The Mindfulness Blog

Who among us is not an Annie Lenox fan? She's an incredible artist and (no doubt) a thoughtful person. For me, Why is one of those songs that pop into my head from time to time, and it always gets me thinking-- great grist, for the mill.

It also provides me with some pretty compelling stuff to meditate about, when the mind is stuck in a linear thinking mode-- which can and does sometimes happen, every once in a while. If the mind needs to chew on something, my custom these days is to let it have its way-- I know an unwinnable battle, when I see it.

For the longest time, I would (unsuccessfully) try to banish thoughts that my mind insisted on thinking, by observing them and letting them pass-- again, and again and again. Then one day, when the linear serpent of logic and consequence reared its head during a meditation sit, I realized that my mind had settled on something it needed to think through-- I call it, my "lawyer brain"-- and I realized that was okay.

In fact, it was more than okay-- it was just what was happening, in that particular moment. I'll be the first to concede that analysis and logic are not necessarily close friends of meditation, but that's the way my mind (and the minds of a lot of other recovering lawyers) rolls, sometimes. So, let it roll!

The saving grace (I occasionally need to remind myself) is to observe those thoughts, without attachment to a particular outcome or consequence. There's a fine line between contemplation and meditation, but it's a line that can be walked-- if we can remain an unattached observer.

Why do those thoughts sometimes stray into my mind? I suppose I'll never really know, but as long as they do, I'm along for the ride. A good sit is still a good sit!