If you have any experience with meditation, or you have read any of my essays you know of one of the major things that disrupts the present moment — rumination on the past. Because of our ability to remember, we are constantly fretting over things that have already happened. Thoughts like “That could have gone better” or “I wish I said something different” constantly invade our consciousness and interfere with peace in the present.
How do we free ourselves of this? Meditation promises freedom, a return to the present moment. Your mind is free to flow into the future or the past, but your body is firmly rooted in the present. By reconnecting mind and body, you are able to relieve yourself of the past and the dangerous cycles that it creates.
I have found this practice incredibly beneficial— but it is incomplete. Freeing yourself right now does not defeat the intrusive thoughts, it only gives you control over the present moment. When they invariably invade again, you will need to meditate again, and the cycle will repeat endlessly.
The other option, then, is to resolve the intrusive thoughts at their root. This is not always possible, but the more that it can happen, the better. For large cases, this might mean talk therapy, especially when the intrusive thoughts are rooted in past trauma. This is bigger than day-to-day rumination, and an expert can help navigate and resolve all of the nuances.
For the day-to-day, this means exploring the thoughts all the way back to their origin and dissecting their pieces. There are two ways to do this: reflection and perspective. Memories are subjective, they do not present an accurate take on events. This is why found memories are inadmissible in court. To combat this, we can honestly reflect on the events from as objective a seat as possible. Contextualizing the memory helps, exploring its environment, tracing emotions and biases. Journaling can help with this, as the very act of sitting down to reflect can provide the clarity necessary to put ruminating thoughts to rest.
We don’t hold all of the answers, though, so we need perspective. Talking the situation through with trusted people, especially if they were present for it, can cause a rapid and massive shift in understanding. You may have perceived yourself being rude, for example, but your friend can affirm that you were not rude but assertive. It’s like trying to hang a picture: when you are inches from it, you can’t tell that if it’s straight or crooked. With help from several feet away, though, your perspective can be altered and corrected.
If you are spending time reflecting on your inner being, exploring the intrusive thoughts that appear time and time again, seeking additional perspective, and meditating when you need to retake the present, rumination on the past can be avoided. This will give you greater peace in the present, and give room for the clarity needed to embrace the future.
Edited by Jeremy Harr and Abigail McKay Cherry
Thank you for reading Two Minute Treatise, a weekly essay newsletter focusing on one philosophical topic, two minutes at a time.
First time reading? Subscribe here and view the archive.
Well said, as always, Noah.
But...is another person’s perspective subjective as well?