Contemplation is a state of awareness. It was and is practiced by Christian monks and nuns but also in Buddhism. It is related with meditation.
Contemplation is a deeper meditation, and needs (different from) meditation, silence, being alone, undisturbed. Contemplation belongs to mysticism, because of the state of being that is created. This can be a trance, deep, or deeper, or the deepest.
.
Buddhism
The buddhist film “Samsara” (2001, Nan Palin) starts after some minutes with a scenery about a monk who has lived like a hermit for a long time. It was an exercise and a test if he was able to become a monk. The film develops in a surprising way and I would like to recommend the film because of its deep insight in Buddhism, monasteries, and Life. The most insightful part is when it becomes clear that one does not need to be in a monastery to become a Buddhist, or to be “enlightened”.
Buddhism is not a religion. Religions teach that “God” is outside their self, and Buddhism learns people to experience God, the Divine, in the Self. God is inside all people. Not somewhere else. The journey of the inward path (yoga) leads to these experiences.
.
Contemplation as a normal inner need in an evolutionary process to support the process
Because contemplation also exists in religions, as mysticism, I am sure that contemplation is a natural part of the inward path, during our personal evolutionary life processes, within evolution. This must be the reason that contemplation also exists in religions, because even if priests, monks, nuns, imams, high priests live a religious life, they stay human and evolution, the human nature and supernatural, cannot be stopped by not even the most wonderful religion that suppresses all human emotions and earthly longings.
Also here the film Samsara creates a wonderful insight. Also for Christians, also for Muslims, also for Jews. The teachings are universal.
.
Christian saints, contemplation and evolutionary processes
In my opinion the Christian saints, known for their extraordinary writings, like Hildegard of Bingen, Juan de la Cruz, Thomas Aquinas, and Teresa of Ávila, have experienced normal life processes, normal now, not in that time. They were more ahead on the human path of evolution. A lot of people experience now what these saints describe. The “night of the soul” for instance, has been experienced by Juan de la Cruz, and we find comfort in his writings, knowing that we are not the only one who experiences this darkness. What Teresa of Ávila experienced and describes is in my opinion the Kundalini energy. The Kundalini energy is a phenomenon that a lot of people experience, more and more people experience it. It belongs to the life processes within the evolution of mankind. It is an awakening energy, cleansing all layers, opening the unconsciousness, making conscious, aware, of the oneness of all existence. For more videos about this subject, click here.
