Contemplation shifts our perception.
Please discuss. How does this play out in life?
I’ll start us out. We all have times when the world feels like too much for us. Getting away from it all appeals to us. We may dream of a juicy vacation, quitting our job, or going hermit and avoiding others.
While these options may not always be possible or practical, it’s fairly easy to engage in daily contemplative practice. This activity can take on many forms—prayer, meditation, focusing on our breath, communing with nature, gazing at a mandala are a few—but the end goal is the same. We seek to calm our minds and align with our spirit/divine presence.
We may think of this practice as an escape from the world, however it actually aligns us with it more fully. What we do get away from is our fear, anxiety, mistrust, and anger. Contemplation helps us hit our reset button so we can an perceive the world more fully as it is.
Today’s message reminds me of the value of regular contemplative practice. If I believe I’m too busy to meditate, it’s a sure sign that’s precisely what’s needed. I go inside myself to connect with creation more perfectly.
How about you? Do you have a contemplative practice?