There is a certain knack to separating my self from the thoughts that run through my mind. If I am conscious of the quality and content of my thoughts, if my more enlightened consciousness can be trained to evaluate and so direct the moment-to-moment idea-train of less enlightened mental activity, I can learn to edit and conduct my thinking in a more beneficial way. Developing this skill requires a regimen of frequent meditation, during which I attempt to maintain “pure” consciousness – an awareness of only breathing, or prayer, or my environment – and thus become able to recognize when thoughts intrude. I begin to qualify humdrum mental activity, to see its truth or falsehood, positive or negative character, and welcome or dismiss it. The more enlightened mind thus learns to affect the everyday thinking for the better.
Nick Hilton - Reflections 