The Illusion of God's Presence

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Publisher : Prometheus Books
ISBN 13 : 1633880753
Total Pages : 419 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (338 download)

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Book Synopsis The Illusion of God's Presence by : John C. Wathey

Download or read book The Illusion of God's Presence written by John C. Wathey and published by Prometheus Books. This book was released on 2016-01-12 with total page 419 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An essential feature of religious experience across many cultures is the intuitive feeling of God's presence. More than any rituals or doctrines, it is this experience that anchors religious faith, yet it has been largely ignored in the scientific literature on religion. Starting with a vivid narrative account of the life-threatening hike that triggered his own mystical experience, biologist John Wathey takes the reader on a scientific journey to find the sources of religious feeling and the illusion of God's presence. His book delves into the biological origins of this compelling feeling, attributing it to innate neural circuitry that evolved to promote the mother-child bond. Dr. Wathey, a veteran neuroscientist, argues that evolution has programmed the infant brain to expect the presence of a loving being who responds to the child's needs. As the infant grows into adulthood, this innate feeling is eventually transferred to the realm of religion, where it is reactivated through the symbols, imagery, and rituals of worship. The author interprets our various conceptions of God in biological terms as illusory supernormal stimuli that fill an emotional and cognitive vacuum left over from infancy. These insights shed new light on some of the most vexing puzzles of religion, like the popular belief in a god who is judgmental and punishing, yet also unconditionally loving; the extraordinary tenacity of faith; the greater religiosity of women relative to men; religious obsessions with sex; the mysterious compulsion to pray; the seemingly irrepressible feminine attributes of God, even in traditionally patriarchal religions; and the strange allure of cults. Finally, Dr. Wathey considers the hypothesis that religion evolved to foster reproductive success, arguing that, in an age of potentially ruinous overpopulation, magical thinking has become a luxury we can no longer afford, one that distracts us from urgent threats to our planet. Deeply researched yet elegantly written in a jargon-free and accessible style, this book presents a compelling interpretation of the evolutionary origins of spirituality and religion.

Discovery of the Presence of God

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Author :
Publisher : Hay House, Inc
ISBN 13 : 1401944981
Total Pages : 306 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (19 download)

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Book Synopsis Discovery of the Presence of God by : David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D.

Download or read book Discovery of the Presence of God written by David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D. and published by Hay House, Inc. This book was released on 2021-02-16 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This awe-inspiring sixth installment of the profound consciousness series by Dr. David R. Hawkins reveals the true essence of Enlightenment, from world-renowned author, psychiatrist, clinician, and spiritual teacher David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D. A true instruction manual for the serious spiritual devotee, this masterpiece from Dr. David R. Hawkins reveals information only known by those who have transcended the ego to reach Divine Realization. Chapters Include: Devotional Nonduality The Inner Path Spiritual Practices The "Experiencer" The Razor's Edge Allness Versus Nothingness Spirituality and the World Teachers and Teachings The Devotee Transcending Identification with the Ego/Self Enlightenment: The Presence of Self Progressive States of Consciousness This spiritual book is the inner route from the self to the Self and an invitation into the profound depths of higher consciousness and enlightenment. It walks you through the path to divine consciousness through the fusion of psychology, philosophy, metaphysics, and spirituality. Immerse yourself in a devotional exploration of non-duality, a profound philosophy that bridges the gap between existential questions and spiritual answers. This transformative work will help you evolve spiritually by connecting to divine love. Dr. David Hawkins explains complex concepts with clarity, making them accessible and relatable for everyone, from spiritual seekers to business professionals seeking personal growth. His spiritual awakening guidance offers meditation techniques for inner peace and provides tools to transcend the confines of the mundane, illuminating the path to spiritual growth. Drawing on his profound understanding of spiritual liberation, Dr. David Hawkins' words guide us toward our spiritual evolution and higher consciousness. Through this journey, you will discover an empowering understanding of your divine consciousness, leading to a sense of inner peace and a heightened state of spiritual awareness.

The Story of God

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Author :
Publisher : Pitchstone Publishing (US&CA)
ISBN 13 : 1634310268
Total Pages : 137 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (343 download)

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Book Synopsis The Story of God by : Chris Matheson

Download or read book The Story of God written by Chris Matheson and published by Pitchstone Publishing (US&CA). This book was released on 2015-09-01 with total page 137 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Part Kurt Vonnegut, part Douglas Adams, but let's be honest, Matheson had me at ‘Based on the Bible.'" —Dana Gould, comedian and writer The Bible offers some clues to God's personality—he's alternately been called vindictive and just, bloodthirsty and caring, all-powerful and impotent, capricious and foresighted, and loving and hateful. But no one has ever fully explored why God might be such a figure of contrasts. Nor has anyone ever satisfactorily explained what guides his relationship not just with angels, the devil, and his son, but also with all of creation. Might he be completely misunderstood, a mystery even to himself? Might his behavior and actions toward humankind tell us much more about him than it does about us? Enter the mind of the creator of the universe, travel with him through the heavenly highs and hellish lows of his story, from Genesis to Revelation, to better understand his burdensome journey: being God isn't easy. After hearing his story—at times troubling and tragic but always hilarious in its absurdity and divine in its comedy—you'll never look at a miracle or catastrophe—or at our place in the universe, or God's—the same way again.

