Final question on 'Observation'

["Richard Be X Born <ribex@...>" <ribex@...>]

Greetings!

I want to ask a final question regarding 'observation of thoughts'. I 
am at the stage in my exercises where I feel instinctively that I 
should move on to 'one-pointedness'. This was somewhat confirmed by 
last night's dream pertaining to the exercise. I was running a race 
in snow and came eighth place (was given the number 8 on the issue).

First, to make the question easier to understand perhaps, I would 
like to explain how I have found my mind to think. I recognize at 
least three levels of mentation:

* Linguistic thought -> Thought formulated into words on 
a "loud", "auditory" level.
* Abstract thought -> Thought not yet based on words, yet external to 
the direct awareness.
* Inner thought -> Thought that is intimately linked to consciousness 
itself. 

Inner thought is in other words the ideation-process itself. It is 
extremely "close" to the center of awareness, and races alongside the 
stream of awareness as if inseperatable from it. Attempting to 
observe it, _is_ thinking of observing it. It is the mental 
equivalent of action, or purpose itself.

Abstract thought, on the other hand, is the first inner level of 
deviation from the focus of action/purpose. If pursued, it tends to 
objectify into linguistic thought, and subsequentially distract the 
focus of inner thought's action/purpose. It seemingly has a life of 
its own, and follows memory/association patterns rather than the 
action/purpose/ideation process.

Linguistic thought is a result rather than a cause; it seems to be 
the intellectual emphasis of inner or abstract thought, as to 
consciously convey its meaning to the physical brain or memory. It, 
too, can seem to have a life of its own, although in fact it then 
operates solely as a echo of memory or other diverse seperate 
phenomena.


Anyways, I have mastered the observation of what I above termed 
linguistic and abstract thought without problem. I have also mastered 
the observation of involuntary reaction to external stimuli. However, 
I find it impossible to observe my inner thought, seeing as by 
attempting to observe it, this in effect causes the action of 
thinking itself. Perhaps calling this inner process thought is per 
default faulty; perhaps it is more the mediator between thought and 
consciousness rather than an actual level of thought?

As you probably can tell, I am having a very hard time formulating 
the de-facto question... ;-)

I guess the question is this: Where does thought begin and the active 
process of consciousness end?


Any help would be immensily helpful...


Well met
Vovin