Turning the mind inward and quieting the restless thought current

To initiate the process of quieting the restless thought current, the selfless mind (the selfless perceiver/the selfless knower/the selfless experiencer/the selfless thinker and action performer) first needs to know what is non-attachment and non-identification, a.k.a. non-association, or standing as a witness, which then allows the mind to look at the selfless modification of the mind, to find out, or inquire towards what is the thought current, and why it is restless, or what is the cause that gives rise to restlessness, without craving, aversion, comparison, judgment, and expectation.

The process of turning the mind inward, is about gathering the random outgoing and wandering point of focus/attentiveness/awareness, that moves rapidly among the countless random objects of the senses (sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations), and channel the gathered point of focus inward, where the mind gives full attention towards observing what is going on in the selfless modification of the mind, or to be aware of the selfless thought process, or the selfless thought activities, or the mind thinking and behavior pattern, of ceaseless mental actions/reactions/ideas/feelings/emotions/inspirations/aspirations/desires/anticipations/imaginations/memories, of all kinds of impurities, that keep arising, changing, and passing away (Restlessness - ceaseless selfless impermanent changes - ceaseless births and deaths of endless random thought after thought).

The entire process is being activated under the presence of non-violence or gentleness, without forcing/violence/aggressiveness. As the presence of forcing/violence/aggressiveness hinders the process of quieting the restless thought current to be happening. It is like the pool of water can never be calmed and still, if someone keeps hitting and stirring the water with something repeatedly and aggressively.

The absence of forcing/violence/aggressiveness, is possible under the presence of non-craving, non-aversion, non-comparison, non-judgment, and non-expectation, on top of patience, forbearance, perseverance, determination, acceptance, adjustment, adaptation, and accommodation.

That is why the basic yoga and/or buddhism practice is not so much about learning and performing the different types of yoga asana practice, pranayama practice, concentration practice, meditation practice, chanting (sound vibration and/or devotional/sentimental approach), kriya (cleansing), or any kind of practice, under the many different lineages and techniques, but, it is more about during the entire process of learning and performing all that, the practitioners (the selfless minds) are developing and empowering non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion, non-comparison, non-judgment, and non-expectation, as well as developing the elements of patience, forbearance, perseverance, determination, acceptance, adjustment, adaptation, and accommodation, that give rise to the presence of kindness, or non-forcing/non-violence/non-aggressiveness in the entire practice as well as in everyday life affairs, that will influence and change the conditional habitual mind thinking and behavior pattern, consciously and unconsciously, that naturally activates the conscious and non-conscious evolution of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional momentary life existence, where the mind can know itself, attaining direct realization towards the truth of selflessness and impermanence, and be free from ignorance and the suffering deriving from ignorance.

The mind will stop hurting itself and others or the surrounding environment under the presence of correct understanding and peace, under the presence of wisdom and compassion, devoid of ignorance, restlessness and violence.

Everything will eventually fall into its place naturally, upon the initial activation of conscious evolution, that will also influence the unconscious evolution, even if it's not significant, and either wittingly or unwittingly.

Just by closing the eyes, and turning the focus/attention or the conscious awareness inward and within, even if it's just for a few moments, is already initiating the process of quieting the restless thought current.

For most minds, they can begin with the process of observing the natural breath coming and going. In the first few practices, it's only for a few seconds. And then, prolonged that process of observing the natural breath for a few minutes, and then gradually extending the process for as long as possible, without struggle/forcing/violence.

Keep practicing, without judgment or expectation.

Just watch the impermanence of the breath and the wavering attentiveness, where sometimes the mind is attentive, calmed, and quiet effortlessly, while sometimes it is agitated, distracted, and wavering randomly back and forth between here to there.

The point is not about whether the mind is attentive or inattentive. But it is about there is this selfless awareness that is being aware of the impermanent attentiveness and inattentiveness of the selfless mind, without association, attachment, identification, craving, aversion, comparison, judgment, or expectation.

The conscious awareness is not being determined, or affected, or contaminated, or damaged by the presence and absence of attentiveness or inattentiveness, calmness or agitation, of all kinds of impurities and restlessness in the selfless modification of the mind.

