What is contemplation?

Have you ever  marveled at the sight of a magnificent sunset? By all those shades of color, so vivid and so soft at the same time? Have you ever wondered where all this indescribable, elusive beauty comes from?

We've all practiced contemplation in our lives, whether it be mystical contemplation, contemplation of nature, philosophical contemplation or contemplation of God himself. Some people attach great importance to it, such as practising Christians who see it as a form of meditative prayer, while others do so without even realizing it. Certain moments in our lives are particularly conducive to contemplation, such as the birth of our first child, the completion of a long project, or simply a walk in nature. We're all concerned by this activity of the mind, yet we don't necessarily know where it comes from or what its precise definition is .

"Contemplation is the language of the soul, a silent conversation with the universe and with God" - Plotinus

Definition of contemplation

Philosophical meaning

From the Greek theôrô (θεωρία), meaning "I look, I contemplate", contemplation is an act of the mind, the scrupulous consideration of a reality, whether material or immaterial. reality, whether material (through the concrete contemplation of a being or thing) or spiritual (through the abstract contemplation of intellectual or religious ideas). Contemplation can activate our senses, notably through the contemplation of visible realities (nature, art...), but also our intelligence through the contemplation of universal ideas (invisible realities such as the principle of Beauty). In philosophical contemplation, the intellect meditates on a particular reality and, once it has reached an understanding of it, the mind contemplates this truth. In meditation, the mind seeks; in contemplation, the mind admires. This act of the mind is thus what comes at the end of inner reflection, of deep meditation on a particular subject. On earth, this activity is therefore only possible and achievable by man, as a being endowed with rationality, capable alone of turning towards the first principle of all things: God.

Religious meaning

Contemplation and meditation are also highly valued in the world's various religions. Buddhism, and all Far Eastern religions, attach great importance to the contemplative life, notably with the search for "nirvāṇa" through the "Sūtra of contemplations" (meditation methods). Similarly, in Islam, the faithful are invited to adopt a contemplative attitude towards Allah's creation, His divine signs and arributes, with the aim of purifying one's heart. Christian tradition, on the other hand, speaks of contemplation as a way of "tasting in our hearts and experiencing in our minds the power of God".the power of the divine presence and the sweetness of celestial glory" (Philippe Ribot, L'Institution des premiers moines). In Christianity, contemplation is considered a prayer in its own right, like the Jesus Prayer, contemplative prayer or Eucharistic adoration. To contemplate is to let God's presence invade our whole being.

What are we looking for when we contemplate?

When our soul contemplates the beauty present in a thing, is it contemplating that very thing? Is it contemplating the universal beauty present and incarnate in that thing? Or the Author of beauty itself? Indeed, man contemplates because he finds such and such an object or being worthy of admiration. Indeed, many of us are dazzled by the beauty of a sunset, or the sweet fragrance of roses. In the Christian religion, nature is the work of creation of God the Father, so every living thing can be contemplated. Creation is made available to man, by God, to contribute to his happiness. What's more, thanks to the mercy given to us by Jesus, Christians are particularly invited to contemplate the face of Christ, present in every person. Through this search for beauty, we reach out to the origin of the beautiful, the good and the true: God the Father.

Contemplation and philosophy

For Greek philosophers, contemplating certain visible realities enabled us to participate in universal ideas such as the True, the Beautiful and the Good. According to ancient wisdom, the contemplation of ideas is man's noblest life. Aristotle speaks of contemplation as participation in the divine life.

Interestingly, for the philosopher and theologian Saint Thomas Aquinas, contemplation is not only an intellectual activity that leads to intelligible knowledge of things, it is also and above all a pathway to knowledge of the divine nature, which leads to knowledge of self and divine providence. Contemplation also enables us to approach the mysteries of faith, inaccessible to our human intelligence alone, truths which we can only approach with the help of divine grace.

Contemplation and spirituality

Contemplation in Eastern spiritual traditions

In the practice of yoga, favored in Far Eastern religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism, we find in particular the last three stages of aṣṭāṅga-yoga:

1. dharana: the channeling of the senses through fixation on an external object,
2. dhyāna: a state of concentration through continuous attention turned inward,
3. and samadhi : the culmination of a state of union with the inner "God." This phase comes closest to the Western definition of contemplation.

Contemplation in the Christian tradition

From the earliest centuries of the Church, the faithful left behind their habits to devote themselves to a contemplative life. These faithful organized themselves into contemplative orders, such as the Church Fathers in the early centuries, the Benedictines in the 6th century, and the Carthusian order in the 11th century. Within these communities, contemplation emerged as a form of prayer in its own right, enabling the cultivation of a heart-to-heart relationship with God. Contemplation is seen as a resting place in God, where the intelligence and spiritual soul focus their attention on God's presence. This notion, akin to meditation, is absolutely inseparable from the life of every Christian, who must find in God the rest of his soul and the hope of resurrection.

"The glory of God is the living man, and the life of man is the vision of God " (St. Irenaeus, Church Father).

Contemplation according to the Church

The Catholic Church defines contemplation as: "Deep meditation in which the soul is concentrated, absorbed in God. The contemplative dimension is the opening of the deep heart, which proceeds from love and tends towards Love. (...) Contemplation is necessary in the life of every Christian so that his actions reflect his love of God..."(Catholic Church in France). Although not explicitly mentioned in the Bible,the notion of contemplation is foundmany times in the Holy Scriptures. Indeed, contemplation of God Himself, or of something of God present in His creation, makes us partakers of His Glory. In Naissance d'une pensée, Calvin defines nature as "the theater of God's glory". What's more, as Christians, we're invited to contemplate the image of Christ present in every person we meet. In fact, Jesus adopts an attitude of charity and mercy towards everyone he meets in his life. In concrete terms, we could ask ourselves at each new encounter: where is God hiding in this person?

Although it's not always easy to practice contemplation in the modern world, we can find in it not only a refuge, but a path to God the Father. Contemplative prayers include contemplation of nature, contemplation through art, etc. Contemplation is also one of the fruits of Ignatian spirituality. Carmelite meditation/contemplation according to Saint John of the Cross or Saint Teresa of Avila are profound forms of Christian meditation.

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