Sitting

I listened to this song thousands of times before I truly understood one of the verses, and it’s right there in front of our faces. I can’t believe nobody has mentioned it. Read the last verse very closely. Picture it in your mind. Have you ever walked up to a building and pushed on the door several times and it doesn't open. And you think "It's only 3:30 - they can't be closed". No matter how hard you PUSH the door, it won't budge. Then you take a confused step backward only to read somewhere on the door that says "PULL". I wrote comments about some Buddhist teachings in some of Cat’s songs, but this verse is not about reincarnation. It’s about being attached to things and outcomes, trying so hard to get somewhere (career etc) as opposed to letting go and being at peace and harmony with objects around us and ideas in our heads. If you stood and pushed on a door that opened from the side you’re on, (which is a door that needs to be pulled) where would you end up? You would end up right where you started. Cat has many songs that speak of the journey through life, usually looking for spiritual answers. This one is about meditation. It is called Sitting. Most Buddhist centers (and many other religions, new age groups, and some yoga and even martial arts centers have group meditations. Many refer to them as Sittings.) Meditation is about clearing your mind and stop the brain from its’ incessant thinking. You first learn that things are not the problem, your reaction to the things are the problem. The only way to delve further is to start getting in touch with feelings which will tell you the truth about yourself. (Brains tend to justify and cannot be relied on for truth about oneself).
In the first verse Cat starts talking about feeling, All I know is all I feel right now. (meditation = feeling — thinking). The next verse he starts with, Sitting on my own not by myself. Everybody’s here with me. — He’s either referring to being part of a group meditation or during meditation one can get in touch with many aspects (some call sub-personalities) of oneself. The next verse talks about sleeping several times. Many of these meditation styles are referred to as “awareness training”. When you start coming out of meditation the world looks different. You become more aware. At first, this awareness doesn’t last long; your conditioned mind will soon regain control. With more meditation comes more awareness. When you are in a more heightened state of awareness you look at how you were previously and those around you as being zombie-like. As if we are all going through life half asleep. I think the “power growing in my hair” could be a reference to Sampson (strength) or in deep meditation one can feel very subtle energy and things that our brain normally ignores. It could be referring to enlightenment. I think that is what he is referring to by “I’m on my way”. (on the right spiritual path or towards enlightenment) Except for the last verse the rest are just talking about death and the afterlife. That’s my 2 cents.