Misconception: "Extending the time between 'thinking' and 'thought,' a period of no thought. Extending the time of stopping thought."
True Meaning: "Creating distance between 'thought' and the underlying 'consciousness.' Observing objectively."

This is a common misunderstanding among beginners, and even self-proclaimed advanced practitioners. Some schools of thought may even teach this misconception.

If you understand it in the first, incorrect way, you'll constantly think, "My thoughts don't stop. I haven't reached a state where thoughts stop. I still have a long way to go." In reality, reaching the state described in the second meaning requires overcoming certain challenges. While it's true that everyone has some degree of distance between 'consciousness' and 'thought,' achieving a clearly perceptible distance requires growth. However, when it's explained in the second way, many people assume they already possess this ability, leading them to believe they've made significant progress. Therefore, they may mistakenly believe they've achieved the understanding described in the second meaning, even though it takes considerable time to truly achieve it through meditation.

Therefore, it might be happier to misunderstand it in the first way than to realize the second meaning and mistakenly believe that you've improved your meditation practice. It might be more fulfilling to constantly struggle with the feeling of not being able to stop your thoughts than to mistakenly believe you've achieved the state described in the second meaning.

This "consciousness" is what the Vedas refer to as Atman, and what yoga refers to as objective observation or Samadhi, a state of unity between subject and action. This is possible because of the underlying "consciousness." In a state of Samadhi or Samyama, the subject, action, and object become one. This is the meaning of "creating a gap between thoughts."

Even when thoughts exist, there is an underlying "consciousness." This "consciousness" is eternal and unchanging. When the distance between this "consciousness" and "thought" increases, and "thought" is objectively observed by "consciousness," that is when a "gap" between "thought" and "consciousness" is created.

This may seem like objective observation, which is similar to Vipassana in Buddhism, but in reality, this "consciousness" underlies everything. Therefore, "consciousness," other "thoughts," "actions," "subject," and "object" are inseparable. While being inseparable, they are also underlying. This is a duality that is also non-dual, a state of Samadhi, an explanation of Atman in the Vedas, and the meaning of non-dualism in Vedanta.

On the other hand, the misconception is that "one must stop thinking." However, thoughts are like waves (vritti), and these waves never stop. Even if you try to stop them, the very act of trying to stop them creates new waves. That's why meditation generally emphasizes "letting thoughts flow, not resisting, not stopping." However, for some reason, many meditation and Buddhist schools promote "stopping thoughts" as the ultimate goal. This is impossible, yet people strive for it.

What is possible is to create distance between thoughts and "consciousness." This is a "gap." Instead of stopping thoughts, you distance yourself from them. You observe objectively.

The Yoga Sutras begin with a statement like, "Yoga is the cessation (nirodha) of the fluctuations (chitta) of the mind." Some interpretations take this to mean that stopping thoughts is the ultimate goal. The Sanskrit word "nirodha" means "to stop," and what is to be stopped is "vritti" (waves). It's not surprising that some people interpret this literally as "stopping thoughts."

Somewhere, somehow, this misconception arose, leading to the idea of "creating a gap between thoughts." I believe that this concept of "creating a gap between thoughts" may not have been explicitly stated in the original Yoga Sutras. However, some schools of yoga and Buddhism have adopted this concept, and it has been passed down.

In the state of meditation (dhyana) or Samadhi (samadhi), it is not explicitly stated in the Yoga Sutras that "one should expand the gap between thoughts and thoughts." This is an interpretation that has been added by later thinkers.

In reality, quieting thoughts is not achieved by expanding the gap between thoughts and thoughts. Instead, thoughts naturally quiet down as the vibration increases. As the vibration increases, thoughts become gentle waves. This is what is meant by "Yoga chitta vritti nirodha" (Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind). This happens naturally as the vibration increases. It's a very simple process. However, people compare their own state to this, and they get caught up in thinking, "I should be able to meditate," or "I'm making progress," and they end up overthinking and creating elaborate theories about the "gap between thoughts." The truth is much simpler: as the vibration increases, thoughts naturally quiet down. And when thoughts quiet down, the question of "whether or not thoughts have stopped" becomes less important. This is because, at that time, you become aware of the true self, which is the underlying "consciousness." Then, the "consciousness," which is the subject, can gently observe the thoughts, even if those thoughts are still making some noise. Thoughts are a tool for understanding the object, and they are one aspect of the mind's activity. If thoughts disappear, you would no longer be able to understand the object. However, what was previously a state of confusion, where the subject was the "thought," is resolved when you become aware of your true self as "consciousness." Then, the "thought" itself can let go of the confused idea that "I am the thought" and surrender its authority to the true self, which is "consciousness." The confusion then subsides.

Initially, it will be difficult to discard this misconception. This is because the ego (ahankara in yoga), which is the sense of self, desperately tries to protect its own illusory position. In fact, what is called "creating a gap between thoughts" can also be seen as a defense mechanism of the ego. By understanding this, the ego is being prolonged. The moment you try to "create a gap between thoughts," the existence of thoughts is already a premise. The ego has not relinquished its sovereignty. In this way, the ego is maintained, and the meditator mistakenly believes that "they are able to meditate," and sometimes even become arrogant.

The state that should be aimed for, as I have repeatedly said, is much simpler. It can be said that it is only to raise the vibration. If that is done, thought becomes "subordinate," and "consciousness" becomes "dominant." For this very simple thing, people spend a long time meditating to achieve that state.