There is a distinct and important difference between dwelling on and sorting through the past.

Dwelling on the past generally includes non-productive, invasive thoughts. It more often than not involves ruminating and significant ‘should have’ language.

Sorting through the past most often involves learning from it.  I am reminded of the Pensieve in the Harry Potter series. It is an ornately decorated shallow dish through which one can reenter a memory allowing it to be recreated in detail. The owner is allowed to move through the memory, learning from it and presumably seeing what they might have missed.  As a homonym of pensive, Pensieve refers to deeply and seriously thoughtful. Then there is the ‘sieve’ part which alludes to the object’s true intent to find meaning in a mass of memories and thoughts.

Imagine the benefits of looking into the past simply to find meaning and to learn the lessons that can be utilized in the future. Wouldn’t it be better to ‘sort’ through and carry forward the knowledge than to spend time on random and circular thinking in an effort to figure out who and what went wrong?

Mindfulness practice can create a modern day Pensieve. It can help us to be present with our thoughts, managing them to navigate away from the negative and toward more positive outcomes. Jon Kabat-Zinn, a pioneer in modern mindfulness, said, “You cannot stop the waves but you can learn to surf.” Imagine being able to surf your past riding on the lessons rather than being caught in the quagmire of rumination and ‘should haves’.

It is an honor to work with clients on mindfulness practices, helping them to learn from the past and apply that knowledge to their future.