Response:

It is perfectly normal to have background thoughts during meditation. If you are doing the meditation easily, without any mental tension or resistance to thoughts or sounds, then it is absolutely working. Meditation is working when the mind is allowed to settle into simple awareness. Lastly, don’t add any self-talk to your meditation. That is only adding mental activity to your meditation when you want to give yourself opportunities for the mind to quiet down.

Love,

Deepak