calling to join a religious order he gained entry into the Gethsemani Monastery in Kentucky where he lived for 27 years until his untimely death at age 53. Merton had an undoubted special
gift for writing and was well received, both within the Catholic Church and beyond. Eventually his writing became recognised as some of the most profound spiritual works of the twentieth century. Of the many rich subjects Merton explored, it was contemplation that most inspired me. In a totally unexpected way, it took me deeper into myself. For the first time I became relaxed, meditative, and found an inner peace that I had never known before.
WHAT IS CONTEMPLATION? “Contemplation cannot be taught. It cannot even be clearly explained. It can only be hinted at, suggested, pointed to, symbolized. The more objectively and scientifically one tries to analyse it, the more he empties it of its real content, for this experience is beyond the reach of verbalization and of rationalization....” [Thomas Merton, ibid]
THE PROCESS OF BECOMING CONTEMPLATIVE My contemplation journey has been greatly influenced by some key elements. They are:
1
READING My slow, attentive, mindful reading
helped me make a profound connection with Merton’s work. I felt a strong desire to take my time, slowly savouring
every word. This was in contrast to my normal reading pace, which was fast, almost scan-like, but because I wanted to pay honour to what he was saying I somehow slowed down. In the Benedictine tradition, monks undertake Lectio Divina (meditative reading of the scriptures) to deepen and refresh their understanding and comprehension. This is something I have tried to develop in my reading of special, significant works that incorporate literature , poetry, and the arts in general.
2
WRITING Unexpectedly, many years ago,
I took up writing and found it a great source of comfort. Spending time on my own in a thoughtful presence somehow resonated with me and allowed me a chance to explore my deeper feelings, to give them a voice. Since then, writing has become a daily practice that relaxes me and enables me to express that which I need to express.
3
SOLITUDE I found solitude to be an essential
prerequisite to supporting any contemplative period. Time alone in silence, preferably in natural surroundings, became a respite for me away from the busy urban life I was leading. It became precious time to me, a time of repose and restfulness where I could disconnect from the frantic everyday routine of urban living and go deeper into thought and reflection. I found this relaxing, calming, and most of all, healing.
4
DETOXING FROM THE MEDIA One thing I found surprising at
this time was my ability to disengage more from the media. I’ve always had a keen interest in politics and current affairs, but too often this swallowed up my attention. I increasingly felt that I might be ‘overdosing’ and, with negative consequences. I made a decision just to take in the bare essentials. Fairly soon I became much more
positive and less liable to get ensnarled and angry over some political matter. Social media and devices keep us informed about the news 24/7, but all this can increase our chances of reaching overload (not to mention alienation), thus removing the opportunity to seek deeper truths within ourselves. Merton mentioned in a number of his
letters that he rarely read newspapers and never watched TV. The sanctity of his monastery and the sanctity of his own mind meant that he had to distance himself from the media overload that inevitably serves up biased and inconsequential ‘facts’ for our daily consumption.
5
RETREATS To deepen the contemplative process
I have, in the past, undertaken retreats. This is a good opportunity to get away from everything and spend some time in surroundings that are more conducive to opening up richer thought processes. Even when undertaking just day trips in the country, I have managed to mentally reach calmer waters; relaxing my mind from its tendency for habitual chatter.
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