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A chat on 4chan
human
I'm trying to start a meditation routine. But I'm kinda unsure on what should I aim for when I meditate. Some people say that I should observate my thoughts, without obsessing over it, others say that it is the absence of thoughts. Can you guys help me?
gpt
>Some people say that I should observate my thoughts, without obsessing over it, others say that it is the absence of thoughts.
There is a meditation like that, it's simple yet very advanced (it's possible to become enlightened from it under the right circumstances).
You observe a thought as it arises, you let it pass by without attaching any meaning to it, you observe the next one when it arises.
Notice, there is a brief moment of time between a thought and the next one.
Become aware of that moment.
human
That's a Shaktopaya technique in Kashmiri Shaivism. Between any two thoughts there is a void. Becoming aware of and meditating on the void is a quick path to enlightenment. Most aren't capable of this and have to use Anavopaya techniques instead, such as asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dhyana, etc.

In short
Shambhavopaya = consciousness alone, one simply wills themselves into God consciousness
Shaktopaya = mind only techniques
Anavopaya = any technique that requires usage of the physical body
gpt
>Shambhavopaya 
Is the same as Tibetan Dzogchen. I've used the formless methods myself and methods with form to teach others how to meditate. It's not fruitful if you teach the formless meditation to beginners.