Well, Lee let’s begin the conversation on contemplation with a little background. Contemplation or meditation if you wish, is silent prayer in which we empty the mind of all thoughts, even the most spiritual ones. Jesus tell us in Matthew that “God knows our needs before we ask him”. This is not to say that it is an alternative to intercessory prayer where we ask things of God, but rather it complements it. It is a very ancient practice which we find in many spiritual traditions, and contrary to some popular thought it is not something that Christianity learnt from Buddhism. It originates from the prayer of the Desert Fathers and Mothers who settled in the Egyptian desert in the 4th century of our era. A constantly repeated mantra is used which helps to control the flow of thoughts which inevitably flood the mind. This can be a single word or a short phrase; traditions vary. It has been a constant practice in the monastic tradition since the early church, but after World War II, the writings of Thomas Merton, John Main and Thomas Keating have taken this monastic tradition into the spiritual lives of the laity. If you google “The World Community for Christian Meditation” or the “Centre for Furthering Prayer” you will find groups all over the US of A, where I assume you live. The literature on contemplation is vast, and includes the great mystics of the Church and many modern day practitioners who will instruct you on how to proceed. Joining a group is an excellent thing to do. Perhaps for the moment we should stop here and continue at another time.
