Three Stages of Contemplation​
Excerpts from ‘The Art of Contemplation‘
The English word ‘contemplation’ comes from the combining of the Latin root ‘templum’ meaning a temple, and the prefix ‘con’, meaning with. One might therefore say that the inner meaning of the word is to go into one’s own temple, one’s own sacred inner space. The addition of the prefix ‘con’ however adds an intriguing dimension to our understanding. When we go into our inner being, there is the notion that we are with someone or something. This is the essence of contemplation – that when we look inwards we begin to discover connections. We become merged with the mystery. This may sound mystical, and it is, but it is also something we all know already.
In today’s fast-paced world, you might worry that you simply won’t be able to find the time to contemplate. The opposite is in fact the case. As you will learn, contemplation happens in the gaps in our lives. It goes on all the time in the background while we are busy, and then when we stop or rest or pause, suddenly something wells up in us as we realise a rare moment of pure being. These magical moments may only last a few seconds, but when we look back on our busy day, we can be guaranteed that those few moments of calm and lucidity seem like an oasis amidst the noise and fury of our daily lives. The art of contemplation will widen out your life by shining a lens on these special moments until you find yourself hungry for more. As you learn the practice, you will also find that everything about your life becomes more efficient. Your body becomes lighter, your emotions come into balance and your mind becomes lucid and clear.
In the book, The Art of Contemplation, Richard Rudd shares three techniques to support a potential transformation. The first technique is called Pausing and it relates to the mind. The second technique is called Pivoting and it relates to emotions. The third technique is called Merging and it relates to the physical body. These techniques are easy to learn and ideally should be learned in the order they are given. In other words, it’s better to properly grasp Pausing before you move on to Pivoting since Pivoting naturally evolves as you practise Pausing. Likewise, Merging is more advanced and will flow much more easily once you have fully grasped the first two techniques.
Contemplation Stage 1 – Pausing
Many great musicians, authors or artists have testified that the real magic of their art takes place in the silence between the notes or in the gaps between the words or images. This is more than simply a colourful metaphor. When we pause from a rush of outer activity, all the internal energy that we have cultivated through our contemplation suddenly pops up to the surface, like a basketball that we’ve been unconsciously holding underwater. At such times we suddenly remember ourselves once again, and we experience a moment of self-awareness. Such moments are like glittering jewels in our day. We inwardly slow down for a short time, our breath deepens and perhaps we take a deep and luscious sigh.
Change takes place in the gaps. Gradually over time, as you learn to enjoy such pauses, your anxiety will diminish, your heart will soften and you will remember once again that your life can be filled with magic and mystery.
A major part of the art of contemplation is to engage your own spirit of creativity. It’s up to you how you create more pauses in your day. Pausing is a form of self-discipline, and it takes some time to re-imprint the habit in your life. However, once we have begun the process, it can be both fun and very revealing.
There are many types of pauses. Pausing does not necessarily mean that you have to stop moving and remain still. This is only one aspect of pausing. Another type of pause is the transitionary pause between one event in our life and the next. For example, walking to work can be a pause. It all depends on how you walk. If you rush headlong down the street while at the same time gazing at your phone, this is not creating a pause. If however you saunter along the road at a leisurely pace, enjoying the fact that you are truly savouring this moment, then perhaps your lips will curl into a smile and for a few moments you will feel truly free and relaxed.
Contemplation Stage 2 – Pivoting
The power of the pause is that it begins to create a circle of stillness inside us, like a calm lake on a crisp winter morning. When water is stirred up we cannot see through it, whereas when it is still, it becomes clear as crystal. The first phase is to create clarity, and the second is to drop something powerful into that space and observe its ripples throughout our being. The second technique of pivoting is about actively using our contemplation as a fulcrum to bring about a personal transformation. It’s when our contemplation becomes action.
This is the cornerstone of the second technique, known as Pivoting. Pivoting is a practice derived from Eastern tradition where it is seen as a means of transforming our desires or our ‘shadows’ into a transcendent view of reality. In our contemporary version of contemplation, pivoting is an act of will that in the space of a single second, changes the direction of our energy from a downward arc to an upward spiral.
Obviously, not every pause leads to pivoting, but by increasing the frequency of pauses in your life, you will also increase the possibility of these powerful transformations. Over time, using this simple technique of pausing and pivoting, you will find that you are breaking through many old negative patterns and you will feel a new sense of freedom and lightness flowing into each day of your life.
Contemplation Stage 3 – Merging
Contemplation is above all an art. As an art, it defies easy explanation. There are tangible stages and touchstones along the way, such as the technique of pausing. Anyone can create pauses in their day, but how will you take advantage of those pauses? To bring about the experience of pivoting, you will need to go much further than simply pausing. Pivoting is both a shift in awareness and a subtle act of will. You must have a profound wish to experience more of life. As pivoting flows from pausing, merging flows from pivoting. Pivoting is the field of transformation. Merging is the conscious application of that transformation into the many corners of our lives.
Merging involves moving deeper than ever into life, into the world, towards others. It is a state of flowering and an embracing of all facets of life. It is the threshold of our mastery. Merging is the heart of contemplation. Merging is an unflinching attitude we develop towards everything and everyone around us. No matter what happens, no matter what destiny brings us, we consciously move towards it, in a spirit of trust. We move to merge with it.
The Art of Contemplation
Contemplation teaches us how to tread the fine balance between action and inaction, guiding us through the power of our pausing. All important decisions require pauses for consideration. On occasion however, an action also needs to be made immediately, without the luxury of a physical pause for consideration. To be harmonious, such actions must spring from a worldview rooted in kindness and altruism that we have nurtured over many years of contemplation and insight. This is the ultimate harvest of your contemplation – to act effortlessly, without anxiety, guilt or doubt – to let life choose through you, while you remain but a witness to the wheeling panoply of wonders that is your life.
