Thinking About Thinking

Apparently, there's a term for "thinking about thinking," which is "megacognition." I learned this while reading last night, and considering how much I think, and how often I think about thinking. More often than not, I think about thinking more than thinking about doing something. Takes less time to think about doing something and getting to it, than thinking about abstract and unsubstantial thoughts. The latter can lead one into thinking about the infinity symbol or parallel universes! :-)

You know why there are cults and "movements?" Because somebody thought. They thought about thinking (very likely), even if momentarily and without consciousness. Then they thought about doing, and then started it. Once the thinker gets something started, others can join, without thinking at all, an example would be that "Occupy" movement. Apparently, there are hundreds of people who are participating in the movement and have no clue what it's about or the goal. I don't, either, but I'm not part of the movement, so I don't care.

I'd rather be thinking about thinking. :-D

On more serious matters, however, I have discovered a bit of how Hubby and I "work." From the outside, it might look like we take enormous risks or do big things (or little things) without a thought or care as to what the consequences might be. That is not the case. We think a lot. I speak only for me, but I think a lot about thinking. Apparently, I'm quite adept at the "metacognition." This, in turn, makes my movements through life look erratic or. . . maybe a bit like frog leaps or cat jumps. rarely is the case that I do something without thoroughly thinking about it, almost to the point of paralyzation. Even trips to the 'grocery store' entail more than what most people might consider. I'm certain there are a variety of factors for this: I don't have t.v. telling me what I need to buy, eat, wear, etc. I don't purchase magazines that tell me how fat I am or what diet is the latest and greatest. No, for me a trip to the grocery stores entails considering what food I'm purchasing and how I can best combine those foods into delicious meals that my family will love. Right now, I don't have the benefit of being able to purchase only organic or from-the-farmer or other "healthy" foods; I do the best I can.

See, after much thinking and a whole lot of reading, I'm learning how the body works, what is in foods, and how foods work (in general) in the body. So applying this massive amount of information is an on-going and long process. I'm always learning, and teaching my kids the new things I learn (such as that our "gut" is made from the same genetic material as our brains-- isn't that cool?!?!). I teach my Hubby and kids about different herbs and spices, and the properties they have, and that combining them in certain ways makes for tasty meals that also provide healthy benefits.

Here's the amazing part: are you ready for it? I am still learning! Every day I find something new to learn. I then have to decide whether that new information is applicable to me or not, so I know whether or not to discard the information. My memory and energy resources are still quite low, so remembering only what is essential and immediately applicable is where I place my focus. Yes, knowing the gut is made from the same genetic material as our brains is part of the essential and immediately applicable. :-)

There seems to be but a handful of categories that people fall into: doers (without thinking); thinkers (without doing); thoughtful doers (of a spectrum between the "thought" side and the "do" side); and nothings. I'd like to think I am completely in the middle of the "thoughtful doers," but that would be a lie. I think too much, if anything. I'd rather think a thousand years than to do the "wrong" thing. But just because I think a lot doesn't mean I'm not a "doer."

As is with the rest of Life's journey, I'm going at my own pace. Taking the time to do when I have the energy, and to think (which also sucks up a lot of energy). All Life speaks of cycles: the planets orbiting the sun (in our solar system), time is broken down into cycles (night, day, dusk, dawn), seasonal changes. Nature acts in cycles also, sometimes on a small enough scale that we can observe it in our lifetimes (seasonal changes, eclipses, comets, volcanoes, earth changes and weather patterns), sometimes on such a grand scale that there are only theories that suggest a cycle.

If you take a moment to think, and take one to "think about thinking," don't forget to come back!

~Cedeham~