If you are experiencing distracting or racing thoughts during meditation, do not worry—this is completely natural! A wandering mind is something that affects everyone, even seasoned meditators.
It is important to remember that progress along the path of mindfulness is not always linear. One day your mind may feel deeply concentrated, and the very next day it may seem like your thoughts are all over the place.
Redefining the Goal: What is Mindfulness?
Many people believe that the goal of meditation is to completely clear the mind of all thoughts. In reality, mindfulness is not the absence of thoughts; it is remembering to come back when you get lost.
Every single time you realize that you are distracted, that realization itself is mindfulness!
Each time you gently and lovingly bring your attention back to your breath (or the sound of a bell, or another intentional object of focus), that is meditation.
How to Handle Distracting Thoughts
When your mind starts to race or wander off, practice these two simple steps:
Acknowledge: Notice the thought that has arisen without judging yourself for having it.
Recenter: Gently let the thought go and bring your focus back to your body's natural breathing pattern. (If you find this difficult, try experimenting with the focus exercises in our How to Breathe During Meditation (Breathing Techniques) guide).
Recommended Sessions for a Wandering Mind
If you want to actively practice this skill, we highly recommend checking out these specific sessions in the Calm app:
Monkey Mind (located within the Staying on Track series): This meditation was created by Tamara Levitt specifically to address the common challenge of a restless, wandering mind.
Returning to Now: This guided meditation uses gentle bells to remind the listener to routinely come back to the breath.
Further Reading
For more advice on this topic, check out Tamara Levitt’s response to this common question on the Calm Blog: Q&A with Tamara: deepening concentration when faced with a wandering mind