Definition
Long, receptive, and non-utilitarian attention to a reality, text, nature, work or divine presence.
Contemplation can include thought, emotion and sensation without necessarily aiming at the mental void. It is distinguished from a rapid consumption of landscapes or works.
To be retained
- Slow down without aiming for performance
- Letting a reality unfold
- Distinguish attention and possession
- Respecting body limits
Origin of the term and context
The Latin contemplari is attached to the templum, a space delimited to observe signs. In Christianity, contemplation becomes a form of loving knowledge of God.
Why does it matter?
Moments of calm attention can promote rest and appreciation. Experiences of vasitude or wonder are studied in psychology, without their religious interpretation being confirmed or refuted by them alone.
- Slow down without aiming for performance
- Letting a reality unfold
- Distinguish attention and possession
- Respecting body limits
How can it be explored or practised?
- Watching a tree ten minutes without a phone
- Slowly read a short text
- Listening to an entire work without any other activity
- Then note what has changed in your eyes
Misconceptions and points of caution
- Contemplation does not require ignoring one's thoughts.
- Nature is not always a safe or accessible space.
- An aesthetic experience does not impose a belief.
Perspectives from different traditions
- Christianity: contemplative prayer and divine presence.
- Platoonism: orientation of the soul towards the true and the beautiful.
- Ecospirituality: attention to living and ecological responsibility.
To go further
- The Inner Castle — Thérèse d'Avila
- Gravity and Grace — Simone Weil