The mental chatter

This constant chatter, going on. 

An endless stream of commentary, a narration, a conversation with yourself. about yourself. 

It never stops! 

This internal dialogue is so constant, so pervasive that most people don't even notice it anymore. 

Is like the hum of the refrigerator, that you only hear when someone points it out...

If is your mind, talking to itself, who is the talker and who is the listener? 
are there two of you in there? 
and if there are two, which one is the real you? 
the one doing the talking or the one listening to the talking?

This internal dialogue, 

this constant mental chatter, 

is at the root of almost all human suffering. 

It's the mechanism by which we create anxiety, worry, regret and most of of our psychological pain, and yet, we are so identified with it, that we think is who we really are. 

on and on, 

an endless stream of evaluation and judging

Planning and rehearsing...

Constantly projecting into the future, 

imagining scenarios, talking to people who are not there 

worrying about things that might happen, 

fantasizing about things that wish to happen... 

is constantly reminding you of who you are, your history. your pain, your likes and dislikes. what you are afraid, what you are able and not able to do. 

is like a propaganda machine, working tireless, to convince you that you are this particular character in this particular story. 

Why does the mind do all of this? what's the purpose of this endless chatter?

The mind believes that if it can think of things enough, plan enough, analyze them enough, it can control what happens. 

Is trying to make life safe, predictable, and manageable. 

Trying to avoid pain, and secure pleasure...

But here is the problem, IT DOES NOT WORK. 

all this thinking, planning, worry and analyzing and rehearsing, it does not give you any control. Things happen unexpectedly, people behave in ways you did not anticipate. Yet, the mind keeps on talking, keeps on trying, keeps on believing that if it just think a little harder, plan a little better, worry a little more throughly, it will achieve the control it seeks. 

An illusion, 

all this thinking 

is LIFE thinking about itself 

Life narrating itself, 

Life judging itself...

some thinking is necessary... 

practical thinking is focused. 

it has a specific purporse, 

is like using a tool, you use it when you needed. 

But the compulsive chatter is not practical, it has no purpose. 

is more like a broken record.  It becomes a habit, automatic. 

You are not your thoughts, the voice in you head is not you. 

if you are your thoughts, who is aware of your thoughts? 

Practical thinking arises when needed. 

The mental chatter without purpose, out of habit is ongoing. 

BE HERE NOW