“Reflecting on Reflecting” by Thomas Moore
One of the key activities of the psyche is to reflect on events and experiences. If we have no reflection, we act on passions and impulses that then do not have the advantage of being processed by the mind, references to memory and history and personal and social culture in general. It is this cultural background that civilizes us, which means we can live in community because we can process our feelings and enthusiasms. Reflection makes our strong emotions available for life with others, so that we live by emotion and reflection as two coordinating activities that support each other.