Deep contemplation

[Shakazulu]

During contemplation, am I allowed to go on google for word definitions? I was contemplating meaning and it lead to Abraham Maslow's pyramid & systems thinking, am I allowed to link other sources into my contemplation?

[Malelekakis]

@Shakazulu why are you asking us what you are allowed to do? Are you 10 or what? Go contemplate if you are allowed 

[Shakazulu]

@Malelekakis true, contemplation is a process I've never done before or heard in main stream society so I wanna make sure I'm doing it right 

[WelcometoReality]

@Shakazulu that is going to interrupt the contemplation process. Is it really necessary? The main thing is that you understand what you mean, not for anybody else to understand your realizations. 

[Shakazulu]

@WelcometoReality see, I get what you mean, however through this process is how I ASSUME I'll get to the answer. Note to self, thank you 

[RendHeaven]

You're analyzing and structuring unnecessarily. When you are contemplating, you are concerned with being... simply the fact that whatever you are questioning exists to begin with. Traps would be to try and see HOW or WHY they exist. For example, with meaning, I assume you tried to answer for yourself WHY it exists and that led to you trying to pull up evidence/theory. At that point you've lost the essence of the question. Rather, recenter yourself on simply the idea that it exists. Ask yourself if meaning is real or not. That's the first (and last) step. Bring up concrete examples of meaning existing (maybe you might think of all the meanings that arise within you in reaction to certain events). Well, then you would conclude that yes it exists but what exactly is it? These should be your points of focus:

1) Is it real?

2) What exactly is it?

Is it a compilation of emotions or something else? Does it only arise in reaction to events or can you conjure it on a whim? Does it exist without the presence of humans or is it a human construction? Is it tangible in the "physical realm?" If not, does it really exist? Is there universal meaning? What's the opposite of meaning? Finally, when you've gone through enough examples, tackle the big question "is it real?" 

Well here's a spoiler, you won't ever come to an answer because real/unreal is ultimately the same thing. Maybe you can contemplate that too

Edited July 30, 2018 by RendHeaven

[cetus]

@Shakazulu  Contemplation is not a conceptual understanding but a deep inner knowing that is found in meditative silence when one focuses their attention on a subject. For instance quieting the mind and contemplating "All is God".

"A Buddhist sits is silence and waits for insights to arise"

Contemplation goes through stages from gross to subtle that end in pure knowing:

Focus on a thought

Deeper quiet reflection

Intuitive wisdom that is not verbal, visual or auditory

Formless knowing

[Shakazulu]

@RendHeaven @cetus56 thank you 

[Leo Gura]

4 hours ago, cetus56 said:

Contemplation is not a conceptual understanding but a deep inner knowing that is found in meditative silence

When I speak of contemplation, it includes conceptual understanding. Be careful about reduce contemplation to "just sitting in silence". That is not contemplation, that is meditation. Which is great, but not the same thing as what I described in my latest contemplation video.

When you question something like "What is science?" that is CONCEPTUAL! Just sitting in silence will not result in a deep understanding of how science works, for example.

Be careful about boiling contemplation down to being in a nondual state.

One way to think of contemplation is that it is a way of cleaning up and clarifying your conceptual understanding. Which can be very valuable in and of itself. Without contemplation the mind is very confused and murky.

Be careful, people can use the word "contemplation" to mean very different things.

[Shakazulu]

@Leo Gura thank you 

[Shakazulu]

@Leo Gura I'm also gonna re-watch the video

[Girzo]

Of course you can google words if that helps you. You are free to do as you will unless that's an excuse to procrastinate.

You can even go into another direction and ditch using words at some point in your process. Concepts can be expressed in so many ways and thoughts can take myriad of forms. You don't have to use verbal language to contemplate, even though it's the most practical way, because words are easily stored and can be communicated to another person. 

[Shakazulu]

@Girzo would you say a concept can be directed into an art, a statue, a bridge etc?

[cetus]

1 hour ago, Leo Gura said:

Be careful about reduce contemplation to "just sitting in silence". That is not contemplation, that is meditation.

@Leo Gura I totally agree. It's a meditative silence with a focused attention on a subject. Without the "subject" it would be meditation. The subject in my example was "All is God". 

 

5 hours ago, cetus56 said:

deep inner knowing that is found in meditative silence when one focuses their attention on a subject.

For clarification tho it probably would be more accurate to say meditative 'stillness' on a subject.