To soothe an incessant stream of thoughts, try shifting your visual attention from central focus to peripheral vision (your global visual field), which may help calm the nervous system.

noli's read

The community agrees that this practice is useful for inducing a state of calm, with many users reporting an immediate sense of relaxation. From a scientific perspective, there is an established distinction between focal vision (associated with selective attention, detailed analysis, and increased activation of the sympathetic nervous system) and panoramic or peripheral vision (associated with global awareness of the environment). Experts such as neuroscientist Andrew Huberman confirm that adopting a broad, panoramic gaze can effectively promote a parasympathetic response, our body's 'rest and digest' mode. Although the direct link between this visual maneuver and the complete cessation of the 'internal monologue' is not the subject of specific clinical research, the relaxing effect of this technique is well-documented in contexts of stress management and alternative therapies. It is important to note that the internal monologue is not a pathology but a normal cognitive function; the idea that the goal of meditation is to 'turn it off' is, in fact, debated within the community itself, with some emphasizing that the acceptance of thoughts is a more fundamental aspect of the practice.

the sources

1. 1r/Meditation