What is Spiritual Contemplation?

Definitions of Spiritual Contemplation

Spiritual Contemplation is a journey beyond anything you can think! This means to access a contemplative mindset you need to bring all of you, the whole body, mind and soul aspect of who you are to the fore to get to grips with the subject of spiritual contemplation. In other words you unify all the aspects of who you are together. We use all the 5 senses in some way, shape or form together, even if we are balancing or quietening those senses down to allow space for other energies to heighten.

Spiritual contemplation essentially requires one to go inwards into the self. We can use external means like guided meditation or contemplative practices like lectio divina or divine reading, Qigong, Contemplative Walking, or a mindful centering practice to do so. The object is to go deeply inwards to experience the fullness of your authenticity as a spiritual being with a body-heart-mind that is beyond homo sapiens, beyond wisdom and intellect, and beyond the material. Spiritual contemplation moves us from the formed, the certain, and the known to the formless, uncertain, and the mystical.

The practice of spiritual contemplation is the conscious and purposeful purification of the five senses that allows us to shift beyond the personality to access our extrasensory thoughts, feelings, and perceptions that make up the sum total of who we really are as divinely human beings with a soul. This journey inwards is accessed through the power of your Contemplative Intelligence (CQ) and is the empirical science of finding your spiritual self.

Mark L Lockwood BA(hons)(psy)

Contemplation versus Spiritual Contemplation

To understand what Contemplation is, let us explore these characteristics that define the practice, helping us go beyond the thriving of the ordinary mind to a sacred place that we arrive at and then thrive in. When we understand the answer to the question of what Spiritual Contemplation is, we will finally and fully understand the self, God, and others. While Contemplation itself is known by most people today as a practice of mere deep thought, reflection, and focus of the mind, we understand Spiritual Contemplation as the concentration of body-heart-mind and soul together on spiritual subjects that manifest mystical awareness of the unknown, unfamiliar, and uncertain.

The specific relevant content for this request, if necessary, delimited with characters: Either way once you learn the language of contemplation that is always expanding by nature, you are able to begin to see the common denominators in all things, as separation slowly disintegrates out of our dichotomous and ‘intellectual’ minds. I often state what most people rarely care to think about; that Contemplation is the end of two. It really is a deep connection of ourselves to all of ourselves. Then to others and our environments and then to God and all things divine, mystical and spiritual in nature. The universe is one such example of the ‘end of two’. It is a Uni-verse, one-song and when we spiritually contemplate God, self and other, we will reconsider all kinds of separation including race, creed, gender or any other ideas of separation and exclusivity that make little sense to the Contemplative mind (CQ).

Contemplation and the end of two minds is the end of the judging mind that says this is good or pure and that is bad or impure using comparison, opposition, and subjective judgments to understand things, not perceiving that there are many, many other points between the two ends of each spectrum.

21 ways to define Contemplation

1. Contemplation is a prayer of the heart, more so than a prayer of the mind.
2. Contemplative practices are practical, radical, and transformative, developing capacities for deep concentration and quieting the mind in the midst of the action and distraction that fills everyday life.
3. It is universally relational.
4. Contemplation is a way — a way of seeing, a way of praying, a way of beholding, a way of wondering — of meditating, of musing, of recognising.
5. Contemplation is beyond personality and ego defences Contemplation: it is a way of seeing, but also a way of thinking, a school of knowledge, a path of formation and discipline.
6. Contemplation is self-inquiry. Contemplation is the concentration on spiritual things that manifests mystical awareness.
7. Spiritual Contemplation is re-looking, re-feeling and re-experiencing everything in the present moment rather than from mind and memory.
8. Contemplation is meeting as much reality as we can handle in its most simple and immediate form Contemplation is a way to keep the mind free from confusion and in clarity, even when there is chaos around you. Poetry, music, art, the abstract and eccentric are also understood better through contemplation.
9. Contemplation grounds people into empathy by eliminating the ego identities separation perspective.
10. Contemplation is the response to a universal call that is beyond words. It is coming to know your true self, their true self and every other living thing’s true self and how it is all in divine relationship to the entire world without exclusion.
11. It is our rainbow bridge to a more radical and inclusive understanding of God, self, and others.
12. Contemplative practices are practical, radical, and transformative, developing capacities for deep concentration and quieting the mind in the midst of the action and distraction that fill everyday life. It is universally relational.
13. Spiritual Contemplation is a way—a way of seeing, a way of praying, a way of beholding, a way of wondering—of meditating, of musing, of recognizing.
14. Contemplation is beyond personality and ego defences.
15. Contemplation: it is a way of seeing, but also a way of thinking, a school of knowledge, a path of formation and discipline. Contemplation is self-inquiry.
16. Contemplation is the concentration on spiritual things that manifests mystical awareness.
17. Contemplation is re-looking, re-feeling, and re-experiencing everything in the present moment rather than from mind and memory.
18. Contemplation is meeting as much reality as we can handle in its most simple and immediate form.
19. Contemplation is a way to keep the mind free from confusion and in clarity, even when there is chaos around you. Poetry, music, art, the abstract, and eccentric are also understood better through contemplation.
20. Spiritual contemplation grounds people into empathy by eliminating the ego identities’ separation perspective. Contemplation is the response to a universal call that is beyond words. It is coming to know your true self, their true self, and every other living thing’s true self and how it is all in divine relationship to the entire world without exclusion.
21. Spiritual contemplation is the end of the dichotomous mind, the end of ego judgement and the birthplace of all things genuinely Universal by nature.

For more information on answering the questions of What is Spiritual Contemplation, then get in touch, subscribe to our Contemplative Intelligence channel and join us in putting the pieces of the puzzle of who we truly, truly are back together. When we know this, the entire story of Creation changes. As V. Edmund says, never doubt in the dark what God told you in the light! In Genesis 1 God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Something to perhaps deeply contemplate. Namaste.