Radical

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Publisher : Multnomah
ISBN 13 : 1601422210
Total Pages : 242 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (14 download)

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Book Synopsis Radical by : David Platt

Download or read book Radical written by David Platt and published by Multnomah. This book was released on 2010-05-04 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New York Times bestseller What is Jesus worth to you? It's easy for American Christians to forget how Jesus said his followers would actually live, what their new lifestyle would actually look like. They would, he said, leave behind security, money, convenience, even family for him. They would abandon everything for the gospel. They would take up their crosses daily... But who do you know who lives like that? Do you? In Radical, David Platt challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. He shows what Jesus actually said about being his disciple--then invites you to believe and obey what you have heard. And he tells the dramatic story of what is happening as a "successful" suburban church decides to get serious about the gospel according to Jesus. Finally, he urges you to join in The Radical Experiment -- a one-year journey in authentic discipleship that will transform how you live in a world that desperately needs the Good News Jesus came to bring.

Learning to Be

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Author :
Publisher : InterVarsity Press
ISBN 13 : 0830843868
Total Pages : 181 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (38 download)

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Book Synopsis Learning to Be by : Juanita Campbell Rasmus

Download or read book Learning to Be written by Juanita Campbell Rasmus and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2020-09-15 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Juanita called it "The Crash." Her counselor labeled it "a major depressive episode." Others called it a nervous breakdown. On the spiritual front, it was a dark night of the soul. This experience landed Juanita, a busy pastor, mother, and community leader, in bed. When everything in her life finally came to a stop, she found that she had to learn to be—with herself and with God—all over again. If you are longing for a trustworthy companion through your dark days, this book is here for you. Each chapter includes life-giving spiritual practices to help you discover your own new ways of being.

How God Becomes Real

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Publisher : Princeton University Press
ISBN 13 : 0691234442
Total Pages : 256 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (912 download)

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Book Synopsis How God Becomes Real by : T.M. Luhrmann

Download or read book How God Becomes Real written by T.M. Luhrmann and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2022-04-26 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The hard work required to make God real, how it changes the people who do it, and why it helps explain the enduring power of faith How do gods and spirits come to feel vividly real to people—as if they were standing right next to them? Humans tend to see supernatural agents everywhere, as the cognitive science of religion has shown. But it isn’t easy to maintain a sense that there are invisible spirits who care about you. In How God Becomes Real, acclaimed anthropologist and scholar of religion T. M. Luhrmann argues that people must work incredibly hard to make gods real and that this effort—by changing the people who do it and giving them the benefits they seek from invisible others—helps to explain the enduring power of faith. Drawing on ethnographic studies of evangelical Christians, pagans, magicians, Zoroastrians, Black Catholics, Santeria initiates, and newly orthodox Jews, Luhrmann notes that none of these people behave as if gods and spirits are simply there. Rather, these worshippers make strenuous efforts to create a world in which invisible others matter and can become intensely present and real. The faithful accomplish this through detailed stories, absorption, the cultivation of inner senses, belief in a porous mind, strong sensory experiences, prayer, and other practices. Along the way, Luhrmann shows why faith is harder than belief, why prayer is a metacognitive activity like therapy, why becoming religious is like getting engrossed in a book, and much more. A fascinating account of why religious practices are more powerful than religious beliefs, How God Becomes Real suggests that faith is resilient not because it provides intuitions about gods and spirits—but because it changes the faithful in profound ways.

A Manual for the Modern Mystic

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Author :
Publisher : iUniverse
ISBN 13 : 1450294030
Total Pages : 363 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (52 download)

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Book Synopsis A Manual for the Modern Mystic by : Rio Olesky

Download or read book A Manual for the Modern Mystic written by Rio Olesky and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2011-03 with total page 363 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A professional astrologer, the author presents Paramahansa Yogananda's ideas and teachings about life and what really matters.

