Clearing your mind
I seem to find clearing my mind of thoughts a seemingly impossible task. No matter how hard I try and not think of anything, there's always some thought or other that manages to reach my 'thinking-tray'. Clearing the mind would not only help me focus better, but also relax more as well. Anyone got any tips for clearing the mind?

But on the other hand, I find my constantly-invading thoughts a good source of my creativity if I can manage to remember them, so it's not all bad - I just wish I had an 'off-switch' I could use whenever I wanted.
( mistaspakkaman and the inedible shifting caterpillars, Wed 13 May 2009, 9:31, 34 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

I just wish I had an 'off-switch' I could use whenever I wanted
Don't we all Spak, don't we all ;)
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 13 May 2009, 9:34, Reply)

For ourselves
Or mistaspakkaman? :-)
( The Light in Chains don't touch the Pope's boner, Wed 13 May 2009, 10:10, Reply)

Couple of tricks I've found
Concentrate on an abstract object, like a cricket bat. Don't think of the links to it or anything related, but just concentrate on it's appearance and how it would feel under your hands.

Another alternative is how I go to sleep - listen to an audio book, or a radio comedy. Just something you can melt in to and listen without having to think about it.
(Potty Jag har smör i min rumpspringa, Wed 13 May 2009, 9:34, Reply)

Exercise
Specifically something where I have to regulate my breathing like swimming or running works well for me.

Alternatively, if I'm suffering from insomnia I'll either dismantle something in my mind or think about reading a Jeffrey Archer novel. The latter is proven to be less stimulating than reading the phone book.
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Wed 13 May 2009, 9:35, Reply)

I already do a fair ammount of exercise
and sometimes when I do do it, I become so knackered I can no longer do whatever it is I wanted to do when I've cleared my mind. Still, that doesn't stop me exercising.
( mistaspakkaman and the inedible shifting caterpillars, Wed 13 May 2009, 21:58, Reply)

You need to do a mundane task that you "sort of" enjoy doing
I have an old brass bugle at home, and I find that polishing it really calms the mind. I suppose it's a bit like clipping a bonsai tree, dull yet relaxing.
( Colonel Dracula Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf, Wed 13 May 2009, 9:39, Reply)

you are telling us that
you spend time "polishing" your "bugle"
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 13 May 2009, 9:59, Reply)

^ *euphemism-ometer explodes*
.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 13 May 2009, 10:02, Reply)

I knew I would get that reaction
it does sound like a wanking euphemism
( Colonel Dracula Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf, Wed 13 May 2009, 10:25, Reply)

I have exactly the same problem
Even when I'm not thinking, there's generally a tune or jingle or rhyme or something going around in my head. It's rather frustrating. I quite crave mental silence.
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Wed 13 May 2009, 9:43, Reply)

I find that smoking pot
helps control the constant bubbling of the thought cauldron, but without stifling creativity.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 13 May 2009, 9:44, Reply)

.
I prefer 'software' solutions to 'hardware' solutions if you know what I mean.
( mistaspakkaman and the inedible shifting caterpillars, Wed 13 May 2009, 21:59, Reply)

I go along the lines of
"I'm not able to calm things down in my head, so just get used to it".

Computer games are pretty good for zoning out.
( Cawl, Wed 13 May 2009, 9:49, Reply)

I use a mantra
"You will clear your head of all thoughts"

repeated over and over again until there is no room for anything else then *pop* - sleepy time!

rafter
baz

ps - Vipros, pot used to help but eventually it just made matters worse as I was doing nothing only smoking pot and my brain wouldnt stop reminding me of it so I gave it up.

I'm all about the grape these days.
(bazmorningstar efil4nat3b, Wed 13 May 2009, 10:08, Reply)

that happens to some
I'm pretty lucky in how it affects me to be honest.

my favourite mantra is the one from Dune/Earthworm Jim: I must not fear, fear is the mind killer etc...
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 13 May 2009, 10:17, Reply)

I have used that mantra from Dune
it worked for me. Writing it down feels good as well.
( Colonel Dracula Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf, Wed 13 May 2009, 10:27, Reply)

I must drink beer.
Beer is the mind-killer. Beer is the little death that brings total inebriation. I will face my beer. I will allow it to pass into me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. When the beer has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
( The Light in Chains don't touch the Pope's boner, Wed 13 May 2009, 12:14, Reply)

Grape?
What am I missing out on?
(TheColonel, Wed 13 May 2009, 11:20, Reply)

grape = wine
presume that's what you meant?

