I am confused about the definition of contemplation, can you help me understand?

Q: Dear Sister Carmen, after reading some modern writers and Saint Teresa of Avila I am confused about contemplation. It seems like there is some confusion or lack of concern about definitions. When I read one writer it sounds like contemplation is something I can get to by following a series of steps (breath, sit, repeat) and then when I read St. Teresa she seems to be talking about something completely different. Can you help me understand what true contemplation is and maybe why this conflict exists?

A: Contemplation is an intriguing word, isn’t it?  It draws you in, leaving you wondering.  Trying to explain contemplation is somewhat of a dilemma. Why? Well, on the one hand, we are cautioned not to worry about our current level of prayer. It’s somewhat like the expression “Are We Having Fun Yet?” We can start saying “Have I Reached Contemplative Prayer Yet?” Something doesn’t ring true if we need to ask that question, it seems to me. Then, on the other hand, as we begin to take our prayer life seriously and grow to love prayer, it might just happen that we will discover new dimensions to prayer and they can leave us wondering what is going on. Sometimes, contemplation is what is going on!  We really want and need to ask a spiritual director to help us understand.

Here is a short answer about contemplation.  First of all, I’m of the opinion that contemplation is described NOT defined. There are some prayer “techniques” that can help us relax. They are not contemplation. There are some “exercises” that are suggested to help us pray but they are not, nor do the cause, contemplation. When a mother gazes silently at her child or we gaze silently at a beautiful sunset, that is a type of contemplation, though not infused or what we are speaking about here (these are examples of natural contemplation).  Infused contemplation is a pure gift from God and this is the contemplation St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross write about.  How can something so simple as infused contemplation, be so hard to describe?

When St. Teresa was asked to describe prayer, especially infused contemplative prayer, she ended up by using analogies as Our Lord did in the parables. What human word or human definition could possibly capture the infinite, the “super” natural? And she didn’t just dive right in and write about contemplation. Rather, she wrote about sin and its hold on us and how we must break free. She spoke of drawing water from a well, or a water wheel, or an irrigation system, or from gently falling rain.  Then she says that prayer is like that and oh, which one is contemplation? – of course, contemplation is very much like the analogy of gently falling rain.

Again, St. Teresa illustrates prayer by telling the story of an interior castle (the human soul) and says prayer is like that. There is a moat filled with creepy-crawlies and a bridge you need to cross over and a door you need to knock on, and once past that door there are seven mansions within the castle.  The castle itself is brilliant and clear like a diamond and the extraordinary light illuminating comes from the King who dwells in the inmost, seventh mansion.

St. John of the Cross also uses analogies.  What is contemplation? Well, it is like climbing a mountain – the mountain of Mt. Carmel – and he writes many books to explain what happens during that climb – the dark night of the senses, the dark night of the soul and many others. Each experience gets a whole book. Finally, he writes of the living flame of love (in poetry form) and then proceeds with a commentary on this poem to explain the highest contemplation.

To answer your question more directly, then, understand that in speaking of contemplation, it is necessary to understand the definitions of all the words connected with contemplation. For example, what is the human soul?  What are its faculties? How and where does God reside within it?  This is important because the human soul is purely spiritual, and is the center of our imagination, memory, understanding, and will. 

Why does it take St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila so many words to describe (noticed I don’t say define) infused contemplation?  It is because contemplation greatly affects each of the faculties of the soul.

So, to answer your question, I would like to share with you, if you would like, the path of prayer from conversion to contemplation, using examples from St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross, who have made the journey and provided for us a kind of roadmap.  Until next time, Sister Carmen Laudis, OCD

To learn more about Sister Carmen you can read this post or to learn about her community go to www.carmelitesistersocd.com

Contemplation and Meditation – What is the difference?

