How does one go about contemplative prayer?

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Mordocai

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I’ve been readin a lot of mystical literature lately (which I’ve found helps me the most in my journey) and the conflicting approaches to contemplation (although not really conflicting) can be a bit confusing.
So what I’m asking is, how does one go about contemplation?
And for that matter, can someone explain the difference between meditation and contemplation? Since attempting contemplation I’ve found it increasingly difficult to meditate on the mysteries during the Rosary. Is it possible to contemplate the mysteries?
I know these may be silly questions, but I can honestly say I REALLY want to take a step up in my prayer life 🙂

Help!

God Bless,
Mordocai
 
Hi Mordocai,

I have always thought of contemplative prayer as something really quite simple. To me, it is simply being aware of God and His presence and resting in that presence. Meditation is fixing the mind on something. Now, I believe meditation can often lead to contemplation, but contemplative prayer is more likely to happen when the mind is free and not fixed on exterior things or even on any particular spiritual thing. For instance, I can meditate on the mysteries of the rosary by thinking of the scriptures that pertain to them, or perhaps with a picture depicting them, but with contemplative prayer you do not fix the mind on anything in particular like that, although, if you are not in a peaceful and prayerful mindset to start with, meditation is often a good starting point that may lead to contemplation.
I found it interesting that you said you were finding it difficult to concentrate on the mysteries during the rosary. I don’t know if you mean that you are distracted, or that you feel drawn to a different kind of prayer, but it’s quite possible that you are already experiencing contemplative prayer and not realizing it.
If you are at peace and mindful of God and in a prayerful mindset, this, to me, is where contemplation is most possible; when the mind is free and at peace and desiring to be in God’s presence. I’ve also been told that we can’t necessarily ‘go about’ contemplative prayer, so much as God enables you to experience it. I don’t think this makes necessarily makes it mystical in a sort-of unobtainable, mysterious sort of way, because I believe everyone experiences it. I’ve often thought of the practice of the presence of God as contemplative prayer on a much larger scale, and you can read an excellent book by the writtings of Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection compiled in a book called “The Practice of the Presence of God”.
Well, don’t know if I’ve explained it right or not. This is what I’ve always thought contemplative prayer to be. Hopefully I have not just confused you even more - lol!
Bless you,
~donna
 
I was going to post a thread on the same thing.

I heard Father Thomas Dubay give a talk about this on a radio show once. He seemed to indicate that it was available for all people, not just saints.

What confused me about this, though, was that later in the show, when describing the error of “centering prayer,” he said that the way to contemplative prayer was to simply practice meditative prayer and “wait” for God to give you contemplative prayer.

He said that this gift would be given “when we are ready.” However, some of the greatest SAINTS have never received this gift, so his original premise about this gift being available to everyone seems misleading.

Apparently it is not something you can practice, and what confuses me a bit is the part about centering prayer.

The centering prayer thing, which seems to be also based on Eastern, non-Catholic thought, also apparently espouses the clearing of the mind and a resting in silence.

Father Dubay criticized this part, the emptying of the mind, as in error.

But true contemplation is the opposite of meditation–we DO NOT think of anything or use the imagination. Indeed, I was under the impression that the mind is to be silent and empty so as to allow God to fill its void. This is why the out and out rejection of that part of centering prayer is confusing.
 
There are many threads on contemplation in this forum.
You can also check the threads on the Carmelites.

St. Teresa and St. John have writings on the subject. I’m sure you have discovered them. I am reading St. John’s Dark Night and it is awesome. He explains things so well. At least to me. The first 7 chapters cover the beginning of prayer, meditation and then the others cover contemplation.

“Dark Night of the Soul” can be found here (scroll down and click on book one, chapter one to begin the book):

carmelite.com/saints/john/works/dn.htm

Contemplation is when God decides to talk you. In the first steps of contemplation, the prayer of the quiet, God speaks to you and you don’t even know it. He is planting in you the things you will need to progress. Many feel that they are arid and that nothing is happening but that isn’t neccessarily true. It is done in darkness. God then in the later steps brings you to union with Him.

There are others on the forum that know much more than me. I hope the site and the threads that find you find help you on your way in prayer life.:yup:

Peace,
Jen
 
Dear Mike,

I think the main problem that causes so much confusion whenever we read about contemplation, is not realizing how the writer is meaning the terminology. It is important to understand that there are two types of contemplation – actively acquired, whereby we may indeed with our own effort, contemplate God with a freedom from using our mental faculties and simply rest in loving Him.

