Its beginnings

Plato

It began when Plato advised contemplating the perfect reality beyond ordinary life to enhance our understanding of the latter. This is not quite “contemplative prayer” but it’s the first step toward it.

Aristotle

Later, Aristotle eschewed any purpose for contemplation. Instead, he advocated it as an end in itself and felt it was our most valuable activity.

Plotinus

Plotinus’ view was even more extreme. In fact, he asserted that “everything is contemplation and everything is derived from contemplation.”

In other words, he felt that God, whom he called the “first hypostasis, the One”, is a sort of resting contemplation of Itself–without any complexity, needs, or stirring. From this reflecting back on itself emerged a realization of Self. And from a realization of Self emerged a third level that contemplated the Source from a distance. This can be compared to humanity’s position. The concept of the Cosmic Egg, on my home page, reiterates this. 

Desert Mothers and Fathers

Contemplative prayer was later adopted by the Christian Desert Mothers and Fathers. Thereafter, it played an important role in Christian spirituality until the Inquisition and the Reformation repressed it.

Teresa of Avila

St. Teresa of Avila, the famous mystic, describes the four stages of mystical union that evolve from contemplative prayer:

• 1st: “incomplete mystical union” when distractions occur
• 2nd: “full or semi-ecstatic union,” when the person’s attention is fully occupied, but the senses continue to act. 
• These are the stages most practitioners experience. And yet, with constant and zealous application, the subsequent two stages appear:
• 3rd:  “ecstatic union,” when communications with the external world are severed. One cannot voluntarily move from the state.
• 4th: transforming and deifying union, which she calls “spiritual marriage of the soul with God”.

Three Trappist Monks

For those interested in practicing contemplative prayer, the process, which was revived in the 70s by three Trappist monks, involves focusing the mind by constant repetition of a phrase or word. Eventually, the mind stills, and the practitioner simply engages in what’s been called “a gaze of faith or of silent love”.

As Thomas Keating (one of the three Trappist monks) points out, the principal effects of this practice are experienced in daily life, not during the contemplative prayer itself.

Similarities to Other Faith Systems

For anyone familiar with Eastern traditions, the constant repetition of a word to still the mind, as advocated by Thomas Keating, is very similar to the use of mantras by Buddhists and Hindus.

Similarly, Teresa’s description of the 3rd stage was lived out by Anandamaya Ma, a female Hindu saint who at times lost the ability to feed herself, as did the revered Ramana Maharshi.

More importantly, these stages are also described by Islamic mystics, and the ultimate stage, that of divine union, is described by all religions—indicating its universal truth.

Practical Steps

If you yourself decide to practice contemplative prayer, and you do so regularly, St. Teresa maintained that you’ll sense the divine presence within six months to a year. In the meantime, the following simplification of the procedure may help:

Lift up your heart to the Source, with a gentle stirring of love. Desire union, but not for any gifts you might receive from it—merely for its own sake. Center all your attention and desire on this. Let it be the sole concern of your mind and heart.