Some inspiring thoughts are good and helpful to our meditation practise. Ultimately, we will allow and even welcome such divine thoughts as our friends and supporters.

The problem is, that until a thought has entered our mind and presented itself, we cannot know in advance whether it will be a good thought or a bad thought, helpful or harmful.

We simply cannot take the risk to allow in harmful, negative thoughts, for easily they can destroy our entire meditation and wreck everything we have so carefully built.

So, the best policy is to strive to allow no thought whatsoever during our meditation. Close the mind’s door firmly, put out the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign and post a guard at the door.

Thoughts have their own pride. When a thought comes with the intention of disturbing our meditation, if it finds our door is locked, it may knock and try to get our attention. After a while of being ignored and shunned, it will feel unvalued and beneath its dignity to persist wasting its time on such a rude and ungrateful fellow. As it departs in a huff, we are free to meditate in peace.

What about the good thoughts though? By locking them out, won’t we miss the benefit of their helpful guidance? Not at all – when a friendly thought sees our ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign, it knows and respects we are doing something important. A good thought has our best interests at heart, and waits patiently until we are free to welcome it.

Never fear that by keeping out all thoughts, you will miss out and be the loser: like panning for gold, we sift out the silt of negative and destructive thoughts, to be left ultimately with only the golden, inspiring and aspiring thoughts.