Question: This is all new to me and I'm confused about the difference between watching my mind and my mind working. I'm not sure how to tell the difference?

Babaji:

You are true, actually. There's a very silky thread of difference. It could be very difficult to watch for anybody. Not easy. Both the processes are simultaneously happening in such quick succession: the mind watching something and the mind thinking, analyzing. All these things happen instantly. Probably within the fraction of a moment such things happen. The moment a thought comes, the mind thinks about it and would have analyzed, made a judgement, "This is good, this is bad, why is this happening, why not happening." So you need to exercise a little bit of will power when a thing happens, just keep watching. Reassure yourself, “This is not my problem. I am not thinking. This is a previously recorded thing that is in the mind. It’s getting washed away.” So if you can think for a while, and stick to that thought, then keep watching, it could be helpful. It’s not as easy as we talk, that's why we try to keep repeatedly telling people. Still it would be difficult for them to catch this process. Anyway if anybody can catch this process, meditation becomes very easy to progress. So you have to try to visualize, think, apply some will power and then it will be possible one day.

Just like you close the eyes, instantly some thoughts would come. Some visions will come, based on the habits of the mind. When such a thing comes, the first time comes, hold on to it. Let it happen, you have nothing to bother. But the mind starts bothering about that one. So try to think that  “I need not bother about this, why is this happening. Let it happen. If it happens, let it happen. Its not my problem. I'm just here to meditate. I'm just here to watch.”  So like that you have to think, reassure yourself. Try. I think somewhere the mind gains that ability. That's what I felt in my practice of tapas. It's the mind which has to gain ability. Simply by telling, the mind may not be able to understand. But we try to tell and keep repeatedly telling that one. If you keep doing, your mind will catch it at some stage.