There is another type which you alluded to as a gift, and that type of contemplation is infused by God and cannot be acquired by any efforts on our part. These authors are correct in saying that many never receive the “gift” – but they certainly can contemplate God in the natural form understood above.

Carole
 
Well for me, I’ve been stressed lately, spiritually. I’m readin the dark night of the soul as well, and it feels like I may be entering into “dusk” so to speak of the first, sensual night. It’s tough, but I’m more or less walking on with will power.
Anyway, it can be upsetting for saying the Rosary. In the Cloud of Unknowing, the author basically says to focus on God Himself. Nothing else. Since no higher thought can be achieved, we think of God.
And so, I do that for maybe 5 minutes after saying a Rosary, and I like that. But I tend to wonder “is this doing anything?”
And I feel being more drawn to contemplation than meditation and I don’t know why. I feel like “well maybe you’ve never really meditated before”
It’s all confusing for me… 😦
But, please pray for me!
 
Mike O:
Father Dubay criticized this part, the emptying of the mind, as in error.

But true contemplation is the opposite of meditation–we DO NOT think of anything or use the imagination. Indeed, I was under the impression that the mind is to be silent and empty so as to allow God to fill its void. This is why the out and out rejection of that part of centering prayer is confusing.
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When one is in contemplation, the mind is NOT void and empty, but full … it contemplates God. The danger of someone trying to understand centering prayer, is the idea that the mind must be emptied, but that is not the intent of centering. It is to focus prayerfully with a* loving* glance of the heart towards God, usually without thoughts.

Think of when you met your spouse. Lots of meetings and conversation, getting to know one another. Later on, a simple glance in memory, which is loving, without thought, just “contemplating” the beloved. But it takes time to get to that point, huh?

Mordocai, this is why the author of the Cloud gives proper warning that one must be readied by the Lord to practice this, according to principles of spiritual growth. To attempt it too early is very dangerous to one’s spirit, as you may have read in St. John of the Cross’s writings. There are three important criteria that need to be present before beginning to practice that form of contemplation when one no longer is able to meditate.

You are attempting this, I believe, too early in your development, from what I am able to understand from your post.

Carole
 
I have to agree with Carole’s advice about biting off more than you can healthily chew at this point. It is very easy to get confused. Please see the literature I recommend in a thread on the Ascent.
Also, have you studied the Catechism’s treatment on prayer (all of Part Four)? It is sine qua non…

In the Carmelite spiritual tradition, contemplation is a passive, infused, supernatural grace given by God. We cannot achieve it on our own, merely dispose ourselves for it through vocal prayer, mental prayer, penance, practice of the virtues, etc. Other sources mean something entirely different by contemplation - e.g., the Catechism - what Carmelites would see as something akin to active recollection.

I think that what Our Holy Mother Teresa would recommend to you at this stage would be: focus on developing your vocal prayer into mental prayer - i.e., work on praying the Rosary, for example, quietly, slowly, affectively, attentively, meditatively, intimately, interpersonally. Use sacred images and a spiritual book like the Imitation to help you focus. Start off walking before you try to fly: read her Way of Perfection, for example. Turn off and tune out the TV, attend daily Mass if you can, go to Confession monthly. These actions will help to prepare a vessel into which the Lord may someday be pleased to pour the heavenly drink of contemplation…

Peace,
Timothy of Mary, Discalced Carmelite Secular
 
Thank you for all the wonderful advice! Perhaps I am moving too fast. And yes, it CAN be and HAS been very confusing 😦 But I guess I just get excited/anxious to make progress.
I have read Way of Perfection, Interior Castles, and am halfway through Dark Night of the Soul and 3/5 way through Cloud of unknowing. It all makes a great deal of sense to me (though of course many might say that it in fact is not making sense to me 🙂 )
But this raises a big question for me.
Is it possible to have a great deal of understanding ABOUT prayer and the prayer life and still not have an equally strong prayer life?
I feel that might be the case with me, since I absorb information well enough, love reading about this subject, and am very eager to go deeper. But I guess a year’s worth of Rosaries aint enough eh?

🙂 O well… The yield sign is up, and I guess I should follow suit. Make sure to say a quick prayer for me will ya? I just wanna do all this stuff right.