A. Contemplative prayer consists of a more passive (and more sublime) experience of God. If Christian meditation is the soul’s inspired quest to discover God (our work of seeking God), contemplation is God’s lifting of the soul into himself (God’s work of embrace), so that it effortlessly basks in the divine light. The key distinction here is that contemplation, in the strict sense, is purely the work of God. Meditation, though aided by God and predicated upon the grace and work of Christ, is the result of our seeking him. That basic distinction is often blurred, causing confusion, because both contemplative and meditative prayer have multiple forms. Therefore, it may be worthwhile to clarify further.

In general, meditative prayer can be mostly discursive or mostly affective. A discursive meditation follows a more logical development, analyzing a truth of the faith or a scripture passage in order to discover an insight or deepen one’s Christian understanding. That discovery or deepening leads the soul out of analysis and reflection and into conversation with God – acts of thanksgiving, praise, contrition, or petition. An affective meditation puts less emphasis on analysis or reflection, and more emphasis on the conversation, the acts of thanksgiving and praise that flow from the soul’s spiritual (not necessarily emotional) affections. Sometimes a mere glance at a biblical phrase can stir up a strong affection in the soul, and that is enough for the soul to enter into conversation with God; this is a (mostly) affective meditation. Other times, a long period of reflection, of analytical searching, finally yields an affection that leads to conversation; this is a mostly discursive meditation.

In certain seasons of the spiritual life, and often as the soul increases in spiritual maturity, meditation naturally becomes more affective. When a soul finds itself regularly and easily entering into contact with God, with hardly any discursive effort, this is often called the “prayer of quiet” or the “prayer of simplicity.” The soul finds itself easily gazing silently at the grandeur of God. Because so little effort is required in this kind of almost exclusively affective meditation, it is often called contemplative prayer. This is a common and valid use of the term. But it can cause confusion, because in a strict sense, and in the writings of mystics and theologians, contemplative prayer (“infused contemplation” is the technical term) goes even beyond this adoring gaze. We can gaze at the ocean and experience a deep sense of wonder, but it is another thing altogether to be submerged in the water. Infused contemplation is when God submerges us in himself; we no long gaze at God from without, but experience an ineffable union with him. Think of the piece of iron that is thrust into the fire and takes on the qualities of the fire.

And so, the most active type of mental prayer (as opposed to vocal prayer) is discursive meditation, which dovetails with affective meditation, which in turn culminates in the prayer of quiet, in which the soul enters effortlessly into extended acts of thanksgiving, praise, contrition, or petition. This is so effortless that it is akin to and often called contemplation. Infused contemplation, however, actually goes to a new level, lifting the soul out of itself and into the divine.

How do I discern matters that come with the gift of infused contemplation?

Q: Dear Father Edward, when given the gift of infused contemplation, should there be any doubt that these are of God? My spiritual director has told me to listen and obey, write everything down, and if there are any doubts, to go back and read what the Lord has said and shown me. This has helped tremendously. I am a wretched sinful person, and fear that evil will invade or try to fool me in some way.

A: You are certainly right to call infused contemplation a gift. It is, at base, an experiential knowledge of God. It is made possible by the operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Infused contemplation requires one to have sanctifying grace, that is, to be in a state of grace. This kind of prayer brings an experience of the presence of God and of a hard-to-describe sense of the supernatural. None of this is conjured up by the soul on its own; in fact, the soul is more passive than active when involved in this type of contemplation.

It is important to emphasize that infused contemplation gives the soul moral certitude that it is indeed in the state of grace. That is why your description of yourself as a “wretched sinful person” is intriguing. Certainly, we are all sinners, some more so than others. “If we say, ‘We are without sin,’ we deceive ourselves” (1 John 1:8). As we progress in the spiritual life it is not uncommon that we understand the ugliness of sin even more than when we began an earnest quest for sanctity. It is like a soul standing before a mirror, looking at itself in dim light. We don’t see all the blemishes. But as the soul draws closer to the true light of Christ, it sees its blemishes ever more clearly. Hence the paradox: We can feel the weight of sin more acutely even as we grow in the life of grace.

