Practical Advice To Control Thoughts

Chassidus places an emphasis on a person's ability to control his thoughts. Rabbi Nasan Maimon provided excellent practical advice how to accomplish this in one of his Likutey Moharan shiurim. Rabbi Maimon related Rebbe Nachman of Breslov's teaching that it is impossible for two thoughts to occupy the mind at the same time. Once one is aware that his mind is occupied with bad thoughts or fantasies, Rabbi Maimon suggested counting whatever is around him, whether it trees, fingers on his hands, or tiles on the ceiling. The process of counting immediately occupies the mind and expels the thoughts he is trying to banish. It is an extremely simple but effective technique.