The why is easy. We are addicted to compulsory thinking. It makes us identify with the things of this world, and overlook the larger picture of who we might be, if we could only stop compulsively thinking for a while.

Depressing thoughts are part of this cycle of compulsory thinking that could benefit from the ability to be able to stop thought -- even if only for a short while -- the benefits of getting out of your depressed thought cycle could be amazing.

We might identify with the spaces between the thoughts, which is empty space, which might be less limiting than the limiting things we are usually thinking about (our endless to-do lists, or other things we need to get done, the things that are plaguing us, or what we feel we must do to create needed changes in our lives).

These lists go on and on forever and never let us feel completely at peace with ourselves as long as there is something left to get done, improve, or change in some way. Our thoughts never allow us to be at peace for one moment, much less an hour or two a day.

Upon examination, you will find much of what you think about each day repetitive, and not very enlightening. Being able to stop it from time to time, or even on a regular basis is generally considered a good thing. Like lying down when you've been on your feet all day. It takes away a certain kind of "thought fatigue," and refreshes you. It gives you a break from the fatigue of constantly having thoughts that you may or may not want, or may or may not be able to control. Like having silence after hearing loud music for a while. It is instantly welcomed and peaceful.

You feel like saying, "Ahhhhh," after the noise of a relentlessly loud hammer has suddenly stopped, and peace and quiet ensues.

Stopping thought is the main goal of many mystical spiritual paths, from Buddhist meditation practice to the Holy Instant of the Course in Miracles. And all throughout the teachings of Eckhart Tolle (the "Power of Now" author), who encourages us to be in the moment, forsaking all thoughts of the future or the past.

But to stop thought seems almost as impossible as not thinking of a Red Elephant, once the suggestion has been made. When you can't do it, it just makes trying to be in the now that much more frustrating.

I found the secret to how to do this on one of Eckhart Tolle's audio presentations titled "Entering the Now," on the second cut called "From Thinking to Awareness, and it works, once you understand it. It goes like this:

1) If you are not satisfied with the moment you find yourself in, you will undoubtedly and unknowingly start thinking in a compulsory way. Ways to fix things, making up to-do lists, a generalized disatisfaction with the way things are, etc. These feelings and thoughts will produce a large thought stream that you may not be aware of because you are utterly lost in thought, and therefore, don't even notice it.

You have to notice it first if you are going to be in the moment completely. The way to begin noticing it is to check yourself to see if you feel contented or at peace in the moment. If not, you have a chance of waking up from your compulsive thought stream reverie by making yourself aware of the fact that you are indeed lost in thought. Notice that first, and you have completed the first step.

2. If you can gently, slowly, turn your thoughts to being content in the moment, dropping your to-do lists, anger, discontentment, or whatever is keeping you there in the thought stream, it will slow down and eventually stop your thoughts.

Complete contentment with being in the moment will stop your thoughts and open you up to something larger, which Eckhart Tolle calls "presence." I call it presence of God because I can't imagine feeling peace and contentment in the moment without God being involved.

Eckhart doesn't mention God very often in his teachings for obvious reasons (the word God alone being a hot button for easy misinterpretation and misunderstanding depending of the evolution of the interpreter, so he avoids using the word altogether, or simply substitutes the word "presence" for God). It's sort of like why Buddhism doesn't address issues involving God, finding other ways ways instead to refer to God, or the direct experience of God (sometimes called satori, samadhi, divine revelation, etc., as different traditions have different names for it.)

That's it! Be at peace in the moment you're in, and a lot more will come in to join you, including the presence of God himself. Be at odds with the moment you're in, and thoughts will flood your brain, putting you in a foggy state or reverie, making sure you can't think straight anymore, or putting you into some sort of a trance where you are miles away and someone has to snap their fingers and call your name to get you to come out of it.

Try it for yourself and see the difference. Learn to catch yourself when you find yourself moving into heavy trance-like thought streams that you can't easily move out of.

The peace of being in the moment is waiting for you to find, always. All you have to do is stop what you are doing and become content and at peace in the moment. Presence will come to you immediately.