Janna · Sep 7, 2026
QUESTION 09: WANDERING THOUGHTS COME FROM THE MIND. USING THAT MIND FULL OF WANDERING THOUGHTS TO CALM ITSELF IS RATHER TOO DIFFICULT TO APPLY, ISN’T IT?
ANSWER: The mind is a complex and multifaceted entity, comprising numerous components including:
●Intentional Thoughts: Deliberate, conscious thinking.
●Unintentional Wandering Thoughts.
●Emotions: Love, hatred, anger, fondness, and more.
●Feelings: Sadness, joy, boredom, pleasure, etc.
●Willpower: The strength to initiate and sustain actions.
●Desires.
●ATTENTION.
●Sensory Awareness: Perception through the senses.
●Cognitive Awareness: Understanding through reasoning.
●Creativity and Curiosity: The source of innovation, adaptability, and inquiry.
●Bodily Coordination: Directing physical movements.
●Autonomic Nervous System: Regulating involuntary bodily functions.
●Memory.
●Intuition: The ability to understand without conscious reasoning.
●Ego or Ego Attachment
●Instincts (Kleshas).
●Mental Hindrances and Temperament (Nivarana)
●Moral Tendencies: Inclinations toward virtue.
●Unwholesome Tendencies: Negative patterns of thought and behavior.
●Karmic Forces: Influences from past actions shaping present experiences.
Sentient beings remain trapped in the cycle of samsara (the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth) primarily due to the improper use of two critical mental tools: Thinking and Attention .
●Wrong thinking corrupts the soul
●Misguided and misplaced attention turns the mind into chaos
However, when these two tools are used correctly, the mind gradually finds calmness, wandering thoughts steadily diminish, and the path to meditative absorption unfolds. The key lies in consciously choosing what to think about and where to focus attention.
There are two types of Thinking:
●Right Consideration: To cultivates a pure, moral, and virtuous mind by aligning thoughts with ethical principles.
●Deliberate Contemplation: to sharpens the mind’s awareness and mindfulness (To be elaborated later)
There are many possible objects of attention, and the mind's state is heavily influenced by where we direct our attention:
●Focusing on wandering thoughts keeps the mind restless.
●Attention to negative or harmful ideas intensifies mental turbulence.
●Focusing on meaningless external distractions breeds restlessness
●Excessive attention to the head can lead to mental tension and potential illness.
●Shifting focus to the chest or abdomen naturally reduces wandering thoughts.
●Directing attention to the very bottom of the abdomen significantly quiets the mind.
●Paying attention to the natural rhythm of the in-and-out breath, without attempting to control it, provides a stable anchor for the mind, paving the way for meditative absorption (to be elaborated on later).
While wandering thoughts arise from the mind’s inherent complexity, it is through this very complexity that we can find a path to tranquility.
Written by:
Janna
Related Articles:
Meditation Q&A 8: Correct Full Lotus Posture for Meditation
Meditation Q&A: Question 7 – Meditation Techniques from Basic to Advanced
Meditation Q&A – Question 06: Is Stopping Thoughts Difficult or Harmful?
Question 05 – How Does Stillness of Mind Lead to Wisdom?
Truth Leads to Enlightenment: What Is Enlightenment?
Question 03: Why Does Seeing Truth Lead to Happiness?
Instruction on Meditation: Essential Methods and Practice Guide