I am thrilled to share some very practical wisdom from Beverly Lanzetta, author of a 10 books on contemplative spirituality (my favorite of which is The Monk Within).
Enjoy the “email interview” we did below.
The response under the bolded questions is directly from Lanzetta!
What is the value of contemplation in today's world?
In every age, culture, and social location, humans experience the inflow of divine presence, and commune with their transcendent source. As a state of being and a quality of consciousness, contemplation is inherent in human nature, even when it remains unrealized.
Especially today in our fast-paced, secular world, the spiritually oriented person needs contemplation to stabilize the center of one’s being and to maintain a steady focus on the divine in the everyday. Contemplation is a state of vulnerability and surrender that touches the divine within one’s depth. It is a grounding reality that instills meaning in every phase of life as it binds us to the wisdom of the holy and provides insight into the importance of living in and for love. More than any time in recent history, we need a contemplative attitude to guide us to a deeper engagement with reality and with the suffering of the world without succumbing to despair or meaninglessness.
What advice do you have for someone starting on the contemplative path?
Affirm your passion for the quest. Never give up or ignore the still voice within that calls you to seek wisdom, to experience the Divine, to learn the meaning of life. It is this longing that will guide you through the changes and obstacles that occur daily and keep your heart focused on the one thing necessary.
What does it mean to cultivate a monastic or contemplative life in today's world?
Many people feel a call to live as monks in the world, that is, devoting their lives to the divine search. This longing and seeking is not abstract; it is not the superficial quest for an identity or a cause upon which to lay one’s hat.
Rather, a monastic life in the world is a commitment to inner transformation of self, but also of society and one’s relationships. It is a sincere devotion to apply wisdom to everyday events, to be an advocate of peace, to offer oneself as a person who helps to build a sacred community on earth. It is an inward choice, and an outward statement to our circle of friends, colleagues, and families that our life is committed to God. It is not, however, in any way a rejection of our relationships, professions, etc., but a way of elevating all that we do to approximate the holy within.
What place does "emptiness" play in contemplative practice?
Emptiness is an interesting and much used word in the spiritual traditions. Obviously, it evokes many different connotations. But, from my perspective, emptiness is critical to contemplation and to the entire journey of self-realization.
It is, in fact, the first step in opening oneself to the inflow of divine energies and operates throughout the quest, not only in its more intense and sometimes lofty descriptions. It means that we seek to give away our will, in order to be receptive to and follow the divine will in and for us. It is a radical letting go of the individual ego and its quest for dominance, worldly ambition, selfishness, distorted memory, false faith, etc. It is strangely everything and nothing. It is entering into the dark wilderness of one’s being and following the call wherever it leads. It is a prayer: “Please help me to be empty of self.”
What does your own prayer and meditation look like?
The impulse to pray is universal. It expresses the song of my soul, an inner depth of feeling spontaneously overflowing in words of praise, petition, thanksgiving, and lament. I have written a liturgy to Holy Mystery that I pray daily. I created an altar of icons before which I kneel, ponder, wonder, meditate, supplicate, and pray. I am fluid in my prayer and meditation life. That is, there is nothing rigid or prescribed about it. Somedays I do not sit in formal prayer, for I am praying while I write, walk, cook, offer solace to another person, animal, or plant. I am praying while I rest in bed before sleep.
What does your current work look like?
I recently released A Feast of Prayers: Liturgy to Holy Mystery and am completing Sacred Seasons: A Year of Meditations to be released mid-October.
Where can people find you?
Thank you for being a part of this Email Interview, Beverly.
Be sure to check out Beverly’s work through the links above!
Keith,
I’ve been following COP26 via the Episcopal Observer reports (6 Zoom sessions this past week). Potentially that could be an experience of desolation.
Lanzetta’s two sentences captured how one engages without despair: “It [contemplation] is a grounding reality that instills meaning in every phase of life as it binds us to the wisdom of the holy and provides insight into the importance of living in and for love. More than any time in recent history, we need a contemplative attitude to guide us to a deeper engagement with reality and with the suffering of the world without succumbing to despair or meaninglessness.”
Thank you,
Bob
I found peace emanating from the words and pictures of the interview. Reading it, I realised that I’m privy to a special conversation. you both have a deep trust in the divine and the questions and answers highlight that.
thank you both for taking the time
Thank you Irina! I’m so glad it brought a sense of peace and trust. All peace to you…all Peace!
Wow- indeed Beverly’s words give a sense of hope or meaning during what feels like very uncertain times. Thank you Bob!