That might explain your use of the label “wretched sinful person.” Without trying to define “wretched,” let’s just say that the fact that you are obedient and docile to a spiritual director, and that you are concerned enough about the spiritual life to be asking about infused contemplation, seems to indicate that you are headed in the right direction. A more telling sign would be your practice of charity. A high level of charity is one of the surest signs that you are experiencing true contemplation. That’s because real prayer has an impact on the way we deal with others; it moves us to try to imitate Christ more and more in daily life. All of this is a reminder that genuine inspirations of God always nudge us to do something good.

To stay on track, stick to the basics. Make frequent use of the sacrament of confession, and worthily receive the Eucharist as often as possible. Keep up your interior life. Foster a sense of recollection, of interior and exterior silence. Mortify the senses — no need to see and hear everything around you. Develop a healthy detachment from earthly things. Nourish a profound gratitude toward and love for Our Lord. Cultivate a devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Dedicate time to prayer; if you feel drawn into infused contemplation, be open to it. Stay close to your spiritual director; this helps to stave off the devil, who does his darnedest to isolate us and get us discouraged. Be confident of the Holy Spirit’s assistance.

Yours in Christ, Father Edward McIlmail, LC

Father McIlmail is a theology instructor at Mater Ecclesiae College in Greenville, RI.

Mysticism – spiritual direction – frustrations – modern perceptions – what do I do?

Q: Dear Father John, At some point would you address the issues facing modern mystics? For example, most spiritual directors do not seem to have experience with mysticism. Even some priests I have encountered believe that God no longer acts in this way with his people, but it has been my personal experience that he does. It is very difficult finding others with similar experiences. Fortunately, I have found an elderly priest who can find occasional time to help me, and I have received advice from a priest who has written extensively on the topic. I think that means I have perhaps been blessed more than other mystics. However, the priests to whom I can go for confession are not mystics; in some cases, they have not even accepted mysticism and I am left with making partial confessions, carefully avoiding anything that seems out of the ordinary and too supernatural. It is all quite disappointing and frustrating. Any advice?

A: I sense frustration in your question. Watch out! Frustration doesn’t come from the Holy Spirit. Frustration is a function of expectations. When we expect reality to be different than it is, we become frustrated. As soon as we become aware of that frustration, we have to make an act of humility and turn our natural (and sometimes reasonable) complaints into fruitful actions and faith-drenched crosses. In the face of frustration, we have to ask ourselves: Can I do anything (within reason) to change the situation? If so, make a decent effort to do it. If not, however, we have to let go, not allowing it to drain emotional and spiritual energy. One of the devil’s favorite tactics is to keep us focused on things we can’t change, so as to keep us from changing what we can.

That’s a general warning. As regards the specific issue, finding spiritual directors who can give helpful guidance to mystics, it is hard for me to say much more. But I’ll try.

Clarifying Our Terms

The reason it’s hard to address is simple. The words mystic, mystical, and mysticism are not precise. Different people mean different things by them. I am not exactly sure what you mean when you refer to “modern mystics.” I am not sure what you mean when you say that some people think God no longer acts “in this way” with his people. In all fairness, then, I should tell you what I mean by the term. I will use it as a synonym for the more technical, theological term “infused contemplation.” Infused contemplation is a kind of prayer in which the soul no longer does anything and God reaches down and does everything, elevating the person to an ineffable experience of the divine presence. As St. Teresa described it, prayer is when we water the garden of our souls; infused contemplation is when God sends a thunder shower to water it for us.

This can occur in a quiet way, in which the only one aware of it is the one who is praying. Or it can occur in an ecstatic way, in which everyone is aware of it through related phenomena like levitating or the experience of auras.

I don’t use the term as a synonym for miracles. Miraculous experiences of God’s presence can happen without infused contemplation – for example, the experience of visionaries or of people receiving interior locutions. I realize that not everyone will agree with my use of terms. I also realize that by defining them in this way, I may be attempting to answer a question you didn’t ask! But at least you know what I’m talking about.

