We Are Not Our Thoughts

We are so attached to our thoughts. We think we are our thoughts, but we’re not. We think our thoughts are real, but if you watch them, you will see how contradictory they are.
Our thoughts change constantly. [...] there is no stability in our thoughts, freedom comes when you learn to just watch them pass.

-Isha, Why Walk When You Can Fly?

I have been reading Why Walk When You Can Fly? and the above passage really stuck out to me. Why? It reminded me of this clip of Peaceful Warrior:
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I forgot about this until I was walking with two friends after grabbing lunch. One of them mentioned that he sometimes felt bad for things that he thought! I was rather excited to quote the movie for them (I love movie quotes) but this synchronicity made me think I should share with you.

I think that sometimes people get discouraged by the fact that they don’t live up to their own expectations, at least in their head. When a thought about using doing something “wrong” crosses their mind, they assume something is wrong with them. We can take comfort in the fact that we indeed are not our thoughts. The mind (and ego) love to do their own thing, but we don’t have to focus our energy on those “bad” thoughts. Instead, observe them, acknowledge them, and watch them disappear. The only real danger is in identifying with our thoughts and getting caught up in any place besides this moment.