By Prana Lite 
What Are Thoughts Really Made Of?
At first glance, thoughts seem like solid, independent things, as if they have a form of their own. But if we look closely at what thoughts really are, we discover something quite different. Thoughts are not separate entities; they are fleeting appearances within the field of awareness, like clouds drifting in the sky. They have no independent reality outside of the space in which they arise—and that space is our awareness.
What Are Thoughts Made Of?
When we think about the substance of thoughts, it seems as though they are made of some kind of “mental material.” But try to grasp a thought—can you touch it, hold it, or even locate it? You’ll quickly discover that there’s nothing tangible to be found. What you do always find is the awareness that observes the thought. Thoughts are not solid things; they are simply movements within awareness.
Consider a wave in the ocean. The wave seems to have its own form for a moment, but ultimately, it’s just water, inseparable from the ocean. Thoughts are just like that—though they seem to exist apart from you, they are simply appearances within your own awareness.
How Can We Investigate Thoughts?
You can discover this for yourself by exploring your own thoughts with these steps:
- Notice a Thought: When a thought arises, instead of getting swept away by it, simply observe it. Look at it without diving into it.
- Ask Yourself: What Is This Thought Made Of?: Can you actually grasp the thought? Does it have a form, color, or substance? What you’ll find is that only awareness is there, noticing the thought—there is no separate “thing” to hold onto.
- Awareness Remains; Thoughts Come and Go: Thoughts arise and pass away, but the awareness that observes them remains constant. This awareness is always present, even when the thoughts disappear.
- Thoughts Are Not Solid: Just as a cloud seems to float in the sky and eventually dissolves, thoughts dissolve back into awareness. They have no solid form or existence outside of that awareness.
Not Just Thoughts—Feelings and Sensations, Too
This is not only true for thoughts but also for feelings, bodily sensations, and everything we perceive through our senses. If we look carefully, we discover that all experiences arise within our awareness and then fade away. We often believe that things outside of us exist independently and that we perceive them. But in truth, we are only ever aware of what appears within our awareness.
What Changes When You Realize This?
When you begin to understand that thoughts (and all other experiences) are nothing more than appearances in awareness, it transforms the way you relate to them. Rather than being carried away by your thoughts or worrying about them, you can see them as temporary clouds in a vast, open sky. You are not your thoughts; you are the awareness in which they arise. This realization brings a sense of peace and spaciousness because you are no longer bound by the thoughts that arise in your mind.
When you deeply recognize that thoughts, feelings, and all your experiences are merely appearances in awareness, several things shift in how you experience life:
1. Less Identification with Thoughts
We often think, I am what I think. For example, when a thought arises like, I’m not good enough, we quickly take it to be true and feel bad about ourselves. But when you understand that thoughts are just passing appearances in awareness, you no longer have to take them so seriously. You see them as something that comes and goes, like clouds in the sky. You are not the thought; you are the space in which the thought appears.
2. More Peace
Thoughts and emotions come and go constantly, but the awareness in which they arise is always calm and still. When you recognize that you are this still space, rather than the ever-changing thoughts and emotions, you feel more at peace. You no longer need to chase after or resist your thoughts. Instead, you can rest in the knowing that everything that arises will pass away on its own.
3. Less Worry and Stress
Much of our worry and stress comes from the belief that our thoughts dictate our lives. But when you see that thoughts have no fixed reality, they lose their power to disturb you. A thought like, I need to get this done or What if things go wrong?, no longer holds you in its grip. You recognize that it’s just a passing thought, and you don’t need to identify with it.
4. More Freedom
As you stop clinging to thoughts and feelings, you feel freer. Your thoughts no longer dictate how you feel or how you live. You experience an inner space where everything can happen without unsettling you. This freedom also allows you to respond to situations with greater openness and flexibility.
5. A Deeper Sense of Connection
When you realize that all thoughts and experiences are appearances within the same awareness, you begin to feel that this awareness is present in everything. You are not just a separate person with your own thoughts and feelings but part of a greater, shared reality. This can lead to a sense of connection with others and the world around you, as you see that everyone is living from the same “space” of awareness.
In summary, once you truly understand that your thoughts and feelings are not who you are but merely appearances in awareness, you can live with greater peace, freedom, and connection. You are no longer swept away by what you think, but you can relax more and more into the space of awareness itself, which is always calm and stable.
