Daily Contemplation | ThisFeelingHuman.com
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Beautiful Sunset

An examined life is one worth living
- (not) Socrates

Practice Contemplation in Daily Life

Sometimes we muddle our way through, figuring things out, growing up from some life lessons, beaten down by others.

 

Once in awhile, a knock out blow comes and as you fall to the ground, suddenly the perspective changes. The dirt on the floor becomes more apparent, little things often unnoticed become larger than life. Or perhaps not.

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The uninvited guests in our guest house will on occasion wreck havoc in our internal world.

Yet, it is a choice whether or not we desire to learn its wisdom.

The act of seeking wisdom will ultimately determine how bountiful the harvest is, at the end of this life's journey.

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Black Soil
"What we plant in the soil of contemplation, we shall reap in the harvest of action" 
- Meister Eckhart

It takes practice. Lots of practice. Yet surprisingly, this habit of contemplation is as simple as a momentary pause and a brief invitation of your mind to see a different perspective.

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The easiest start is to find pockets of time (could be less than a minute), especially in the beginning of the day (and at any time of the day), to encounter wisdom. I do this by:

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  • Journaling a brief thought about what I am grateful for today or the day before

  • Listening to guided contemplative reflections or meditations

  • Discovering a quote for the day and just sitting on that sentence for a moment

  • Quiet time while cooking or washing the dishes

  • Sitting still and focusing on the breath (observing each inhale and exhale as a miracle of life)

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"Where attention flows, energy grows."

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Let's begin a practice with this short practice from My Guest House Book.

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Warm Up: Recalling Pleasant Experiences
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Thanks for sharing your experiences, peace be with you.

Contemplation for the day

A quote or 2 from wise people past and present, helps me reflect on my current situation. What is the season? Is it to rest, is it to act, is it to appreciate, or is it to fully be present to the anger or to the sadness?

Other foundational contemplations and meditations that formed me 

I am grateful for the moments of inspiration which have led me to 3 foundational contemplation and meditation resources which have helped build me up over the many years of growing and struggling to grow.

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These are:

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  • The 6 Phase Meditation by Vishen Lakhiani of Mindvalley.com

  • Tony Robbins Heart Meditation

  • Daily Ignatian (Christian) Contemplations by Pray-as-you-go.org

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I present them here for your benefit as well.

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Ignatian contemplation was the magic that brought me into a lifelong journey into my inner world. As Meister Eckhart aptly describes, the tilling of the soil is beginning to bear the fruit which is ThisFeelingHuman.com.

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For Christians, the Pray As You Go daily contemplative reflections is a brilliant guide for the experience of contemplating the gospel and how it relates to our daily life.

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The Spotify podcast is available in this page, or if viewing from the desktop, the site is embedded below.

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