My mind churns unceasingly. Whether I’m taking a shower, on the toilet, lying in bed, or lifting weights, I think about last year or month, yesterday, tomorrow, or next month or year. What the f*.

After several years of meditating, I can sometimes recognize this thought train. Yesterday, as I I tied my shoes, I noticed I was thinking about the pair of sneakers I wear to work. I reflected, “I wish those kicks were light, like these. When I am ready to buy a new pair, I’ll compare the weights of the sneakers . . . .” I finished tying and shook my head, noting, “I did not buy a ticket to travel down this thought tunnel.”

I wish my mind would tire and take time off, like a long sabbatical. I realize, however, there is no stopping the onslaught of mental chatter. So, I try to remember author Michael A. Singer’s words.

You are not your thoughts; you are aware of your thoughts. You are not your emotions; you feel emotions. You are not your body; you look at it in the mirror and experience this world through its eyes and ears. You are the conscious being who is aware that you are aware of all these inner and outer things.

Michael A. Singer, The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself