Are people able to think of nothing?

Did you smash it · 13-05-2021 1:45am #1

So are people able to train their brain to think of nothing? Or is the brain like a shark? It has to swim, it has to think to survive.

I try to think of very simple things- a tree, a green field when I want to stop overthinking.

Anyone have their own methods, I can borrow?

bodhrandude · 13-05-2021 2:59am

I like listening to music, it helps with my thinking I suppose. If you look at it from a Reeling in the Years perspective, music can map the calendar of events, memories, news stories, festival moments. Yeah sometimes I think of nothing when I'm comfortably numb.

That didn't really answer your question, just a little stoned and fancied a ramble.

PommieBast · 13-05-2021 3:23am

If I want to think of nothing there is this wonderful hydrocarbon called ethanol (C2H4OH) that does the trick. I think it is legally available in this country.

13-05-2021 3:33am

I don't really have the desire to think of nothing and I'm not good at it. I prefer to focus on something like being in the gym or doing a cryptic crossword.

Ficheall · 13-05-2021 5:03am

Boards is full of people who have their brains switched off most of them time..

13-05-2021 10:08am

I focus on very small, smaller, even smaller, details when I'm in a brain-collapse. So for example, first look at the cotton bracelet on my wrist, then focus on its knot, then focus again on the type of knot it is.

Thinking of "nothing" is probably impossible, but you can train your brain to focus on minor matters instead, which crowds-out the anxiety that might be descending on top of you.

People call this "mindfulness", it doesnt need such an arch-sounding title. It's just a moment to re-focus the brain. Anyone who rides horses has known about this method for years, it's called the half-halt.

begbysback · 13-05-2021 10:14am

Thinking about nothing is not the same as not thinking, for nothing is something, before life started it was alleged that there was nothing, so nothing actually pre exists everything, if there was not nothing then there could never be something.

No thing is the opposite of something, therefore is not nothing, think about it.

2 fast · 13-05-2021 10:18am

Yes I can control my thoughts and be calm and a piece but the sub conscious is always on alert which is tiring

Gregor Samsa · 13-05-2021 10:31am

"Sitting fixedly, think of not thinking. How do you think of not thinking? Nonthinking. This is the art of zazen."

Dōgen

13-05-2021 10:32am

I wish I could switch my brain off. Permanently...

magic_murph · 13-05-2021 11:27am

thinking of nothing is still thinking therefore thinking of nothing is actually thinking of something just so happens that something is nothing.

AllForIt · 13-05-2021 12:18pm

But if you think of nothing, or rarther don't think anthing, you might not be able to switch youself back on again.

13-05-2021 12:22pm

begbysback wrote: »

... think about it.

Isn't the whole point of the OP trying NOT to think about 'it'.

BeerWolf · 13-05-2021 12:29pm

I hear noise, though that could be the tinnitus.

begbysback · 13-05-2021 1:47pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Isn't the whole point of the OP trying NOT to think about 'it'.

Not it, nothing, he’s asking if people are able to think about nothing

The Oort Cloud · 13-05-2021 10:19pm

Did you smash it wrote: »

So are people able to train their brain to think of nothing? Or is the brain like a shark? It has to swim, it has to think to survive.

I try to think of very simple things- a tree, a green field when I want to stop overthinking.

Anyone have their own methods, I can borrow?

There is no such thing as nothing. The word 'nothing' in itself is 'something' because you know it exists, if it didn't exist then it would be nothing, but then you wouldn't be able to understand what nothing is. A basic example would be the big bang scenario. You have a singularity of which is something, but some folk think that the singularity came from nothing, The 'something' that created the singularity is something, not 'nothing' and the thing that created the singularity is now called nothingness, so what created nothingness?. Something created nothingness and exists.

The word 'nothing' is just something we do not fully understand yet. Nope, I cannot think of nothing, because nothing is something.

Capt'n Midnight · 13-05-2021 11:02pm

Indians invented zero and the Irish invented the gaps between words.

Lots of nothing that people worked hard at.

The Oort Cloud · 13-05-2021 11:27pm

Yes, you could also say that if zero means nothing, an empty space of nothingness then we wouldn't be talking about nothing right now, remove the zero from the 1 and our computers cease to exist as code, and maybe our reality as well in regards to the holographic universe. :cool:

Strumms · 13-05-2021 11:32pm

Your brain craves stimulation... if you wake up, tell yourself to stare at the lightbulb in the ceiling and think about nothing, you’ll fail, because you’ll be thinking about staring at the lightbulb..

wench · 13-05-2021 11:35pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3fsHD3KFmU

764dak · 14-05-2021 5:33pm

The Oort Cloud wrote: »

There is no such thing as nothing. The word 'nothing' in itself is 'something' because you know it exists, if it didn't exist then it would be nothing, but then you wouldn't be able to understand what nothing is. A basic example would be the big bang scenario. You have a singularity of which is something, but some folk think that the singularity came from nothing, The 'something' that created the singularity is something, not 'nothing' and the thing that created the singularity is now called nothingness, so what created nothingness?. Something created nothingness and exists.

The word 'nothing' is just something we do not fully understand yet. Nope, I cannot think of nothing, because nothing is something.

Is nobody somebody?

Northernlily · 14-05-2021 5:36pm

Nah I'm always thinking or visualising absolute nonsense.

Watched Rocketman last Saturday and the next day I was sitting at the train station visualising everyone dancing around. **** sake like I wish my brain would take a break! Even work stuff, I'm constantly thinking about different aspects. Often wake up in the night and with an idea or way to solve something.

Open the pubs, I'm going stone mad.

Mister Vain · 14-05-2021 5:57pm

begbysback wrote: »

No thing is the opposite of something, therefore is not nothing, think about it.

magic_murph wrote: »

thinking of nothing is still thinking therefore thinking of nothing is actually thinking of something just so happens that something is nothing.

I'm getting a fecking headache here. :pac:

whiskeyman · 14-05-2021 8:13pm

Trying to zone out, being bored and think of nothing really is a skill these days.
We're so used to information overload and I reckon we just can't cope without it.

It's well known to be able to zone out can help with creativity and also work towards many problems that may be on your mind.

My wife is often jealous when she asks what I'm thinking about and I've genuinely no idea.

Burt Renaults · 14-05-2021 9:08pm

Did you smash it wrote: »

So are people able to train their brain to think of nothing? Or is the brain like a shark? It has to swim, it has to think to survive.

I try to think of very simple things- a tree, a green field when I want to stop overthinking.

Anyone have their own methods, I can borrow?

Uh dunno lol

Fr_Dougal · 14-05-2021 10:20pm

What was the question again?

Hamsterchops · 14-05-2021 10:59pm

I always think of something.

even if it amounts to nothing.

Are people able to think of nothing?

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