Emma was busy cleaning her teeth and working through some of the things going on in her life: her child’s homework, the awkward misunderstanding with a work colleague last week, and then there’s the birthday celebration to prepare for at the weekend…
We’re all familiar with this kind of thing. We’re doing something we do every day, and before we know it, we’ve drifted off in thought without even noticing. While some thoughts may be useful, others can be negative and limiting. Without being aware of the thoughts as thoughts, we end up identifying with them, which is not surprising. After all, most of them are about us, our situation, and our story. Thoughts are just intangible threads of mental content, not hard, objective facts about who we are. Thoughts become powerful when we unconsciously identify with them and begin to define who we are. Although there is an upside to mind wandering, it’s this mechanism that drives the vicious circles of negative thoughts to lower mood or lower self-worth and worrying thoughts to increased stress and anxiety.
So, why do our minds work this way, and how can we become more skilful when our attention drifts? On the one hand, we need to avoid getting caught up in negativity; on the other, we need to make the most of the positive and useful thoughts that arise.
In 2001, neuroscientists discovered an important, interconnected brain network they called the default mode network, which becomes active when our attention is directed internally. When we turn our attention to our senses or tasks and activities, the default mode network deactivates. This large brain network runs from the front to the back of the brain and connects with emotional and memory centres. This network is important as it’s where the inner narrative of self-talk, self-reflection, thinking about the past and future, and thinking about others takes place. Connected to memory, it also provides us with a consistent sense of who we are.
Although there’s still a lot of active research in this area, one useful function of the default mode network seems to be taking unfinished business, unresolved emotions, and unsolved problems that sit below awareness and surfacing them as thoughts in our attention. It’s also involved when we drift into daydreaming and imagining.
There are two types of thinking. One is when we are thinking intentionally, like planning, analysing, and problem-solving. The other is the unintentional automatic thoughts that arise when our mind wanders, when the default mode network activates. The other is the unintentional automatic thoughts that arise when our mind wanders, when the default mode network activates. The default mode network is latent for most of our waking moments and takes no effort to use. We don’t notice when we’re pulled into the default mode, as it switches our attention as fast as a film edit.
Humans evolved with the wandering mind, which has its uses but can also limit who we are and make us unhappy. On the positive side, most authors, poets, musicians, artists, and even scientists access their muse, insights, and creative ideas when they allow their minds to wander. We could be in the shower and have a great idea about a project at work, or a useful solution to a difficult problem in our personal life.
Like an inner switch of our attention, the default mode network takes us into an abstract virtual world of thoughts, ideas, and imaginings. Just as Sarah, in the example above, unintentionally disconnected from the here and now of brushing her teeth to explore what was going on in her life.
The good news is there’s another important circuit in the brain called the direct experience network, which is about being in the present rather than being lost in automatic thoughts. When we direct our attention outward, away from the inner narrative, several parts of the direct experience network become active, including areas involved in awareness of physical sensations and senses, as well as an area that shifts attention.
Researchers found that the two modes, default and direct experience, are inversely correlated. In other words, when one is active, activity in the other is reduced. So, if we find that we’ve drifted off in automatic thought, we can bring ourselves back to the present moment by switching our awareness to our body and senses, which activates the direct experience network. Interestingly, researchers have found that experienced meditators are much more aware of these two modes and that their default mode network is less active.
By improving our attention, we’re better able to notice when our minds wander and build the skills to bring ourselves back to present-moment awareness. Research shows that this practice reduces the tendency for the mind to wander and helps people to notice automatic thoughts. So, practising mindfulness and mindfulness-based meditation not only has a positive long-term impact on how our brains work, but also makes a major contribution to our happiness and wellbeing.
Suggested weekly practice
- When you notice that your attention has wandered and that the default mode has been activated, practise bringing your attention back to your body and senses, into the direct experience mode.
- Notice the familiar activities during the day where you are more likely to habitually drift off in thought? For instance, cleaning your teeth, taking a shower, washing up, or walking to the shops.
- When you drift off in thought, use curiosity to notice yourself identifying with the thoughts. After all, they will mainly be about you and what’s going on in your life. See if you can see them as thoughts, rather than facts about who you are.
Guidance
Find somewhere undisturbed and sit in a comfortable, dignified and upright posture, where you can remain alert and aware.
There are two guided practices for this session. You can close your eyes, or lower your gaze while the meditations play.
- Play the first settling practice, then read through the session content, which you can print off if that helps.
- Then play the second practice to explore the default as well as direct experience modes and experience switching between these modes.