Starting out this post by acknowledging the Star Trek The Next Generation episode written by Richard Manning and Hans Beimler called Who Watches the Watchers. It’s about first contact with an alien race, an adventure that comes up when scientists who have been using a hidden observation post, which is referred to as a “duck blind” because it is camouflaged in nature, are discovered by their subjects, the aliens.
It’s interesting to think of the scientific approach of observing without judgment or assumption, only documenting and recording for further study. Meditation can be thought of in this way, observation only, specifically of the thoughts that appear in the mind. Many analogies for meditation on thoughts are used to describe the practice, such as imagining that one is sitting by the side of a road, watching thoughts pass by like cars. Or imagining thoughts as if they were bubbles, rising up and then popping as they move on their way.
Just wondering whether this idea of hidden observation and this phrase, “watching the watcher” has any resonance for meditation practitioners. It may be too abstract or too analytical. I just find the phrase interesting and appreciate the writing.