We all want inner peace and a calm mind.

How many times have you not tried to solve a thought in your mind, followed up by an army of 10 more?

The harder you try to solve a thought, the more you spiral down into more thoughts which leads you to a trap where you feel stuck.

That’s why you might find yourself going to the gym, taking a walk, or even going to sleep. These actions help you detach from the mental entanglement you can’t seem to escape. They break the cycle of mental drama that begins with a single thought and spirals into many.

The problem is not your thoughts, it’s your identification with them. This identification is what we commonly refer to as the "ego". The ego is the false sense of self that arises when we mistake our thoughts and mental patterns for who we truly are.

The harder you try to control your thoughts and mind, the more trapped you feel. This effort reinforces the ego, strengthening your identification with it.

Fighting your mind is like sinking into quicksand. The more you struggle and resist, the faster you get pulled deeper into the pit. Every effort to escape only tightens the grip, leaving you feeling more trapped and overwhelmed.

You are trying to achieve inner freedom with your mind that created the chaos from the beginning.

Thats like trying to extinguish the fire with more fire.

It will never work.

The cycle of suffering

The reason you are stuck in suffering is not because of your thoughts, but your interest with them. Instead of finding inner peace, you create an inner war, reacting emotionally to thoughts rather than reality.

At work, you make a minor mistake, and your mind says: "I can’t believe I messed that up. What if my boss thinks I’m incompetent?" Instead of letting the thought pass, you obsess over it, imagining worst-case scenarios. Your body reacts with stress: racing heart, tight chest. Reality? Your boss hasn’t even noticed the mistake yet.

Your life isn’t lived in reality. It’s lived through a mental lens of thoughts and stories. You'll never experience life fully if you always live through these lenses.

The decisions you make and the way you respond to challenges reflect these mental stories, not reality. This mental filter keeps you stuck in a cycle of overthinking and reacting, robbing you of clarity, peace, and authentic action.

But what happens if you step back and observe these thoughts, rather than getting lost in them?

For many years, I struggled with my thoughts. I was constantly caught up in the mental drama, and even though I had tried techniques like meditation and mindfulness, it only seemed to get worse. The thoughts always came back stronger, like an army ready to attack, and I couldn’t find a way to break free.

What changed for me was realizing the nature of these thoughts: they’re just thoughts, not reality. Instead of fighting them, I began to welcome them, giving them space and simply observing. Over time, this made it easier to sit with my thoughts, and they started to appear and vanish more quickly.

A few things helped me detach from my thoughts:

• Meditation: Sitting quietly and observing without judgment.
• Breathing: Focusing on my breath to anchor myself in the present.
• Self-inquiry: Asking questions like, “Who is feeling this?” or “Who has this problem?” These questions created a gap between my awareness and my thoughts, helping me realize that I am not my thoughts. That gap revealed a sense of stillness that I could observe and reflect on.

The answers were always the same: a "me" that was just another thought or image in my head. The more I noticed this, the more I saw that fighting my thoughts only gave power to a false sense of self. By observing instead of resisting, I found clarity and freedom from the mental spiral.

There’s a way out for you too. Let me show you how to break free from suffering and mental drama, through the power of observation, not resistance.

Why fighting the mind keeps you stuck

Fighting your thoughts comes from the same consciousness that created the struggle in the first place. As we’ve seen, the harder you fight your thoughts, the more entangled you become. Like quicksand, resistance only deepens your struggle, strengthening the grip of the ego. In order to solve the mind’s issues, you need to step into a higher level of awareness, one that observes instead of battles.

But how do you actually break free from the cycle of mental resistance and entanglement?

There is a movie called "Ready Player One". In the movie, people escape their dystopian reality by living in a fictional virtual world, one that’s far more appealing than their own. Similarly, when we’re consumed by our thoughts, we disconnect from the real world and live through a lens of mental projections that feel more compelling than reality itself.

We escape into these mental "movies" to avoid uncomfortable emotions, old memories, traumas, or even the uncertainty of the present. But just like in the film, this false reality only deepens our disconnection and keeps us trapped in cycles of avoidance and suffering.

Just like in Ready Player One, people trapped in their virtual world believe it’s real. They don’t even feel as though they’re wearing the glasses. Similarly, when consumed by thoughts, we disconnect from reality, living through compelling mental projections without even realizing it.

