I think therefore,, I do?

Our minds are very busy things, there are a dozen or so thoughts a minute, and these thoughts vary - some pleasant while others not so, it's so frequent that we do not even remember everything we think of.  We tend to remember those we deem important, those thoughts that has some impact on us.  Other thoughts, and there are a lot of them, fall on the way side.

On other occasions we have thoughts because of outside forces that are happening, say a fight broke out, or a person is screaming, we would have thoughts such as - I should slap that person so he/she stops screaming, or I'm afraid of that fight, I might get killed.  We act according to how we've been taught, how we've learned to react to certain things, our survival instinct so to speak, we call this conditioning.

Our conditioned set up is how we were taught to act in situations and how we believe we should do them, but as a seeker, thinking is quite different from doing.  Since awareness that thoughts happen very frequently, a seeker watches his thoughts and only acts when and only when action is needed.  In the case of the screaming person, a seeker would not slap that person to stop the screaming, a seeker would assess the situation and help if the person needs aid.  We do not simply follow urges to hit.  

Automatic Zombiefication

Acting or doing when we think of something is quite normal to the populace, this is how society works. A seeker sees through this whole process, and notices that doing such is counter intuitive.  One might argue though that stopping one's self from doing or feeling something, is like being a machine. Let's examine that shall we?  Say you're going to a meeting, driving there you come across heavy traffic, you'll be late and can feel yourself getting worried by the second.  Other drivers are honking their horns, and this adds to your aggravation, and you think honking your horn will  move things along too.  First - honking non stop will not help ease traffic; Second - you'll be so pissed before you get to the meeting and would be unfit to attend it, in your current state of mind.  If one stops to analyze and not run with immediate thoughts, the mind would be free to think of a solution instead of just getting pissed, you discern which thought to act on.  This automatic reaction we have with things, makes us like zombies, just doing what the mind thinks of first.  So better stop, take a breath and calm down.

Thinking Vs. Acting 

But what can be said about thinking of doing something not so desirable to someone else?  This is akin to acting right, that it would present the same level of effect?  Well it's yes and no, when one acts on an a certain stimuli, it will produce effects that are beyond our control -- whatever that action may be.  Categorizing them as good or bad holds no form to their outcome.  Stopping a knife fight without a plan, just because you want to come out a hero might get you stabbed.  So thinking twice, thrice or more about doing an action becomes vital, indeed more so if the action thought of is born out of urge or want for one's own selfish needs.  Thinking about it on the other hand, well if you run with the thoughts and add something else to it making it unpleasant, well that will cause you suffering -- undue worry. And in the flurry of all that thought, a desire comes up, wanting a specific outcome to a certain situation.  Let's use the above example - a fight happens, you do nothing, but you start fearing it, scenarios are playing in your mind, and you start thinking that being in crowded areas are magnets for fights, and you develop an unfounded fear of certain places.  So in this debate, though acting produces immediate results, overthinking about something also will bring long lasting outcomes.  

Just let the thoughts come, acknowledge them, then watch it vanish, no engagement necessary, try doing that, when a thought comes, see it -- don't add anything to it.  You probably think it's magic, it isn't, this is how things happen naturally, after practicing this, you'll notice that lots of your thoughts just come and go, without you really doing anything.  And not just that, you'll notice things happen without you doing anything as well.  

So better break from the mold, act only when needed and never attach yourself to the thought.  With the million thoughts that you have in one day, why zero in on one bad thought? Remember, it isn't you acting or thinking, you only watch everything, stay there and enjoy.