Reflection and rumination are very different styles of thinking. Rumination is locked in the past, a chewing over and reliving of old feelings, thoughts, and experiences. Reflection may begin with an existing concern–even a deep grief–but it faces outward rather than inward. Reflection is infused with wondering, with curiosity, and with the hope of a new thought. What we need now is new thought, and if we hold our concerns with open minds and hearts, it will come.
Reflection versus rumination
