contemplation -leading a contemplative life

[theist]

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One entry found for contemplation.<form name="entry" method="post" action="/cgi-bin/dictionary"><table valign="top" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td> <input name="hdwd" value="contemplation" type="hidden"><input name="listword" value="contemplation" type="hidden"><input name="book" value="Dictionary" type="hidden">

</td></tr></tbody></table> </form> Main Entry: con·tem·pla·tion

Pronunciation: <tt>"kän-t&m-'plA-sh&n, -"tem-</tt>

Function: noun

1 a : concentration on spiritual things as a form of private devotion b : a state of mystical awareness of God's being

 

2 : an act of considering with attention : STUDY

3 : the act of regarding steadily

4 : INTENTION, EXPECTATION

 

Simple living and high thinking is Prabhupada's prescription for human life. A contemplative life requires a certain clarity of thought which can't be overly cluttered with the cares of this mudane world. Simple living allows for an uncluttered mind.

By nature we will be contemplating something always. Either the objects of the senses or on the development of God awareness. They go ill together.

High thinking means contemplating a "mystical" awareness of God's being. This is made possible by simple living.

We must be careful to see that we are living a truly contemplative life and not just a mundane life with a little Krsna conscious flavor added to make it more palatable.

 

 

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[gHari]

buddhi-yogam — real intelligence [<a href=http://vedabase.net/bg/10/10/en target=new>BG 10.10-11</a>]

 

Manna - our daily manna from God

[bija]

Samadhi: complete absorption.

 

I can remember years ago absorbing myself in music. Everything was related to music; books, records, t-shirts, conversation,friends and socializing, and even work was music. The outcome was a proficient band with a good cash flow. But the outcome was temporary.

 

By totally absorbing oneself success is sure.

 

How much more so in spiritual life. In devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Selfless devotion. The outcome is eternal.

[bija]

"Our real journey in life is interior: it is a matter of growth, deepening, and of an ever greater surrender to the creative action of love and grace in our hearts...." quote by Thomas Merton (contemplative).

[bija]

Theist, I wish I could type all this 'talk' out, from a book in my library. It is copyrighted so I have only typed an excerpt of the lecture. I thought possibly you may enjoy this, so I have posted the opening paragraphs.

 

The contemplative today, seems to be on the margin of society, unlike in the ancient vedic culture, where the soul seeker had a place in societies structure.

Where is one to go for shelter, when he has lived material life in it's depths? Not saintly enough for the pious structure of institution, which seems to be selective with it's new candidates. But at the same time introspective and contemplative, seeking the true substance of this human form, in much need of a place of bhajana and quietness, away from the clamor of material life and it's expectations.

A voyager on the margin, a seeker who has realized that this (material) world is not his home.

 

 

 

 

Taken from an Informal talk delivered at Calcutta, October 1968 ( from 'The Asian journal of Thomas Merton')

First, let me struggle with the contradiction that I have to live with, in appearing before you in what I really consider to be a disguise, because I never, never wear this clerical collar. What I ordinarily wear is blue jeans and an open shirt; which brings me to the question that people have been asking me to a great extent: Whom do you represent? What religion do you represent? And that too, is a rather difficult question to answer. I came with the notion perhaps saying something for monks and to monks of all religions because I am supposed to be a monk...I may not look like one.

In speaking for monks I am really speaking for a very strange kind of person, a marginal person, because the monk in the modern world is no longer an established person with an established place in society. We realize very keenly in America today that the monk is essentially outside of all establishments. He does not belong to an establishment. He is a marginal person who withdraws deliberately to the margin of society with a view of deepening fundamental human experience. Consequently, as one of these strange people, I speak to you as a representative of all marginal persons who have done this kind of thing deliberately.

Thus I find myself representing perhaps hippies among you, poets, people of this kind who are seeking in all sorts of ways and have absolutely no established status whatever. So I ask you to do me this one favor of considering me not as a figure representing any institution, but as a statusless person, an insignificant person who comes to you asking your charity and patience while I say one or two things that have nothing to do with my prepared paper.....

[theist]

That was a really nice read. I am sure we all can identify with what Merton was feeling and saying. It can be hard to live a simple contemplative life on the margins of modern society at least in the West. We can't even superfically contact the culture around us without being subjected to an onslaught of propaganda from the advertising sector promising us bliss and fullfillment through an endless erray of machines, gadgets and assorted other shiny things all presented by 3/4's naked females. That marginal space is shrinking by the day.

 

The is one however and only one. We need the grace of the Supreme Lord. All theists must learn to be beggars before Krsna (or their preferred name for God).

[bija]

I am glad you liked that excerpt Theist.

 

 

Quote by Theist. We need the grace of the Supreme Lord. All theists must learn to be beggars before Krsna (or their preferred name for God).

Everything is happening by the order of the Supreme Lord, and yes I feel also we are so much dependant upon grace. So this environment, this margin, is also the Lord's will.

When Srila Prabhupada started Iskcon, as far as my understanding goes, many people joined the ashrama environment. He created through this environment, a way people could live together and practice Krsna consciousness.

 

 

Srila Prabhupada's purposes for Iskcon:

Item 3: To bring the members of the society together with each other and nearer to Krsna, the prime entity, thus developing the idea within the members, and humanity at large, that each soul is part and parcel of the quality of Godhead(Krsna).

 

Item 6: To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler, more natural way of life.

 

I perceive (please correct me if I am wrong), that in the west, that living in the ashrama is not so common any more. In that as time has moved on, the grhastha lifestyle is more prominent and even encouraged by Iskcon.

 

So my question of interest is...how to apply Srila Prabhupada's teachings while living long distances away from a temple?

 

How to practice Krsna consciousness in a contemplative way, while living amongst this modern western society? (in my case as a grhastha/brahmacari).

 

As Srila Prabhupada has said..'everything is in my books'. How to live a contemplative life in this fast paced world? Your insights would be much appreciated Theist, and others.