As the mind keeps practicing under the presence of non-association, non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion, non-comparison, non-judgment, and non-expectation, under the support of patience, forbearance, perseverance, determination, acceptance, adjustment, adaptation, and accommodation, regardless of whether the body and mind can perform all kinds of practices perfectly or imperfectly (not important at all), then naturally and effortlessly, the restless thought current will become less and less violent/agitated/restless, and will come to a point of stillness or clarity, even if that is also impermanent and momentary.

But that tiny impermanent moment of stillness or clarity, is extremely precious for a glimpse towards the selfless unconditional unlimited attributeless/nameless/formless/actionless/changeless/timeless/birthless/deathless universal consciousness that allows all kinds of manifestations to be what they are, that enables the selfless perceptive thinking and acting mind to be what it is, to be consciously perceiving/experiencing/knowing/thinking/feeling/sensing/reasoning/understanding/acting/reacting towards all kinds of names and forms during the momentary selfless impermanent limited and conditional existence under the selfless support of the selfless energy and elements, where the mind knows Thyself, of its selfless impermanent momentary limited and conditional existence and function, and hence, effortlessly resting upon the selfless universal consciousness, a.k.a. timelessness/changelessness/desirelessness/actionlessness/attributelessness/namelessness/formlessness/birthlessness/deathlessness/unconditional peace, even if there are necessary physical and mental activities for maintaining life existence, while making use of this selfless impermanent momentary life existence for performing selfless service (evoking the dharma that is already there in the minds, consciously and unconsciously) that help to promote and maintain peace and harmony among the many diversities of different names and forms in this world that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, without attachment/identification/intention/expectation. Just like the sun, the air, the earth, the water, and the space.

The dissemination of dharma or the teachings of yoga and/or buddhism is highly important, even if it's merely the repetition of the same few words such as Selflessness and Impermanence, Non-attachment and Non-identification, Non-craving and Non-aversion, Non-judgment and Non-expectation, Kindness and Letting go, or Self-inquiry and Self-realization, either in the form of any written and/or spoken language, allowing the minds to have the opportunity to come in contact with these essential words/teachings/dharma, both consciously and unconsciously, regardless of whether the minds comprehend the meanings of these words/teachings/dharma, or not, especially in the beginning, it really doesn't matter.

Such as upon the teacher is disseminating the dharma/teachings in the yoga class, without any intention or expectation, there are some students are coming in contact with and processing all these dharma/teachings wittingly and consciously, that lead themselves towards self-inquiry and self-realization, while there are also some students coming in contact with and absorbing all these dharma/teachings unwittingly and/or unconsciously, either they are not listening at all being distracted by something, or they are listening but they don't really know what the teacher is talking about (language barrier or intellectual barrier), or they are not interested at all to be listening to all that, or they have intense disagreement or aversion reacting towards the dharma/teachings, or they are falling asleep during the class especially during the relaxation, however, it will still lead them towards self-inquiry and self-realization, eventually. They will recall all these from within, both consciously and unconsciously, when there is the moment when they are in need of all these dharma/teachings.

It really doesn't matter.

Because all these dharma/teachings are already there within all minds. The teacher doesn't give them the dharma/teachings, but only served as a tool that evokes the dharma/teachings that is already there in all and everyone (however, the minds don't know or couldn't see it being hindered by the veil of ignorance, the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness,) that allows the minds to develop the basic foundation of certain essential correct understanding and attitude, that enables the minds to have some guidelines for them to perform certain practice effectively, that will lead them towards realizing all that by themselves, through their own effort and determination.

That is also why activating the mind purification process is highly important, same as the observation of dispassion, renunciation, solitude, seclusion, silence, Satsanga (if there is wise company) and Asanga (if there is no wise company), or mental and emotional independence. This is to limit and minimize both conscious and (especially) unconscious ceaseless mind inputs that are feeding and empowering ignorance and its by-products, which is a huge obstacle for mind purification process, self-inquiry, and self-realization.

Inquire the truth of everything.