What Contemplation is Not
Contemplation, in its truest sense, is something that transcends verbal and rational explanation. It is an experience that cannot be captured in the confines of words or intellectual definitions.
Nothing is more repellent than a pseudo-scientific definition of the contemplative experience. —Thomas Merton
This statement invites us into the understanding that contemplation cannot be reduced to a concept or a formula. It is a direct, intimate experience of the divine, one that escapes the grasp of rational thought. No matter how much we study or try to intellectualize the practice of contemplation, it can only truly be understood when we have experienced it. It calls us beyond the boundaries of ordinary thinking and feeling, leading us into a space where our rational minds must step aside. In this space, we are able to encounter the divine directly, not through analysis, but through a profound knowing that emerges from the depths of our being. As we dive deeper into contemplation, we awaken to the truth that it is not we who choose to awaken ourselves, but God Who chooses to awaken us. This realization helps us understand that contemplation is a gift, not something we can claim through effort or ambition, but something that is given to us in divine grace. It is a moment of divine choice, where God invites us into a transformative encounter that reshapes us at the very core of our being.
In this transformative process, we also begin to discern a fundamental truth about ourselves: the external, superficial self—the "I" that interacts with the world through thinking, reacting, and engaging in self-reflection—is not our true self.
This 'I' is our individuality and our empirical self, but it is not the hidden and mysterious person in whom we subsist before the eyes of God. —Thomas Merton
The external self is transient, bound to disappear, much like smoke from a chimney. In contemplation, we are invited to see beyond this illusion of the external self and come into contact with the hidden, eternal self that is united with God. This deeper self is the true essence of our being, and it is in this divine union that we experience the full depth of our humanity.
Nothing is more real, more intimately known, than our deepest self, [which is inseparable from the divine presence]. —Thomas Merton
This moment of awareness is the beginning of a profound shift in our consciousness—a shift that unveils our true identity and draws us into deeper communion with the Creator.
The awakening that occurs through contemplation is not one that leads us to intellectual certainty, but rather to a profound existential realization. "I am" becomes the central affirmation of our being, transcending any intellectualization or conceptualization of existence. It is not enough to think, "I think, therefore I am," as Descartes proposed; in contemplation, we experience the deeper truth that "I AM." This realization is not a mental exercise, nor is it something we can deduce through logic or reason. It is an intuitive knowing that reaches beyond the mind and touches the heart of our being. In this divine encounter, we experience the fullness of our existence, not as a separate individual, but as one with God.
God dwells, with infinite sweetness and inalienable power, within us.
—Thomas Merton
Contemplation invites us into this direct experience of the divine, where our true self is revealed in the light of God’s presence. This is the essence of spiritual awakening—a journey from intellectual affirmation of our existence to the deep, intimate realization of our union with the divine. It is a moment of profound clarity, where we no longer question our being, but instead rest in the truth of who we are in God.
However, contemplation does not promise an escape from the struggles, doubts, and conflicts we face. In fact, it often intensifies these experiences, bringing them to the forefront of our awareness.
This doubt is by no means opposed to genuine faith, but it mercilessly examines and questions the spurious 'faith' of everyday life. —Thomas Merton
This means that contemplation does not offer a quick fix for our doubts or spiritual struggles. Instead, it invites us to confront our deepest uncertainties and to question the superficial beliefs that we may have accepted without scrutiny. It reveals to us that much of what we think we know is based on assumptions and false certainties. This profound questioning is not a denial of faith, but a deepening of it—a purification of our understanding, allowing us to move beyond shallow, unexamined beliefs and into a more authentic, transformative relationship with God. As we journey through this process of questioning and purification, we find that faith without doubt is a faith that has not been tested. It is only when we allow ourselves to doubt, to question, and to examine our beliefs in the light of contemplation that we can arrive at a deeper, more genuine faith. This faith is not based on certainty or easy answers, but on an ongoing, dynamic relationship with the divine.
In this process of purification, contemplation helps us strip away the false idols and conceptions that we have built around ourselves and our understanding of God. Contemplation is a trial by fire, one that burns away the false images of God we have created—whether those idols are religious, cultural, or personal. These idols, often made of our own desires and fears, must be dismantled if we are to experience the true presence of God.
No graven thing may occupy the place that God has commanded to be left empty. —Thomas Merton
Contemplation reveals to us that the divine cannot be confined to the idols we create, whether they be physical images, mental concepts, or even the false ideas of ourselves. We must allow these false images to be burned away so that the true center of our being, which is united with God, can emerge. This purification process is both painful and liberating, for it allows us to let go of everything that stands between us and the divine. It is in this space of emptiness and openness that we can finally encounter God as the living, dynamic presence that God truly is.
The final revelation of contemplation is that God is not a "what," a concept or a thing, but a "Who"—a living, personal presence that invites us into a relationship.
God is neither a 'what' nor a 'thing' but a pure 'Who.' —Thomas Merton
This profound truth shifts our understanding of God from something distant or abstract to something deeply personal and immediate. It is not enough to think of God as an idea or a concept; we must come to know God as the living, breathing presence that dwells within us.
There is no 'what' that can be called God. —Thomas Merton
Instead, God is a living "Who," a divine presence that calls us into intimacy and relationship. This transformation, where we come to recognize that God is not a distant concept but a personal presence, is the ultimate realization that contemplation offers us. It invites us into a deep, transformative relationship with the divine, where we no longer view God from a distance, but instead know God as the living reality at the center of our being. It is in this relationship that we come to fully understand who we are, and who God is, in a way that transcends all intellectual understanding and leads us into the fullness of life.
