Contemplation, as described by Mark L. Lockwood, is a profound, transformative, and experiential "gazing" or "re-seeing" of reality beyond the ego's judgmental, dualistic, and cognitive distortions. It is a spiritual practice of presence (not just passive thought) that fosters deep self-awareness, connects one with the Divine, and cultivates, rather than just considers, truths.

Contemplation teaches you to think about thinking and may be the highest form of intelligence that we have. It is a dance with the physical, psychological, and the spiritual and has a tendency to heal people and then transform them. Many equate it to prayer or meditation. You might be surprised, however, to discover that you can practice contemplation while mindfully washing dishes, singing, being with a friend, or walking in a park.

Contemplation is simply being fully present in heart, mind, and body, to what is in a way that allows you to creatively respond and work toward what could be. Contemplation is both personal and communal, internal and external. It helps us let go of our usual, self-focused way of thinking and doing things so that our compassionate, connected, and creative self can emerge. Through contemplation, we develop the capacity to witness our egoic motivations, bringing this awareness into our day-to-day actions and living with increased freedom and authenticity through deeper awareness of self, others, and God.

What is contemplation about? Well, imagine for a moment that you could be all-knowing. Where would that get you? Although we can’t be all-knowing like God is, we can benefit from knowledge and wisdom. The more we have, the more we will benefit in all areas of our lives. So let’s not underrate it! At the very least, it is a kind of self-actualization and God realization at depth.