At the Greek philosophers (Pythagore, Plato, neoplatonician S), the contemplation - translation of théoria (of théos : god, and oria : to see) is a state of consciousness making it possible to release itself from the material contingencies to reach the direct vision of celestial realities and supreme knowledge.

This philosophy is in opposition with the modern thought of the release by the action. The contemplative state is a passive state where the individual contemplates, it is different thus from the Méditation where the being is in action, reflection, and practical an active and considered method to reach in a mystical state , contemplative or illuminated.

the contemplative glance allows the neutrality of the intellectual thought

Contemplation and philosophers

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Plotin evokes the contemplative state like a “unutterable contact”.

Plato associates the symbolic system of the light to him.

In its Ethical book X of in Nicomaque , Aristote specifies that happiness lies in the contemplative activity which allows so that there is moreover higher in the man, intellect (noùs), to reach knowledge. But, according to Aristote, this contemplative activity can be only one ideal which the man seeks to reach.

Contemplation and art

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In art, esthetic contemplation is a concept dating from the Greek philosophers, if not even from the Indian philosophers like Shankaracharya. It allows the individual, through the observation of a work some is she, to release itself from its impure emotions. Thus, the music is an additive with contemplation; indeed, certain musics, coming from the tradition Hindu E (cf will mantras them such as " Om mani padme hum "), cause to plunge the listener in a major reality, belonging to him into clean as to whoever of other, even in a contemplative state, or sometimes even more active, i.e méditatif. It arrives whereas one tastes with inexpressible and sometimes unperceivable union with what Sri Aurobindo and many other wise Indians names the Divine one, i.e. Brahman, or Pouroushottama, appearing on the one hand through Prakriti, Nature, and being on the other hand the Absolute. This dichotomy is only apparent, because Brahman is supreme and sovereign Reality; it exceeds the duality in the sense that the Absolute and the Relative one are then nothing any more but two aspects of the same Reality. In addition, according to Anagarika Govinda, contemplation is a way which leads to the fruition of the present moment, the annihilation of any causation: the man who reached the contemplative state and which is able to persevere thus, would not be then any more conditionné" by thoughts coming from the reasoning intellection and consequently limiting the field of its possible. Perhaps is this there the solution with the problem arising from the determinism, and that of the free will?

Contemplation and religion

Contemplation, like the prayer and the meditation is a means of reaching the divine one. Gregoire Ier in his homélie XIV on Ezechiel develops a complete theory on contemplation and the contemplative life.

The mystic Jean of the Cross pushes contemplation until the concept of passive night: God not having any common measurement with what can be created, it can be apprehended neither by the directions, nor by intellect. It is thus only in the destruction of the heart that one can reach the divine one.

One finds also the concept of contemplation in the contemplative religious orders which by the prayer and contemplation lets God speak with their heart.

The eucharistic Contemplation is a common form of contemplation.

Contemplation and literature

Many authors, in particular during the romantic time , find in the contemplation of nature a source of inspiration. Chateaubriant, in a tale for child, summarizes contemplation using the three verbs: to look at, like, resemble. Victor Hugo in his collection of poetries Contemplations sees in those a door towards happiness, the love, the memory.

The Austrian writer-philosopher Robert Musil made of it to the major topic of the Man without qualities. Contemplation is not, for this author, simple opposition to the action. It is an attitude which consists, in fact, to modify without stop its own points of view on the world.

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