Transforming The Wandering Mind

 Distancing from wandering thoughts as in giving less time and attention to them makes sense to me.  What isn't reinforced by attention is likely to diminish.  The problem for me is that it is much easier said than done, especially at 3 am a couple times per week, when my wandering thoughts are most active and loud and most resistant to being ignored.  I've utilized various methods to distance and quiet, most of which bring some success sometimes.  I have only limited success even with meditation or meditation oriented efforts during those wee hours of the morning.  I find what works best for me is no or minimal eating or drinking for a couple hours before going to bed.  Wandering thoughts are sometimes also a problem when I read, and the wandering thoughts interfere with my comprehension.  What works best for me is taking care of whatever business before reading and/or finding a very quiet and even private reading place.  It occurs to me that I don't often have difficulty with single-pointed placement of my mind; I have more problem with unpointed placement of my mind, that is, simply being without any single-pointed focus and without attention to wandering thoughts.  Those are my most satisfying moments.     

 David, a few weeks back you wrote, “Meditation is gently relaxing into awareness.”  The depth of your words described meditation perfectly for me.   I wrote your words down because your explanation was simple and to the point.  Your internal logic appears to transcend rational thought and appears to be your ability to observe.  Your observation is with clarity.  Your clarity has helped to provide a key to understand the whole for me.  I want to say thank you for your observations and thank you for your open mind to observe life.  

 Syd -- I sure appreciate your kind words.  Thank you.  David