Sittin' and Thinkin' - Contemplation for Common Folks

by Angie Ledbetter

"Until a man yields himself to God in the consent of total belief, he must inevitably remain a stranger to himself, an exile from himself, because he is excluded from the most meaningful depths of his own being: those which remain obscure and unknown because they are too simple and too deep to attain by reason." ~ Thomas Merton ("New Seeds of Contemplation")

Who Wants to Contemplate Anything These Days?

The whole idea behind weird sounding words like "mysticism" and "contemplation" is to kick our spiritual lives into high gear. But those words bring to mind tinkling bells of an eastern ashram, chanted mantras, flying or levitating ascended students, Zen masters, ecstatic visions and apparitions, and all manner of strange events. But, in reality, the practice of Christian contemplative prayer can bring us all into the mystical circle of God's omnipotent love if we understand it.

Self-knowledge -- studying our faults and weaknesses -- is a first step to getting in closer contact with our Father. In essence, that is the goal of this prayer form. We don't need to become a cloistered nun or a monk/hermit in order to learn how to deepen our spiritual lives. It's not required that we have a college degree or supernatural saintly powers to live more closely God's will. We can do it from wherever we are in life, regardless of our circumstances.

What, Who, When, Where, Why?

When we are able to really listen to God speak to our hearts and souls, we're moving down the same path that some great mystic contemplatives took. Both St. John of the Cross and St. Theresa of Avila were contemplative trail blazers.

There is no set textbook theory, no ritual, no form of escapism, or weird maneuvers of physics involved in deepening our prayer lives. Contemplation is achievable by all who go after it. By its very definition, it is not elusive. It simply requires a bit of practice before we can attain some of God's consolations.

Why would a Christian seek out this deeper prayer? After all, some no longer enjoy solitary prayer or meditation. Others lose their concentration and their minds wander off and start planning what's for supper. But those who strive to perfect this deeper form of prayer often simply want to be alone with God and really speak to Him -- and hear from Him.

Mystical Roadmap

In order to have an effective contemplative journey, we must train ourselves to listen, to be quiet, and to be still. None of this is easy in the loud and crazy world of distraction we all inhabit. But it can be done! By closing out negative or busy thoughts, we can begin to be more centered in our conversations with Christ.

To begin, you need to become calm. Imagine yourself doing something soothing or relaxing. For me, pretending I'm going deep-sea diving helps me to prepare for contemplative prayer. Take long, steady breaths before submerging yourself in your praying session.

Be in a quiet space where you won't be disturbed. Ignore any noise or thought that tries to wriggle in and break your concentration.

Ask God to guide you and trust that He will lead you to know yourself and Him better. As you remove yourself from the world more and more, God will do the rest.

Innumerable Benefits

Studying a few of the better-known mystics will also help us to learn the benefits and pitfalls of deep prayer lives. St. John of the Cross was a man born into poverty. He cared for the poor and ill, and became a Carmelite priest at the age of 25. He lived a life filled with crosses, and was even imprisoned for 9 months. Through dedication to daily contemplative prayer, he became a wonderful spiritual writer and reformer and was named as a Doctor of Mystical Theology within the Catholic faith. The saint wrote, "If you do not learn to deny yourself, you can make no progress in perfection."

St. Mary Magdalen, the Sinner, was a close friend and follower of Jesus. She was sorrowful over her past, and turned herself around through God's grace. Mary washed Christ's feet with her hair, so much did she love Him. After His crucifixion and burial, Mary alone waited beside his tomb. Her faithfulness allowed her to be the only one to see Him after rising from the tomb. Mary Magdalen reminds us, "Whoever perseveres to the end will be saved." She was the only woman to have founded a religious order for men, and she also wrote "Way of Perfection." She shows us the fullness of God's mercy.

Like St. John of the Cross and St. Mary Magdalen, we can be good students in the school of contemplative prayer and mysticism. After all, there's nothing to it besides learning to put God first and yearning to live a more perfected life full of humility and love.

Life Applications:

What can you do to enrich your own prayer life and/or to overcome spiritual dryness?

What is contemplation and how can you incorporate it into your daily life?

My prayer about practicing contemplation is: "Dear Lord, I would like to_________________________________________."

Copyright 2003 by Angie Ledbetter 
All rights reserved.