Removing Misunderstandings

Certainly God continues to work in this way. Every priest has to study this phenomenon in his preparation for ordination during his course on spiritual theology. If any clergy have told you otherwise, perhaps they misunderstood your question, or maybe there was some miscommunication. At least, I hope so.

The experience you describe of difficulty in finding an apt spiritual guide in this situation is not unique to our epoch. If you are not yet familiar with the lives of mystics from past periods, I would recommend that you read the lives of St. Theresa of Avila (1500s), St. Margaret Mary Alocoque (1600s), and even St. Faustina Kowalska (1920s). If I am not mistaken, each one of them experienced deep and prolonged suffering because of the difficulty they had in finding sure guidance. I would even venture to say that finding dependable spiritual guidance is part of the cross for souls who are given this charism. That doesn’t mean anyone is at fault for it. Judging by precedent, we can say that God usually uses this struggle to help purify the soul. So then the question becomes, what is the most fruitful way to carry on that struggle?

Jesus promised that “the one who searches always finds” (Mt 7:8). I would advise you and those like you to pray and search for a spiritual director gifted with enough wisdom to guide you competently. In the meantime, don’t feel as if you have to discuss all of your spiritual experiences in confession. If you don’t have confidence that the confessor will respect you, simply mention your sins and failings without going into anything else, and gladly receive God’s grace through that sacrament. And remember, a good spiritual director doesn’t necessarily have to have experienced mysticism himself in order to guide you effectively. He or she simply has to be someone who is coherent in their vocation and knows the Lord deeply and personally.

Tempting Mystics

But now I want to mention the most important thing. The devil is not absent from the lives of people who are gifted with this kind of experience. In fact, he may be more active. He will tempt you towards arrogance, thinking that because you have been given this gift you are superior to others, both laity and clergy. He will tempt you towards self-sufficiency, thinking that because it’s hard to find a spiritual director you can just figure everything out on your own. He will tempt you towards a subtle spiritual gluttony, thinking that because you have experienced infused contemplation at times, you should always be experiencing it, and therefore prompting you to try and manufacture it every time you pray. He will tempt you towards a subtle impurity of intention, making you pray and do spiritual things in order to experience the delightful mystical gifts, instead of simply seeking to glorify God. The devil may even try to trick you by concocting counterfeit mystical experiences, as he did with St. Ignatius of Loyola.

Unfailing Defense

The sure defense against these and other wily attacks is to take Jesus’ motto as your own: Thy will be done. The test of holiness is not the presence, frequency, or intensity of mystical experience. Rather, it is union of wills. Ask yourself each day, preferably in an evening examination of conscience: How faithfully am I avoiding sin and the occasions of sin? How faithfully am I fulfilling the responsibilities of my state in life? How can I do so more faithfully? How faithfully am I carrying out my Lord’s commandment of charity (“Love one another as I have loved you” – Jn 15:12) in thought, word, and deed, towards relatives, friends, acquaintances, and strangers? How can I do so more faithfully? How energetically am I striving to build up the Church and the world around me? Pay special attention to your words, using them always for good and avoiding all useless criticism. Make sure that your prayer life is always feeding your Christlike living.

This is the difference between Christianity and so many Gnostic pseudo-religions. The latter put mystical experience at the pinnacle of religion; Christ put grace-empowered, self-forgetful love there. If you strive to do the same, you will find meaning even in the midst of the challenges and suffering that mystical experience brings into your life. And you will grow in holiness and give God’s grace more and more room to work in you and through you.

I will leave the last word to St. Teresa of Avila: “Don’t seek feelings of consolations in prayer. Seek the Lord, seek to conform your will to his! If the Lord chooses to give delights and consolations, be grateful, but let them accomplish the purpose for which they were given: to encourage us to persevere in daily taking up our cross and following him.”

As I finish writing this answer, I am sending up a prayer for your continued growth in holiness. God bless you!

Yours in Christ, Fr. John Bartunek, LC