Our actions and behavior in this world are always filtered through this virtual lens, shaping our reactions and decisions based on illusions rather than truth. The harder you try to fight your thoughts, the deeper into the virtual reality you sink.

Escaping has become a deeply ingrained habit that must be broken in order to reconnect with the real world and experience life as it truly is.

What if the reality you've been avoiding holds the peace you’re searching for?

There is another world, a real one, waiting for you without endless battles, anxiety, and suffering. Taking your first step toward this shift will bring you closer to feelings of:

• Inner peace and calm
• Mental clarity and focus
• A sense of joy and bliss
• Freedom from overthinking and mental resistance
• A deeper, more fulfilling connection to the present moment

Imagine simply taking off the glasses and finally stepping out of the mental drama.

Observation is the Key to Freedom

As we've just discussed, you are trapped inside your mind in the same way as people where trapped into the virtual reality in the movie.

So what does it mean to take off the glasses and step out of the virtual reality of your thoughts?

When you are inside the VR, looking into that world, there is an observer that sees everything. In the same way, there is an observer that notices thoughts, sees the mental drama, and watches everything unfold.

The problem is that this observer becomes so entangled with the thoughts it’s observing, it loses sight of itself.

Taking off the glasses starts with the understanding and connecting to this observer.

Imagine watching a movie in a theater. You get so engrossed in the story, the drama, and the action that you forget about the screen. But the screen is always there, unchanging and supporting the entire experience. In the same way, your awareness is the unchanging backdrop to all your thoughts and emotions.

The movie symbolizes the stream of thoughts, feelings, sensations, and perceptions that make up our daily lives. No matter how dramatic or peaceful the scenes are, the screen remains untouched, unshaken, and always present in the background.

Here’s the takeaway: your true nature is the screen, not the movie. The movie plays on the screen and is part of it, but it’s not separate from it. By identifying with the screen, your awareness, rather than the fleeting drama of the movie, you reconnect with reality and take off the glasses.

When you step into the role of the observer, letting your thoughts come and go without judgment, they lose their grip on you. The goal isn’t to silence the mental noise instantly but to practice returning to the observer’s standpoint, watching your mental movie as a spectator rather than living as the character in it. Over time, you’ll notice your thoughts losing their intensity, appearing less frequently, and your awareness expanding into a deeper sense of peace.

Taking off the glasses might not happen instantly, it’s a process that you practice over time. With consistent effort, you can shift from being consumed by the mental drama to observing it with clarity and detachment.

Don’t know where to begin?

You’re in the perfect place. Let me show you how to start reconnecting with the real world and breaking free from the cycle of mental resistance.

A Simple Practice to Observe the Mind

Okay, now we understand that fighting the mind won’t heal it.

We want inner peace.

We want to stop getting caught up in mental drama.

We want to create a life with more clarity, less reactivity, and greater joy.

Dependent on where you are in your journey to self-realisation, there are different levels where you can approach inner freedom.

Reconnecting with the observer begins with expanding your level of awareness, step by step. With each step and level of awareness, you will notice a gradual weakening of the mental noise and growing sense of inner peace and calm.

No matter where you are in your journey, these practices will help you reconnect with the observer and regain control, without the need to fight your mind.

If this is you first time practicing and want to start from a basic level, here is what to do:

1) Anchoring yourself in the present with your breathing

When it comes to awareness and mindfulness, your breath is the most valuable tool you can use.

The reason is simple: your breath will anchor you in the present moment. Think about it, breathing is always happening now. Not in the future, not in the past, but right here, right now.

By focusing on your breath, you shift your attention back to the present moment. In the beginning, your mind will naturally wander, pulling your attention into thoughts. This is completely normal. When you notice this happening, gently bring your focus back to your breath without judgment.

It’s like a ping-pong game, back and forth between thoughts and the breath. Over time, with consistent practice, you’ll find it easier to return to your breath and stay anchored in the present moment.

Start small. Aim for 5-10 minutes. At first, it may feel challenging, but as you practice, you’ll notice the time you can focus on your breath expanding, along with the benefits you feel.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit or lie down.
2. Close your eyes and bring your full attention to your breath. Feel the sensations, hear the sound, and notice the air entering and leaving your nose.
3. When your mind wanders into thoughts, gently recognize it, let go without judgment, and guide your focus back to your breath.
4. Practice this daily for 5-10 minutes, gradually increasing the time as it feels natural.