Unless you want a list of favourites which I will be more than happy to provide.
(bazmorningstar efil4nat3b, Wed 13 May 2009, 12:21, Reply)

Warning - geek alert
If I want to clear my mind I start going through the prime numbers and get as high as I can before either:

(a) falling asleep, or
(b) realising that my mind's clear (and thus ready to tackle something else)
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Wed 13 May 2009, 10:16, Reply)

oh god.
I do that too.

/shames.
(Poppet some assembly required., Wed 13 May 2009, 10:20, Reply)

Ah, the beauty of the primes :)
/welcome to the world of maths!
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Wed 13 May 2009, 10:21, Reply)

it's mainly to distract myself.
if I bored I start at one and go as high as I can before I'm interrupted.
(Poppet some assembly required., Wed 13 May 2009, 10:23, Reply)

It's a great way of clearing the mind too.
:)

I can *almost* see what people get as a consequence of prayer; for those who pray regularly (I've avoided the use of the word religiously there on purpose. Damn.) it's almost a meditation enabling them to get some of the detritus from their minds.
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Wed 13 May 2009, 10:29, Reply)

I love prayers.
And hymns.

One of my favourite things to do is go into a church and listen to the choirs and just forget everything but the songs.
(Poppet some assembly required., Wed 13 May 2009, 10:31, Reply)

choirs are great
but hymns not so much

proper choral singing, is incredible. I wandered into Wells Cathedral not all that long ago and a proper choir were practicing. The acoustics were amazing, as is the building. I sat and soaked it up for as long as I could.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 13 May 2009, 10:37, Reply)

I can't wait
to hear Kings College Choir.
(Poppet some assembly required., Wed 13 May 2009, 10:46, Reply)

Never heard them
But I'd imagine it to be angelic
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Wed 13 May 2009, 10:49, Reply)

I daydream an awful lot
I have lots of worlds in my head, if I want to escape from real world stuff I just retreat into one of my own worlds.

Or play computer games.
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Wed 13 May 2009, 10:25, Reply)

A shotgun.
It's a no brainer.
(Himjim died a little more inside on, Wed 13 May 2009, 10:31, Reply)

hate that expression
made me smile this time though - well done!
(bazmorningstar efil4nat3b, Wed 13 May 2009, 10:35, Reply)

Works for me.
Here goes.

1. Kneel on floor
2. Cross legs at ankles
3. Relax back into a sitting position.
4. Let hands rest naturally on knees
5. Sit up as straight as possible
6. Shut eyes and relax
7. Envisage nothing but darkness.
8. Then a single light source (can be whatever you want it to be).
9. Visualise the darkness as being a black room
10. Allow light source to define walls ceiling and floor.
11. Visualise floor as a still pool
12. Visualise single drops from a point above and in front of the light source.
13. Concentrate hard on getting the form and fall of the drops as near to natural as possible.
14. Create the ripples from the drops. Concentrate hard and create interference patterns from the rebounding ripples if you can.

Keep this up as long as you can. This is quite a difficult exercise and will tire your mind simply because of the level of concentration required.
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Wed 13 May 2009, 10:52, Reply)

Listen
to speech radio, with the volume low, and listen out for words beggining with a, b, c, etc. Never got beyond h myself
(How soon is now?, Wed 13 May 2009, 12:36, Reply)

Yoga
works brilliantly for this and once you've done it a few times it becomes easier to get your brain to quieten down.

Rock climbing or mountain biking works well too mainly because I'm concentrating really hard on not killing myself so I can't think about the 101 other things that are also on my mind at the time.

Actually, as PJM said, physical exercise works a treat.
( chickenlady b3ta's very own Elizabeth Taylor, Wed 13 May 2009, 17:07, Reply)