I Am Not My Thoughts

Its amazing to me

How powerful are our minds.

We live our lives inside our heads,

Inside our thoughts,

Seldom if ever do we come out.

I woke from a dream this morning

and for a moment I felt peace

right before I entered into a torrent of thought.

I watched it happen

but couldn't stop it

So I chose to be with it. 

I observed my thoughts.

As I became increasingly more aware

that I was observing my thoughts

I became increasingly aware

of I who was observing. 

That I was distinguishing

my thoughts. 

Like watching a raging river

even tumultuous. 

I wasn't riding on it

I was swimming in it. 

So many thoughts

occurring so fast. 

I was no longer at peace.

But I continued to watch

and the more I watched

the more peaceful I became

because by watching

I extricated myself from my thoughts,

realizing that I am the thinker of those thoughts,

That those thoughts are mine,

That those are my thoughts

No more me than my hand.

No more me than my eye. 

Awareness.