Contemplation is derived from the Latin
cum ("with") and
templum ("a consecrated place"). Frequently, contemplation is itself a spiritual state and serves as the end of an ascetic quest. Particularly in the monotheistic traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, this state is sometimes considered tantamount to the beatific vision bestowed upon the individual through the grace of God. This distinction between
meditation and
contemplation will serve for an examination of the following materials, but the reader should bear in mind the difficulty of translating these concepts from one language and culture to another.
As for the morphology of the theories and practices indicated by the terms meditation and contemplation, it may be useful to mention some categories of spiritual discipline. Meditation leading to contemplation can be apophatic. Involved here is an emptying procedure, in which the individual systematically removes from consciousness any content that is not the object of the quest. In Christian mysticism, this type of path is referred to as the via negativa; it is also an important technique in Buddhism.
Other forms of meditation and contemplation may be termed cataphatic. In this type of practice, a specific image, idea, role, or deity is held in the mind's eye.
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