contemplatives

[jezic]

how do you guys feel about contemplatives?

This would be a good place to share stories of contemplation. I will start but not tonight as it is already 11 and i am tired. I have some prayers to attend to as well.

God bless

[karin]

this is something i am very interested in ....

[Totus Tuus]

I'm not quite sure what you're specifically asking us to expound on.

[jezic]

Just take a whack at any part of it.

Contemplation is a huge subject but you have to start somehwere and it is always interesting to see what direction people take things. : )

[Totus Tuus]

Right, but are you asking what we think about contemplative religious persons/Orders, or are you asking what we think about [i]contemplation[/i]?

[jezic]

This is the vocation board, so more the vocation end of it, but the actual methods and thoughts on contemplation tie in very closely with that. So therefore both.

[karin]

well contemplative nuns are awesome. thats what i believe I am called to. uhh I am sorta learning about contemplation right now. Not really sure what to put... why dont you (Jezic) start the ball rolling since you are the one who made the thread. Give an example.

[crusader03]

Just to add my two cents... contemplation is ultimately what we are all called to. That is, contemplation of the highest things (ie, God). For, when we (God willing) attain the Beatific Vision, that is what it is - contemplation of God NONSTOP!

But, on the vocations end, I am pretty sure I am not called to a "solely contemplative" life. I am a firm believer in the Dominican motto "To contemplate and to give to others the fruits of one's contemplation" - that true contemplation necessarily brings about action, especially in the form of teaching. I know the very, very valuable work that cloistered, contemplative orders do, and I certainly am not criticizing them in any way, but I myself am not called to such a life.

[jezic]

well now my more general post about this stuff.

Contemplation is probably my favorite thing ever. In it a soul truly embraces the divine Mystery, not always in an attempt to understand, but to be in awe.

The soul searching required translates into the truest deepest type of faith because in contemplation nothing is hidden from Jesus. Exposed as a soul is, it cannot help but be transformed by His grace, as our reading today said "from Glory to Glory".

There is something that makes my heart tremble at how awesome it is to contemplate anything. When you start in on matters of faith well... words start to fail there.

Anyway my most treasured experiences are the ones where in prayer and meditation these "realizations" came to me.

[FutureSoror]

Contemplation is a very beautiful thing. I don't do it as much as I should, but when I finally bring myself to do some hard-core meditation I gain tremendous fruits from it.

[philothea]

Um, wow, how lime green this entry box is is... oops sorry, what was I replying to?

Oh yeah. For info on contemplation and contemplatives, read St. Teresa of Avila (everything, but especially [i]The Interior Castle[/i]) and St. John of the Cross (also everything, but especially [i]The Dark Night[/i] and [i]Ascent of Mount Carmel[/i].)

Possibly more accessible, depending on your reading style, is Fr. Thomas Dubay's book [i]The Fire Within[/i] or Fr. Thomas H. Green's [i]When the Well Runs Dry[/i].

I can't really speak to contemplative orders much, being married -- though, if I was widowed I'd want to become a Discalced Carmelite -- but if you have any questions on contemplative prayer itself I could probably answer.

[philothea]

[quote name='FutureSoror' date='Jun 9 2005, 01:52 PM']Contemplation is a very beautiful thing.  I don't do it as much as I should, but when I finally bring myself to do some hard-core meditation I gain tremendous fruits from it.
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Not to nitpick, but "contemplation" usually refers to "infused contemplation" and it is not anything like meditation. In fact, once you regularly receive infused contemplative prayer, you cannot meditate any more.

[jezic]

if you wouldn't mind explain more abotu that style of prayer.

St. John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila are awesome but you must know they are extremely difficult reads. Not to discourage anyone, but it takes much prayer and thought to even begin to understand what they say.

Meditation is just one aspect, in actuality it usually refers to the focus on the mind. Contemplation normally requires at least a basic level of focus.

Though this is good, i do hope people keep talking and asking questions, though i do wish there was a "contemplation" board or a dedicated section of one.

[philothea]

Sure, I'll see what I can explain.

Everyone, of course, begins at the beginning: reform your life, avoid sin, regular vocal prayers, regular meditation, frequent sacraments.

Probably the easiset meditation that can lead to contemplation is [i]Lectio Divina[/i]. (Hm. Inserting hyperlinks isn't working... see [url="http://www.valyermo.com/ld-art.html"]http://www.valyermo.com/ld-art.html[/url] or search for Lectio Divina in Google for more info.) In Lectio you prayerfully and slowly read some relgious text -- usually the bible -- and then ponder it.

This meditation, when practiced well, leads to insights and inspiration, it can inflame your love, and strengthen your resolve. Lots of good stuff. However, after a while it may begin to do something else, which has nothing in particular to do with what you read, or what you thought... you start to feel like just sitting quietly with God. Not thinking anything in particular. Not feeling or sensing anything. Just quiet sitting. You don't even particularly sense anything as "God"... you just want to wait quietly, and waiting like that is peaceful.

It's kind of like if you were talking on the phone with your best friend, and ran out of things to say. You want to keep the connection so you stay on the line, but you're quiet, and you know your friend is still there.

After a while, you may quickly get to the quiet listening-to-silence part, and you don't have to meditate. Eventually you [i]can't[/i] meditate, even if you try, and you don't need to read anything first. This may come and go for some time. If you don't feel drawn to silence, do continue reading and forming your own meditations.

That's one way of beginning infused contemplation. Another one, described by St. John of the Cross is, I think, for people who are a bit more determined and stubborn. In this situation, you don't notice the call-to-quiet. (Maybe it was there, I don't know, but it's not noticed.) Instead, rather abruptly, you can't meditate. At all. Everything else is fine, you're not depressed, or especially sinful, or distracted by an overpowering worry. You just can't meditate, and you probably really want to!

In that situation, the thing to do is sit quietly and patiently, and try to listen to the silence. Show up everyday, and humbly wait. Eventually you'll sense something there, calling you. As above, there will be a connection with some incomprehensible presence, and it will bring peace.

So, those are the beginnings. Some other suggestions --

- Don't try to stop thinking! You'll just make your mind race. If God wants to grant this kind of prayer and make you stop meditating, it'll happen. Nothing you can do either way about it.

- Even when you are well-wrapped up in this mysterious prayer, some part of your mind will be babbling away inanely. We all have subvocalized thoughts going all the time. Ignore it. It's harmless. Again, don't try to force anything. At a more advanced stage of union the babbling background will stop too. Let God do what He wants.

Edited June 9, 2005 by philothea

[jezic]

while that makes sense, one note i would add is that actually you are "meditating" you just reach the state of inner quiet and focus so fast no conscious thought is required for it.

And it takes a long time to train the mind like that.