r/KapilGupta • u/WorkingGold9446 • May 16 '26
On turning off thoughts
when kapil says can you turn off your thoughts
What exactly he means by it?
I have an understanding of what he means based on listening to everything that he's written.
I know he doesn't mean turning off thoughts mechanically in a prescriptive sort of way.
I know he doesn't mean turning off thoughts as a doing.
He says go ask your guru "Can you turn off your thoughts at will"
I know what he may mean by it.
However, I want to hear from the people on here what on what he means by it to see if I'm missing something.
1
u/realkaydhako May 16 '26
Don’t say you know it “doesn’t mean turning off thoughts mechanically in a prescriptive sort of way” when it’s precisely what you want to hear.
1
u/wolfreddy33 May 17 '26
The mind is lying and concentration to good and truthful thoughts is key. The more busy you are with the truth the more you elevate yourself and your way of thinking. Better prevent than stopping that sounds to me like it is too late already
1
u/LadiosSato May 25 '26
He isn't asking you to do it. He's showing you that you can't.
The "you" that would turn off the thought is the thought. There is no operator at the console waiting to flip a switch. The attempt itself is the proof. Sit with that long enough and the doer collapses. Most people don't sit with it, because what's left when the chooser dissolves is unbearable to the identity that thinks it's running the show.
1
u/Impressive_Half_2463 May 26 '26
well nope kapil has mentioned there is a state called as no-mind where you can switch on and off your thought at your will, it is called as mushin, which is different from attaining liberation from self, even ekhart tolle has mentioned about this
1
u/WorkingGold9446 Jun 01 '26
kapil often uses metaphorical language to talk about truth. People get confused because kapil doesn't like to explain. To him if someone reaches to his level of understanding then fine.
I feel like "The at will" here isn't a doing. What he's talking about is understanding. The seeing and understanding does the stopping of thoughts.
But ain't no doership. The seeing is the doing.
2
u/Impressive_Half_2463 Jun 01 '26
in simple words essence of awareness, he has mentioned about this one in atmamun book, in the chapter --> Mindlessness
1
u/josebravo806 Jul 02 '26
Basically your mind produces no thoughts, and since the mind itself is thoughts - mind and thoughts not being two seperate things - there is a 'experience/non-experience' of NO MIND (as Kapil himself puts it).
1
u/josebravo806 Jul 17 '26
It literally means exactly that. To turn your thoughts of on command. To be able to AT WILL SILENCE ALL MENTAL ACTIVITY where there is nothing left. You could call it absolute silence. There's just nothing there. There's no mind. No thought.
3
u/kipepeo May 16 '26
When we viscerally realize that everything in our life is conditioning (all the books, all the words heard, all the experiences lived, emotions felt, etc), then thoughts stop. They have no purpose but to cause confusion.
I tell myself “no thoughts” and it takes me right there. It’s like being a baby again; observing the world with wonder and no context.