Contemplative Embodied Practictes
On Contemplation
Understanding Contemplative Embodied Practices
Allow me to define “contemplative embodied practices” as I am using the terms here in this series. Contemplation is a state of focused attention or awareness; it involves listening and reflection. Contemplative practices are not trendy, new age, or new at all. Jesus engaged in contemplative embodied practices; he spent time in solitude in the desert, in silence and prayer. He was always pulling away to attend to himself and to listen to God.
We have reports as early as the 3rd and 4th centuries of saints using imaginative and embodied prayers to connect with God. It’s not new. And it’s not trendy. It’s actually ancient.
The Challenges of Contemplation
The problems we face today when approaching contemplation are numerous! We live in a busy world, compulsively consuming information and surrounded by noise. We are addicted to technology, to name just a few challenges.
One of the most significant obstacles to contemplation is that it requires us to suspend judgment. However, when it comes to our bodies, we are often full of judgment. I will never forget the day my then-five-year-old daughter had two school friends over to play after school. They wanted to go swimming, and the friends needed to borrow some of my daughter’s swimsuits. I could immediately tell that one of the girls likely wore a few sizes larger than my daughter, and I began to panic as I searched through the drawers for something that would fit her.
As I spiraled with anxiety, the girl came up behind me, grabbed the first (and smallest) swimsuit she could find, marched to the bathroom to change, and strutted out like a runway model in a bikini three sizes too small. I braced myself as my daughter and her other friend emerged from their private changing spots, dressed and ready to go in swimsuits that fit just right. What will they say? What will they think? I imagined having to pay for this girl’s therapy as an adult and immediately felt like a horrible mom for not keeping larger swimsuits around. I felt like the worst, most neglectful human ever.
Just as I was at the very bottom of my internal spiral, I looked up to see the girls grabbing their swim towels, goggles, and each other’s hands as they skipped outside together. They spent the afternoon jumping in the pool, diving for swim toys, organizing a fish school, and imagining they were all superheroes.
I later grieved when I overheard these same girls, now 8 and 9 years old, talking about who is “fat” and who is “skinny” at school.
We were not born judging our bodies; we learned how to do this. Dr. Hillary McBride points this out extensively throughout her work, most notably in The Wisdom of Your Body.
The Path to Contemplation
To engage in contemplation regarding our bodies—listening to and attending to them—we must suspend judgment. Instead, we should bring two essential qualities with us: curiosity and compassion.
Curiosity opposes judgment.
With our bodies, we can ask ourselves curious questions about the judgments we hold. Instead of asking, “Why am I like this?” we can ask, “How and where did I learn this? From whom? Who imposed this fake body standard that I judge myself against?”
Compassion is crucial on our journey.
Compassion connects us to how God treats us.
Think about someone you love dearly—maybe a child, grandchild, or partner. Picture a baby learning to walk. You don’t yell at a baby, “Get up, loser!” when they fall down. Yet, this is often how we treat our bodies and talk to ourselves. This is the image for me. This helps me tap into the compassionate love of God for me.
As you try contemplation in regards to your body, I want you to speak to yourself as you would to the most beloved person in your life learning something new. When you hear the voice of judgment, invite the voice of compassion into the conversation.
Contemplation requires both curiosity and compassion. As we move forward, let’s embrace these qualities to deepen our connection with ourselves and with God.
Thank you for this.
It makes me realize how often I pray from my head and ignore my body. I rush past tension in my shoulders or tightness in my chest instead of bringing it before God.
The image of the girls in the pool stays with me. No shame. Just movement and joy. That feels like the posture we start with before we learn to judge ourselves.
Curiosity instead of judgment feels practical. When I catch myself thinking, Why am I like this, I can pause and ask, Where did I learn that voice?
Loved reading this. Also: your nails in this photo are giving Taylor Swift show-girl album. You were ahead of your time!!!