Counting Awareness: A Breakthrough in Mindfulness
Imagine this: Instead of getting frustrated when your mind won’t shut up during meditation, what if every time you had a thought, you could turn it into a win? That’s the essence of Counting Awareness, a revolutionary technique that flips traditional mindfulness on its head.
We’re not aiming for total silence here. Forget that ideal of an empty mind…it’s unrealistic, especially in the beginning. Instead, we use those thoughts to our advantage. Every time you catch yourself thinking, you count it, and just like that, you’re building a bridge between your mind and awareness. This isn’t just meditation; this is mindfulness with momentum.
Here’s how it works:
- Notice the thought. As soon as a thought pops up, you simply recognize it. Don’t judge it, don’t get frustrated—just see it.
- Count it. Mentally tally it up. You can use a clicker if you want to get fancy, or just note it in your mind. If you lose count, don’t worry, the act of catching the thought is what matters.
- Return to the breath. After counting, gently shift your attention back to your breathing. Inhale, exhale, reset.
That’s it. That’s the process. But the power of this practice lies in its simplicity. Each thought you count is progress. You’re no longer sitting there hoping for some elusive calm; you’re actively working towards mastery of your mind. And that’s something you can measure.
Why It Works
When you count your thoughts, you’re training your brain to recognize when it’s drifting off. Over time, your mind starts catching itself before it spirals. Instead of letting random thoughts carry you away, you get better at noticing them, counting them, and then letting them go.
Think of it like working out. Each time you catch a thought, it’s like a rep for your mind. You’re strengthening your ability to be aware. The more you practice, the more automatic this becomes. Thoughts come and go, but instead of getting pulled into their drama, you just note them, count, and move on. It’s like turning down the volume on the mental noise without trying to force it to stop.
Meditation That Feels Like Progress
Most people give up on meditation because they think they’re “doing it wrong” if they can’t relax or quiet their mind. Counting Awareness changes that mindset. Here’s the truth: meditation isn’t about achieving some mystical state of calm right away—it’s about training your brain to be present.
With this technique, every thought you count is a victory. If you sit for 10 minutes and count 15 thoughts, guess what? You just had 15 moments where you noticed your mind wandering and brought it back. That’s success. That’s meditation in action. No more feeling like you’re failing because you didn’t “get calm.” You’re not chasing calm, you’re building awareness.
The Real Power: Reprogramming Your Mind
Here’s where it gets even better: you can stack affirmations into the process. Let’s say you catch a thought and, after counting it, you add a quick affirmation like, “I am present,” or “I am at peace.” Now, not only are you strengthening your mindfulness, but you’re also reprogramming your subconscious mind.
These affirmations work because you’re inserting them right when your mind is most susceptible—when you’ve interrupted a thought pattern. Each time you do this, you’re subtly rewiring how your brain reacts to thoughts and emotions. Over time, this creates a profound shift in how you experience your own mind.
Handling the Tough Stuff
Sometimes, as you practice, deeper, more resistant thoughts will arise—stuff you’ve buried or ignored. These could be negative thoughts, old patterns, or even intrusive urges. Here’s the key: treat them the same way. Recognize them, count them, and return to the breath. Don’t get pulled into their story. The more you count and let go, the weaker those old patterns become.
At first, your mind might fight back hard. Your ego will throw a lot at you, and it might feel like you’re counting nonstop. It’s like your mind is trying to distract you from your newfound awareness. But stick with it. Eventually, even the most persistent thoughts start to lose their grip, and you find yourself in a state of calm you’ve never reached before.
The Zen State: Counting the Urge Before It Becomes a Thought
There’s a sweet spot you can hit after practicing for a while where you start catching the urge to think before the thought fully forms. It’s like seeing the wind before the storm hits. That’s when you know you’re leveling up. When you start noticing the smallest impulses, you’re tuning into a deeper awareness, beyond the usual mental noise. This is where you start experiencing a Zen-like state—where you exist in the gap before thoughts.
Levels of Progress: The Path to Mastery
This technique is measurable. You can track your progress based on how many thoughts you’ve counted over time. I would recommend as you count in your mind, to often jot down how much you counted on your phone to keep track and then reset the count. Otherwise, you will often lose count. That is personally why I bought a clicker counter that I can easily click while it’s on my pocket. It’s gotten to the point where hearing the click or simply motioning my thumb, has become an anchor to making me automatically present.
Anyways, here’s a rough roadmap:
- 100 thoughts (Level 1): You’re starting to get the hang of it. You’re catching more thoughts and staying present for longer.
- 500 thoughts: Mindfulness is integrating into your day-to-day life. Counting is second nature, and meditation feels smoother.
- 1000 thoughts: You’re entering deeper states of awareness. Silence comes more easily, and your mind becomes naturally present.
- 2000-5000 thoughts: Mastery. At this point, you’re training your brain to stay rooted in the present, even in stressful situations. Your mind’s noise loses its power over you, and you can enter a zen state on command.
Over time, this practice will help you reach a point where you no longer need to count thoughts at all. You’ll find yourself able to meditate deeply and easily, with very little effort. It’s like training wheels for meditation—an easier, more approachable way to get to those deeper states, without struggling or feeling like you’re fighting your mind the whole time. This is basically a path to mindfulness mastery so that you can meditate at will and reach the deeper states of consciousness you’ve been reading about for ages.
The Ultimate Tool for Overcoming Negative or Intrusive Thoughts
This practice is incredibly effective for people dealing with intrusive thoughts, addiction cravings, or anxiety. Each time you catch a negative thought or an urge and count it, you weaken its grip on you. It’s like turning the volume down on that voice in your head that says you can’t. Each time you notice it, count it, and return to your breath, you’re taking away its power.
Over time, these thoughts and urges show up less often, and when they do, they’re far less intense. You’re training your brain to not be controlled by fleeting emotions or compulsions, but to stay grounded in the present.
The Bottom Line: Every Count Is a Win
Counting Awareness takes meditation and makes it actionable. Every thought you count is progress. Even if you don’t hit a perfect state of peace, you’re still succeeding by training your mind to notice its own patterns. And the best part? You’ll feel the results in real-time. Your awareness sharpens, your thoughts lose their power, and you become more present. This is mindfulness in motion, and with every count, you’re getting closer to true mastery of your mind.
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… even if I just woke up from a nap and I meditate then I get sleepy again. Sometimes I use meditating as a sleeping pill lol when I am not able to sleep. How do you keep awake and not fall asleep during meditation?