Once you’ve anchored yourself in the present, you can begin to expand your practice to observe your thoughts with greater clarity and detachment.

2) Observing Without Judgement

At this level, you feel comfortable focusing on your breath, and the benefits are becoming more evident. With each step mastered, the next feels more accessible, this is the natural progression of building mindfulness.

This practice is about expanding your awareness even further. Rather than focusing solely on your breath, you begin observing your thoughts, emotions, and sensations as they arise.

As you bring your attention inward, you may notice that past memories, unresolved emotions, or challenging circumstances surface. This is natural and part of the process. Transformation and freedom come from facing these experiences with acceptance, forgiveness, and love, rather than resistance.

As we discussed earlier, fighting what arises only strengthens the identification with it, keeping you stuck in the loop. Instead, this practice invites you to watch these thoughts and emotions without judgment, allowing them to pass like clouds in the sky.

Here is how you can do it:

1. As in the previous step, find a quiet and comfortable place to sit or lie down.
2. Spend the first couple of minutes focusing on your breath, just like before. This helps calm your attention and shift your focus from the external world to your inner experience.
3. When you feel ready, gently let go of focusing on your breath and start observing whatever arises. It could be emotions, thoughts, or physical sensations.
4. Notice these experiences as they come up, but don’t engage with them or judge them. Think of them like clouds passing through the sky, acknowledge them, then let them go.
5. If a strong thought or emotion tries to pull your focus, welcome it instead of fighting it. This practice teaches you to sit with discomfort without resistance.
6. Start with 5-10 minutes daily, gradually increasing the time as you feel more comfortable with the practice.

Practice this consistently every day. Trust the process, and watch your awareness transform your relationship with the world.

At this level, you’ve begun to master acceptance. The next step isn’t about "doing" more but "becoming" aware of the self observing itself.

3) Being Aware of Being Aware

Ask yourself the question: Who is aware of these thoughts, emotions, and feelings?

Being aware of awareness itself can feel tricky because it’s not something “out there” or separate from you. It’s closer than close. You’re not trying to look for something external or distant, but simply resting where you already are, being fully present.

As Rupert Spira beautifully explains:

In simpler terms, your awareness, the observer, is always there. It’s the silent, unchanging presence watching everything unfold, but it gets so absorbed in the “drama” of thoughts and emotions that it forgets itself.

How to Practice Being Aware of Awareness:

1. Start with the breath and observation:
   1. As in the previous step, settle into a quiet space and begin by focusing on your breath to calm the mind.
   2. Spend a few minutes observing thoughts, emotions, or sensations like clouds passing by.
2. Ask the question:
   1. Gently shift your attention inward and ask yourself: “Who is aware of this thought?” or “Who is observing this experience?”
   2. Don’t look for an answer. Simply sit with the question. The point isn’t to find something, but to rest in the awareness that’s asking the question.
   3. Meditate on the silence between the question and the answer. Notice the stillness that arises before the mind tries to respond. Rest in that space.
3. Notice awareness itself:
   1. Observe that there is a part of you that’s aware of everything. The thoughts, feelings, body sensations, even the act of observing itself.
   2. This awareness isn’t a “thing” you can see. It’s the space in which everything else arises.
4. Rest in the stillness:
   1. Let go of trying to “do” anything. Instead, rest in the quiet, expansive sense of being aware of being aware.
   2. If thoughts come up, don’t engage with them, simply return to the awareness, which remains untouched by what arises.
   3. Allow yourself to sink into the silence between thoughts and experiences. This is where the true depth of awareness begins to reveal itself.

Let It Be Simple

There’s no right or wrong way to do this. These are just steps and pointers, ways to begin. In truth, you're rediscovering something you already know, your awareness, your natural state.

Let your inner guide lead you back home.

If one practice feels too challenging, switch between levels. Start with your breath, observe your thoughts, or rest in the silence between the question and the answer. Play with it. There's no rush.

Need a little extra guidance? Tools like Sam Harris’s Waking Up app offer guided meditations to guide you through each level, from breathwork to observing thoughts to being aware of awareness itself. Explore the Waking Up app here.

Even the simplest practice will raise your level of awareness. You'll begin to notice how peace, clarity, and stillness naturally arise, first in fleeting moments, then as an unshakable foundation.

VR—Game Over. Reality awaits.

-Tomas