On Line Meditation– Thursday 27th May 2021 Well here we go again.
To use a phrase that we have all become accustomed to…out of an abundance of caution we will not be meeting live this week in the Malone Room for meditation this week… and it’s not easy meditating with a mask. In addition to this printed material you can if you wish listen to the attached audio file.
Hopefully next week we can resume meeting together in the Malone Room.
A reminder that there are still some activities at the Carmelite Centre. To find out what’s on, go to thecarmelitecentremelbourne.org
Reflection…
Meditation invites us to get in touch with the contemplative dimension of life. The root meaning of the word ‘contemplation’ might assist us to understand what we mean by a contemplative dimension. In ancient Rome there were people called augers who would map the flight of birds by seeking out an open sky which they called a templum. They would mark the borders of the open sky with an act known as contemplor.
Contemplatio eventually came to mean any act of diligent, attentive observation. This is what we do when we are mindful or when we are meditating although contemplation has applications that include spiritual reading, reflection, chanting etc. These contemplative practices give life enough meaning, more meaning than just getting ahead in the world or having the best house or latest car, which can be a challenge for a while, but not for a lifetime.
The act of listening is essential for contemplation and is one of the fruits of regular meditation. Meditation opens the heart to listening. The great meditation teachers from all traditions emphasize the need for a ‘listening heart’, that facility that helps us see deeply, perceiving our truest aspirations.
The listening heart is not a passive response to meditation but rather an engaged activity as it gives us a sense of compassion for others.
oOo
And now let’s meditate in the fashion we are accustomed to.
We dedicate our meditation to those less fortunate than ourselves.
(Meditate for up to 20 minutes…)