and yet others contemplate our current experiences. The mind has the ability to think about the past, present and future in an elegant and fluid mix of images, sounds, textures and with all of our senses. Can you recall the Christmas mornings with the smell of your mother’s turkey cooking. Recall that feeling of getting your first childhood kiss. Or what will you new car look like? How will you feel when you receive that award?

Is there any limit to our ability to contemplate our reality?

What are our thoughts made out of? Where do our thoughts come from and where do they go? And.. Does it matter? Perhaps the answers to these questions do not matter. Perhaps by definition a thought cannot be held, measured or in any meaningful way be contained. Hey we do not question the act of sight; so why should we question the act of thinking. Thinking may be our six sense!  Perhaps thinking is our way of "feeling" or "sensing" our reality.

What do you think?

Steve Oliver
June 2010