On Contemplation

We are a week and a half away from starting our spring semester. I am concerned about the state of the world, and constantly wonder how the world’s problems might be solved. I like to think that my teaching and writing might have some positive influence, but to be honest I am not at all sure about that.

I find today’s world busy and full of distraction. I am trying to be more intentional again about carving out space and time for true contemplation. There are so many forces in today’s world vying for our attention, and if we are not careful, we can let those forces do our thinking for us. Contemplation is the path back to the true independent thinking that arises from our authentic selves. There have been times when contemplation was disparaged as “naval gazing,” implying that it is a selfish activity of those privileged enough to have that rare luxury called “free time.” I have become convinced that the real reason people try to discredit contemplation is because it is actually very powerful and thus threatening to those who would try to control us by controlling our thinking.

In truth, contemplation is the most unselfish thing we can do, because contemplation is how we free ourselves from fear-based reactive modes of existence and learn to live from love instead of fear. When we live from fear, we are likely to be furthering the agendae of the forces of society that operate through manipulation by fear. But when we live from love, we give from what we uniquely have to give, and we give what the world most needs from us.