contemplative life
Life of reflection
A contemplative life is one devoted to prayer, meditation, and spiritual reflection rather than active work in the world.
The term is most associated with Christian monastic traditions, where contemplative orders withdraw from society to focus on communion with God: She felt called to the contemplative life and entered a cloistered convent.
More broadly, it describes any existence organized around inner reflection rather than external achievement.
- prayerAddress to deity
- silenceTotal lack of sound
- monasticismCloistered religious living
- meditationFocused attention practice
- quiet reflectionSilent, thoughtful self-examination
asceticism · solitude · retreat · cloister · desert fathers · wisdom · equanimity · stillness · inner peace · serenity · hermitage · monastic vows · simplicity · slow living · mindfulness · fasting · vows · rule of life
- monasticismabbeys, abbey, abbots, abbot, cloister
- asceticismabstinence, celibacy, ascetic, austerities, chastity
- monasteriesabbey, abbeys, abbot, abbots, abbess
- mysticismmystic, gnosis, divine union, divine spark, mystical
- nunsnun, nuns, sister, sisters, convent
- religious livesconversion stories, desert fathers, church fathers, patron saints, holy women