‘Mindful Awareness’ at Psychology, Philosophy and Real Life, Page 14

“Everything happens for a reason”, they say, and “their” opinion has become pretty mainstream. This supposedly positive thinking is an undeniable part of how we human beings are; we’ve been making myths and stories and religions out of reality for as long as we have been human. I nonetheless want to scream “oh no it doesn’t!”

‘If you never feel sad, it is because you have never become attached to someone, and that is a very lonely way to be.’

I remember first learning meditation practice, as a somewhat distracted and giggly student. The leader of the session said that “the great thing about your breathing is that it’s always with you, you even take it with you on the bus!” I was sorely challenged in my attempt to keep a straight face. It was funny but it was true, it was funny because it was true.

New neuroscientific research claims to be the first evidence that actual changes in brain structure are associated with meditation: a thicker cerebral cortex in areas involved with attention and sensory processing, including the prefrontal cortex, used for planning complicated cognitive behaviours.

Trying and failing to get a baby off to sleep at naptime provided another chance to watch my mind in action, ruining another perfectly good 45 minutes of my life.