You are reading this blog post. You are focused on my words. If you pay close attention to your mind as you read, you might see pictures pop up. Lion! Did you see it? Cat! What about that?
When we read, we are basically thinking someone else’s thoughts. We are practicing thinking.
There are spiritual & philosophical practices that are similar to reading, but instead of reciting ideas, you also recite physical emotion. You might picture your loved one’s faces, then invoke the emotion of kindness for example. There are people who do this for many hours a day.
I used to do this for many hours a day. I discovered, eventually, that on the worst days of my life I wasn’t able to solve my problems with positive emotion and reconceptualization.
Thoughts are tools. They have a rated capacity, and are not always right for the job. Choosing which to use, and when, is part of living an examined life.