God Bless all!
Mordocai
 
Dear Mordocai,
I have read Way of Perfection, Interior Castles, and am halfway through Dark Night of the Soul and 3/5 way through Cloud of unknowing. It all makes a great deal of sense to me.
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You have been given a wonderful gift to understand these deep works on prayer. My next question might be, do you understand some of these gifts of prayer mentioned by St. Teresa in the Castle experientially?

If you are able to discern that you are being called to the contemplative prayer recommended in the *Cloud, *then who are we to discourage you? Have you been able also to study St. John’s three signs as to when it is safe to leave the road of meditation? Do you discern all three as present within you at this time? Lacking a director can cause you to tread these waters with fear and trembling, but in any case, God is most anxious to draw you to Himself and will give you many helps along the way.

I would not want to embarrass you by having you disclose your spiritual state here on the internet, so please just consider the above questions as a guide for you to answer privately in your own heart.

Carole
 
Yes, it’s possible to have an excellent intellectual understanding of prayer life, and yet to have no prayer life. St. Teresa herself at one point gave up the practice of mental prayer for years out a false humility, yet she continued to teach many others about it. She did not feel she was being hypocritical, but rather that, even though it was something she had given up, she at least might be able to help someone else advance. (Have you read the Book of Her Life?)

The same thing happened to me as a formation director in a Lay Carmelite Community. Here I was in an official position with the responsibility to teach a group of people the ins and outs of our contemplative spirituality, while at the same time my own spiritual life had totally dried up! It was very trying. 😦 It’s definitely better to have a prayer life without knowing much about the life of prayer, than to know a lot about the life of prayer, but to have no prayer life…
 
An absolute MUST READ before beginning is Fr Dubay’s “Fire Within”. It is a complete and easy to read beginners guide to St Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross and contemplative prayer; There is a grand canyon that separates contemplative prayer with “centering prayer”. Also, contemplative prayer is guided by the HOLY SPIRIT and centering prayer opens you up to the deceiving spirit.
 
I have read some of the books mentioned–Dark Night of the Soul, for instance–but it puzzles me that so much can be written about this prayer method when in fact infused contemplation is utterly dependent on God.

Indeed, some of the greatest saints in human history NEVER were given the gift of contemplative prayer.

This might be a little know fact–at least, I had never heard of it until recently–but Blessed Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) spent the last 40 years of her life in a state of spiritual dryness and trials of faith. I recall reading that she had been given some of the visions and ecstasies bestowed upon many mystics early in her life, but the Lord withdrew all of these and she was essentially reduced to the prayer life of most people, sans ecstasies or deep unitive communion with God.

Now imagine what Mother Teresa did, how many she served, the agony of the dying being the sounds that filled her day, and for FORTY YEARS she had NOTHING of the prayer described in the works of St. John of the Cross.

This is a great gift and I hope that everyone can have it, but it doesn’t seem to be that way and it might truthfully be better to pray faithfully each day to the best of our ability rather than worrying about St. John’s warning of 3 prerequisite states, the traps one falls into, etc. These sorts of things can detract from real prayer. It is doubtful that St. John and St. Teresa had ready-made guides handy as they embarked in their prayer lives, and while guides can be helpful, sometimes they can also detract.
 
Michael: what you say above is exactly what we Carmelites teach!
Except: St. John writes substantially on the issues of dryness and trials of faith. So Mother Teresa frequently experienced a great deal of what he was talking about.

As St. Teresa of Avila observes (cf. Way of Perfection, Interior Castle), contemplation is not necessary for sanctity, nor can it be humanly acquired, but it is a good thing for us to study - so that we may know how to prepare ourselves for it should the Lord wish to grant it, so that we may better understand the gift if He does, and so that we may appreciate the gift in others and praise the Lord for it even should he not.
 
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Mordocai:
can someone explain the difference between meditation and contemplation?
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There’s a problem with these words in that they’re used in different senses by different writers. For a short summary of the Guigo II / Teresian sense see Lectio Divina and the Practice of Teresian Prayer by Sam Anthony Morello, OCD
 
While most of the faithful will do well to stick with the explanations of and distinctions between “meditation” and “contemplative prayer” given in the Catechism (CCC 2705-2708 and 2709-2719, respectively), it is, as above pointed out, important to understand that in the Carmelite spiritual tradition, the terms have different meanings. :gopray:
 
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