Some people find that when they first start meditation or when they are deepening their meditation practice, they start to find that negative thoughts appear during their time sitting.
This can be quite disturbing and can lead to a sense of uneasiness about their training. If the thoughts are worrying or disgusting, a sense of dread can occur when the time comes to sit, which can lead to a bad association that is not useful.
But could the occurrence of these negative thoughts be a sign of something positive at work?
Studies show that meditation practice leads to a significant reduction in anxiety and a lessening of the occurrence of anxiety and worrying thoughts in day-to-day life.
But how does this work?
It is thought that one of the mechanisms behind this is that a desensitisation caused by an ongoing disinterest or equanimity towards the thoughts. When these thoughts appear in day-to-day life, many of us respond or try to fight them off or push them away, only to find that they come back even stronger.
When you calm your mind, sit in good posture and slow your breath, you enter into a state of imperturbability. You start dealing with negative thoughts not by eliminating them, but by changing your relationship with them. This isn’t just about feeling calm; it’s about fundamentally shifting how our brain processes and reacts to thoughts.
You become a non-judgmental observer of it. When a worrying thought arises during meditation, the goal is to acknowledge it without getting tangled up in its story. Instead of reacting with anxiety or frustration, you learn to see the thought for what it is—a “mental event” that comes and goes, much like a cloud passing in the sky.
This practice helps you create a healthy psychological distance, showing you that you are not your thoughts. You are the one who notices them, which gives you the freedom to choose how you respond.
This process is a form of gradual desensitisation. By repeatedly exposing yourself to worrying thoughts in a safe, controlled environment (your meditation practice), you gradually strip them of their power. Each time a negative thought appears and you simply observe it without reacting, you are teaching your brain a new way of being. This repeated, non-reactive exposure gradually diminishes the emotional charge of the thought, allowing it to fade instead of taking over. Over time, this leads to a significant reduction in the frequency and intensity of negative rumination.
By consistently practising non-judgmental awareness, you learn to navigate life’s inevitable ups and downs with greater ease and resilience. It empowers you to take control of your attention, so that even when negative thoughts knock on the door, you don’t have to invite them in to stay.
Watch this video for more on this subject.