How To Actually Contemplate? I Still Don't Understand.

[Saba]

Hey everyone,

So I've been meditating daily for the last year and a half, and I've noticed how tangibly and remarkably it has improved my life. I can tell how passionate Leo is about contemplation, and I'd really love to delve into it. My only question is... it seems so convoluted and impossible!

I've got my wristband for contemplating "relationships".  Am I on the "right track", if there is one? My initial thought trajectory is as follows:

Relationships.... 

- relating to other people: finding commonalities in order to connect

- why connect? in order to form a community, for safety, for belongingness

- why the need for community/belongingness? to compare one's circumstance and life to the "norm", to hear insights from others, to get help when needed, financial/material support and teamwork 

- back to relationships (as to not get off track): 

- what are relationships? Bonds with people one has encountered; people that seem to "fit" our lifestyle, our beliefs and personality

- what is the purpose of relating to anyone? Laughter, reproduction, romance, friendship 

- what kind of relationships exist? Familial: mother-child, father-child, extended relatives (cousins, grandparents, aunts, uncles, great-grandparents), step-parents, adoptive parents. Friendships, marriages. Romantic relationships: codependent relationships, interdependent relationships, independent relationships. Academic relationships: student-teacher, student-student. Workplace relationships: coworker-coworker, boss-coworker. Neighbours. International relations. Government relations.

 

 

So... can anyone help me figure out if I'm on the right track? I feel like I will never get anywhere. It seems impossible for me to "dig deep". 

Thanks a ton!

Saba 

 

[JustinS]

You are on the right track. Although it may be on the surface level of things, you can always dig a little deeper. When you just hold that concentration of whatever you're contemplating for long enough, you may get a feeling of leverage where you can leap up from and then from there you get grounded and eventually leap up from that as well. Keep going and don't be discouraged with plateaus. 

[Guest username]

You're doing a great job.  To put it concisely: Question everything. This will help you become more open-minded and help you think out-of-the box, see the limitations of your own paradigms, and so, so much more.

The fact that I'm a naturally contemplative person has probably been my biggest leverage point in my personal development journey. It's a great skill to have, and even if you're not that way naturally, you can just to learn to be.

You're off to a great start. Keep going and expect it to get really hard. It's rewarding but it can be incredibly emotionally laborious, as you'll be challenging everything you hold sacred.

Socrates was put to death for  a reason. He inspired contemplation, to which we have great natural resistance.

[Truth]

Consider relationships to yourself, your thoughts, your emotions, your sensations and consider the idea of the word "relationship" in your mind. Notice that you can have a relationship with the word relationship.

[Leo Gura]

@Saba That's a good start. Just keep at it.

Ultimately you want to ponder: What is the substance of a relationship?

Is it made out of matter? Energy? Concepts? People? What?

Where does the relationship exist?

Who is creating it?

Etc.

Don't necessarily expect some giant epiphany with all your questions. Sometimes you'll just get some minor insights and more clarity.