Contemplation is taking a long, loving look at the real. – Walter Burghardt, SJ
What is real in your life? True? Loving? Affirming? Honest?
Contemplative – Inward
Take a long, loving look at your reality. If we are honest with ourselves in this gaze of love, then what is genuine in our lives shines through. Pretending to be someone you are not, pretenses, platitudes, and bullshit melt before authentic love. Allow your gaze to shed light on your reality. What is real and right for you? The center of your authentic self?
Contemplative – Outward
Contemplation is also an outward, prolonged gaze at what is real in the world: a long, loving look at goodness, peace, compassion, kindness, stillness, and generosity – all that speaks of genuine love.
Vacation
Recently I was on vacation, which was a time of soul-tending. I did a lot of reading, journaling, photography, writing, saw new landscapes, and watched people from a fresh perspective. They are doing the best they can. The perspective deepened after listening to Brene Brown on Rising Strong as a Spiritual Practice.
Vacation was a time to slow down and decompress from the frenetic pace of work, life, and the madness of the ever pervasive political turmoil. I even fasted from the news for two weeks. Those two weeks of being unplugged felt both scary, disconnected from the world events, and invigorating, feeling a stronger bond with the people of the world.
At the end of my trip, while at the airport checking in to head back home, the ticket agent noticed the screen saver on my phone and repeated the phrase out loud, “Do epic shit.” I told her it was from a sticker at work and it is my daily agenda – a reminder to go toward life wholeheartedly. She mentioned she liked my work agenda. She then went on to share that she made a significant shift in her life five months ago where her life is now moving in a positive direction, and she is thriving. It was a profound moment of connection.
Contemplation – Where do you see it? Where do you seek it? Who helps you find it?
Keep moving in the direction of what is real. Take time to decompress, to unwind, to let go for a while, and to look at life from a fresh perspective. Take a long, loving look at what is real in your life, and take time to do some soul tending. Contemplative decompression does wonders for the spirit. I strongly recommend it.
I welcome your comments.
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