When I have to scan the recesses of my mind for coherent thoughts, then I know I'm in some form of trouble.
Usually, there's a small stream of thoughts running in the background, like a shadow that never leaves me.
It could be a great sport to objectively try to discern how many tabs I have opened in my mind at any given time and how interrelated or not these tabs are.
At this moment in time, it's almost none, as I've just came from a meditation, and my mind is mostly still and silent.
But I can tell for sure that with the passing of time across the day, numerous tabs will open (and close), depending on how exposed to external stimuli I become and what internal processes get triggered in response.
Some tabs never get closed until I fall asleep, others merely require cutting off the information source for them to disappear.
An example of the latter could be the thought patterns sparked by scrolling through social media, fleeting impressions that vanish shortly after putting the phone down.
Theory of Emanation
There's this theory of emanation that describes the pre-existence of every effect in a cause. An effect is an emanation of its source, containing elements inherent to that origin.
Put differently, nothing truly emerges from nothing. All thoughts and mental processes can be traced back to seeds planted earlier, whether from moments ago or years past.
This theory applies perfectly to the interrelated aspect of mental tabs. More often than not, there are a handful of sources that give birth to the myriad thoughts occupying our consciousness at any given moment.
Here's a typical thought about lunch and the ensuing cascade of mental connections:
- A lunch thought sparks a memory of a childhood meal.
- This memory connects to reflections on family relationships.
- Family thoughts lead to planning a holiday call.
- The call reminds you of travel arrangements.
- Travel considerations cycle back to work deadlines.
- Work deadlines trigger anxiety or excitement.
- It can go on and on..
Our minds don't simply think. That's merely an aspect of it. They also relate, connect, and create patterns constantly, trying to weave an intricate tapestry of cognition that is both chaotic and meaningful.
The practice of meditation offers a unique vantage point from which to observe this phenomenon. During those moments of mental clarity following meditation, one can witness thoughts as they begin to form and multiply, similar to seeds sprouting and proliferating.
Bandwidth Management
In a way, mental mastery isn't about having no tabs open, at least from a modern perspective.
Because this is arguably an impossible goal for most of us living in a hyper-connected, information-saturated world.
But understanding their sources and relationships makes it so much easier to discern which thoughts deserve the foreground of our attention and which could run quietly in the background or be closed entirely.
If the modern world continuously demands more of our mental bandwidth, then I think cognitive self-regulation is practically essential for maintaining mental health, apart from being merely philosophically interesting for people like myself.
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