Meditation & Contemplation

What is the difference between the two?

Originally Posted by karmalube

What is the difference between the two?

Hi Karmalube.

Both words can mean the same thing to a person. Essentially, however, meditation in the ultimate sense is allowing of the expansion of consciousness. It is non-resistance, not even resisting any thoughts that come up. It is graceful and an affirmation of self-love. This represents the highest sense of meditation. Contemplation is often a focusing on something specific, some specific thing, aspect or quality. Contemplation is a meditative practice, but not meditation in itself, which is effortless. Contemplation is a step towards meditation, in this sense. Blessings. -Kar

Greetings..

Originally Posted by karmalube

What is the difference between the two?

It is my understanding that contemplation is related to particulars, subjects, or objects, or ideas.. whereas meditation is intended to calm the mind, suspend the thinking processes, and suspend the beliefs that influence the perceptions and experiences we are actively engaged in.. as Simon suggests, meditation, as a 'stilled mind', neither insists nor resists, and so.. awareness is not bound, it expands.. it is from the perspectives and experiences of a 'still mind' that clarity reveals the 'nature' of Life..

Be well..

Originally Posted by karmalube

What is the difference between the two?

The meaning of a word to one person is sometimes different to the meanings another takes from it. The differentiation I make, is that meditation refers to being in a meditative state...whereas contemplation is allowing a specific question to sit quietly while you get on with your day. I guess the two overlap and interminge too.

Depends on what you consider meditation for you. Some people work out for meditation, some people do yoga, some people sit quietly and completely clear the mind (as I do), some people focus intently on one subject to find meaning, etc...

Contemplating, to me, is simply trying to make a decision regarding a question.

[Gem]

I don't think it is 'meditation is this or that'.

It's like I can sit here and tell you what swimming is, or I can take you the pool and show you how to swim.

[athribiristan]

That's a toughie because there are so many different ways to meditate. My first reaction was to say that they are the same thing but really that's not entirely true. Contemplation to me suggests a specific topic or question. I do use meditation to help me solve things like that but I also employ meditative techniques that have nothing to do with that; more the empty mind meditation.

Don't know if that clarified anything or made the whole issue more confusing....go me

[Jyotir]

Hi karmalube,

According to my understanding, admittedly very limited and indirect:

Contemplation in the Western, exoteric sense usually means the extended mental or intellectual pondering of some specific subject or object.
However, in the Eastern, esoteric spiritual sense, contemplation is a very, very advanced state that is far beyond meditation, and is considered one of the final requisites (in its perfected state) to acheiving what is known as "God-realisation".

Concentration is a precursor of meditation.
Meditation itself could be described as a kind of continuous concentration in which there is the ongoing 'entering into' - the expanding, deepening, widening heightening - of peace, bliss, power, light, no thought, etc. - some quality(s) - experienced simultaneously as both static and dynamic.

With contemplation as defined by certain traditions, there is apparently an alternating acquisition of Identity between the Oneness/Totality and the Individuality, with the experiencing of one through the other.


~ J