Doing any trainstopping?

There I was. On a train, on that train of thought.

We can find ourselves being carried away on the train of thought, very easily.  More often than not we are speeding or rattling along the same well oiled familiar line.  If we are flung off in new directions, we can also end up in places that aren’t so helpful.

In mindfulness, there is a saying, “when the train of thought is coming through the station, there is no need to get on board”.

With mindfulness we can learn to remain calm on the platform and become more aware of the trains pulling up and pulling away. With patience and practise we become more skilful in deciding which trains are useful to board and those that are not.  Which ones that will take us on the pathway of anger, fear and decline or those that can take us on the track of peace, happiness and prosperity.

We will inevitably jump on board – either consciously or unconsciously – particularly if we like thinking.  It is knowing that whilst on board we still have a choice which provides us freedom.  We can give our attention to what is happening.   Regardless of the line we are on, we may decide the best thing to do for our transformation is to pull the stop chord and disembark.

To stop.  Just stop.  To be without thought.  To be still.

Even if we stop once, it gives us the space to see more clearly and to offer a way out of our patterns.

In ‘Stop That Train’, Peter Tosh may have been on another track of thought, but he may also be illustrating thought patterns.  We don’t need to judge whether we are right or wrong.  We can choose to just stop.  Leave the train.

Just stop.