Contemplative practices are countercultural in our culture: They shouldn't be

Sadly, finding the time and motivation to engage in regular contemplative practices is hard to come by in our society. We are constantly plugged in to media and technology that on one hand is a great convenience yet is also a tremendous distraction. Furthermore, we all too often seem to be very busy living in a Type A and fast paced world.

As a college professor, I notice that after class most students immediatly turn to their cell phones for texting, email, and calls between classes and during class breaks rather than conversations with fellow classmates for example. I also wonder if they notice the beautiful campus we are lucky to have at Santa Clara University as they walk with their fingers or ears glued to technology between classes. Their pace is fast as well. And I thought that California is supposed to be "laid back." Perhaps we are Type A in Type B clothing here in California.

It seems that technology is both a blessing and a curse. It can be wonderful but it also makes contemplation much harder to come by.

In my new edited book that will be released this summer, Contemplative Practices in Action: Spirituality, Meditation, and Health [http://www.greenwood.com/catalog/A2670C.aspx], expert authors from all of the religious traditions discuss the research and practice of a wide variety of contemplative practices that assist in stress management, wellness, and how they can be used to enhance the quality of life for ourselves and others.

Contemplative practices, broadly defined, are much more than the stereotype of meditation within the eastern traditions alone.

For me, there are four critical ways that I personally engage in regular contemplative practices. These include...

(1) a daily 30 minute contemplative and prayerful run

(2) listening to spiritual music in the car while driving to and from work

(3) attending daily Mass and

(4) weekly work in my home vineyard

None involve sitting in the lotus position and saying "Ohm." Perhaps I'm way too Type A for that!

Running for 30 minutes each morning (actually, running is a generous word for my age and condition...perhaps shuffling is better!) allows me time for prayer and meditation that I find critical for stress management and being both centered and focused for the day. I've done this for about 35 years. An added plus is that it helps with weight control and makes me feel less guilty for eating ice cream! While running I am away from distractions, technology, and can focus on meditation and prayer. I find it to be a very time during the day contemplative.

Personally, I enjoy listening to the music of Weston Priory [http://www.westonpriory.org/music.html] and my litergical music composer friend, Dan Schutte [http://www.danschutte.com/], while driving that helps me maintain a more contemplative experience while commuting. Even traffic and other driving hassles seem to bother me much less while being in a contemplative space through the help of appropriate music on the car CD.

Daily Mass at my university (Santa Clara University) is a 20-30 minute break during the middle of the day where I can unplug and reflect. Regardless of what is going on in the day I find this mid day time-out for contemplation, reflection, meditation, and prayer critical.

Finally, working for a few hours on the weekend tending a home vineyard (we grow syrah for wine making) is an always surprising and pleasant way to engage in contemplation and prayer. I am often amazed at how problems can be solved or solutions found while in the vineyard.

Everyone may have their own way and within their own tradition to develop a contemplative practice. What's yours? What would you like it to be? While it is more and more countercultural to do so, may I suggest that you work towards a daily way to unplug, focus, center, and put yourself in a place of contemplation inviting the sacred (as you understand and know the sacred) to be part of your day. I think that you'll be grateful you did. Furthermore, empirical research conducted by myself, colleagues, and others have indicated that it will help with both mental and physical health to boot. You have much to gain and nothing to lose.