Written by Jen Liu

In meditation practice, we come to learn a lot about the behavior of our discursive minds. We notice as thoughts pop up seemingly uncontrollably, wrestle our attention away from our breath, and take us on a ride. Observing our relationship to thoughts on the cushion can serve as a mirror for how we operate in everyday life as well.

Every now and then, an insight might arise, carrying a different texture than those ordinary thoughts. It can be a curious phenomenon because, while it's still a mental formation, it has unique qualities that separate it from the random murmurings of the restless mind. So in what ways are they the same, and how are they different?

Insights tend to have a clearer, more delineated edge, while discursive thoughts possess a murkiness that makes it hard to separate one from the next. Whereas an ordinary thought cycle spirals out automatically and indefinitely — in a split second, How much longer do I have to sit here? might snowball into, My leg itches. I totally forgot to respond to that e-mail... and so on — insights can't be forced and seem to dissolve in a quieter way.

While thoughts often produce a heavy, noisy feeling in the mind, insights have an empty, luminous quality, even arising as a result of spaciousness created amidst the discursive chatter. Like sunlight breaking through thick clouds, an insight can reveal a core truth or wisdom that cuts through confusion, deepening our perspective and simultaneously enriching the heart along with the mind. It could manifest as a phrase or metaphor that helps illuminate some aspect of our practice; and it can be non-verbal, like a moment of experiencing a deep embodied understanding of compassion that extends beyond anything we’ve read about it in books.

At the same time, insights and ordinary thoughts are related to one another, particularly in how they function within our practice. We can treat them equally as opportunities to watch the material of our minds emerge and dissolve with non-judgmental non-attachment. The fact that insights carry a special allure makes them particularly effective guides in showing us how to respond to all sensations — from the unpleasant ones to the incredibly beautiful ones — with equanimity instead of aversion or grasping, and intentionality instead of reactivity.

Ultimately, when we practice mindfully choosing how we relate to the phenomena of our minds, we are creating a way for all formations, insights and discursive thoughts alike, to be our teachers on the path of awakening.