In life, we are constantly peering through filters that we call "Thought"; a perspective, an impression, or an idea about the outside world.

Layered on top of one another, these various Thoughts can become quite cumbersome.

At times, these Thoughts can be so subtle that we seldom even notice that they are there. Yet, they are pervasive; continually adding to our Distraction.

These consortium of thoughts are what we, in the West, call "The Mind".

Behind these series of Thoughts is what we, more esoterically, ascribe as being “Consciousness”. Boiled down, Consciousness is nothing more than our Active Awareness, allowing us to shift our Attention between outer and inner world (physical and metaphysical reality).

By learning to let go of a Thought, you reduce the amount of filters (or barriers) between your Active Awareness and the Present Moment; freeing up your resources of Attention for you to better engage with what is right in front of you.

Imagine it in terms of a conversation. When you are fully engaged, you are in the Present Moment, using all of your resources of Attention to answer and reply. 

Introducing a Thought (a filter or barier), your Attention is now divided and the conversation suffers. You are unable to full engage in the Present Moment, as you have become Distracted.

The thing is, in life, you are in a constant conversation between you and this Moment. The second you split your Attention, you have lost some ability to allocate the resources necessary for you to be fully in the here and now.

Though, that isn’t to say that Thoughts are a bad thing. They are actually quite useful. Without Thoughts, we would not be able to see into the future and plan strategically; hindering our progression. In fact, without Thought, you wouldn't even be able to read this because the one who invented the Internet had to first Think about it! So, how exactly are Thoughts a bad thing, again?

The trick is to realize that there is a time and place for Thoughts and there is a time and place to put them aside. The one who has mastered their Mind is the one who is able to Think when it is necessary and to see through Silence when it is not.

— 円相.