When God Talks Back

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Publisher : Vintage
ISBN 13 : 0307277275
Total Pages : 466 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (72 download)

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Book Synopsis When God Talks Back by : T.M. Luhrmann

Download or read book When God Talks Back written by T.M. Luhrmann and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2012-11-13 with total page 466 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A New York Times Notable Book A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2012 A bold approach to understanding the American evangelical experience from an anthropological and psychological perspective by one of the country's most prominent anthropologists. Through a series of intimate, illuminating interviews with various members of the Vineyard, an evangelical church with hundreds of congregations across the country, Tanya Luhrmann leaps into the heart of evangelical faith. Combined with scientific research that studies the effect that intensely practiced prayer can have on the mind, When God Talks Back examines how normal, sensible people—from college students to accountants to housewives, all functioning perfectly well within our society—can attest to having the signs and wonders of the supernatural become as quotidian and as ordinary as laundry. Astute, sensitive, and extraordinarily measured in its approach to the interface between science and religion, Luhrmann's book is sure to generate as much conversation as it will praise.

God Moving through Source Energy

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Publisher : Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
ISBN 13 : 1644163470
Total Pages : 67 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (441 download)

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Book Synopsis God Moving through Source Energy by : ,Cindy

Download or read book God Moving through Source Energy written by ,Cindy and published by Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.. This book was released on 2019-03-14 with total page 67 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: God traveling through source energy is found in the dark and light forces. In the beginning, God stands in darkness before creating light. "In the beginning, God created heaven and earth, and the earth without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" (Genesis 1""2). Dark matter is needed on the earth. It is during adversity when we have the power to face it and change the direction of those life forces. Is it where the mystery is? Do we learn by just living in the light? There is nothing to discover in the light because it already stands in truth! Should we approach the dark energy to see what's behind it? Is it you? The life force of God is traveling through the masculine and female energy of the universe. Cindy discovers there was no way out of illusion until she faces those dark forces. Living in balance is shining the light on the unseen matter. Those dark entities could not be her. She refuses to live her life unconsciously! She stands up to confront the dark energy, knowing she was at risk of dying from fighting these strong forces or she was going to destroy it.

God: The Failed Hypothesis

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Author :
Publisher : Prometheus Books
ISBN 13 : 161592003X
Total Pages : 310 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (159 download)

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Book Synopsis God: The Failed Hypothesis by : Victor J. Stenger

Download or read book God: The Failed Hypothesis written by Victor J. Stenger and published by Prometheus Books. This book was released on 2010-08-05 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Throughout history, arguments for and against the existence of God have been largely confined to philosophy and theology, while science has sat on the sidelines. Despite the fact that science has revolutionized every aspect of human life and greatly clarified our understanding of the world, somehow the notion has arisen that it has nothing to say about the possibility of a supreme being, which much of humanity worships as the source of all reality. This book contends that, if God exists, some evidence for this existence should be detectable by scientific means, especially considering the central role that God is alleged to play in the operation of the universe and the lives of humans. Treating the traditional God concept, as conventionally presented in the Judeo-Christian and Islamic traditions, like any other scientific hypothesis, physicist Stenger examines all of the claims made for God's existence. He considers the latest Intelligent Design arguments as evidence of God's influence in biology. He looks at human behavior for evidence of immaterial souls and the possible effects of prayer. He discusses the findings of physics and astronomy in weighing the suggestions that the universe is the work of a creator and that humans are God's special creation. After evaluating all the scientific evidence, Stenger concludes that beyond a reasonable doubt the universe and life appear exactly as we might expect if there were no God. This paperback edition of the New York Times bestselling hardcover edition contains a new foreword by Christopher Hitchens and a postscript by the author in which he responds to reviewers' criticisms of the original edition.

How Big Is Your God?

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Publisher : Loyola Press
ISBN 13 : 0829429859
Total Pages : 189 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (294 download)

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Book Synopsis How Big Is Your God? by : Paul Coutinho

Download or read book How Big Is Your God? written by Paul Coutinho and published by Loyola Press. This book was released on 2011-09-29 with total page 189 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do you have a real relationship with God, or do you just have a religion? Do you know God, or do you just know about God? In How Big Is Your God? Paul Coutinho, SJ, challenges us to grow stronger and deeper in our faith and in our relationship with God—a God whose love knows no bounds. To help us on our way, Coutinho introduces us to people in various world religions—from Hindu friends to Buddhist teachers to St. Ignatius of Loyola—who have shaped his spiritual life and made possible his deep, personal relationship with God.

Inviting Gods Presence

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Author :
Publisher : FaithWords
ISBN 13 : 0446561207
Total Pages : 200 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (465 download)

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Book Synopsis Inviting Gods Presence by : Larry Keefauver

Download or read book Inviting Gods Presence written by Larry Keefauver and published by FaithWords. This book was released on 2009-05-30 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Keefauver believes that the passionate pursuit of God is the most authentic method of finding God's presence in our lives. Divided in two parts, this volume is a journey into developing a genuine relationship with God.

The Manifest Presence of God

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (159 download)

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Book Synopsis The Manifest Presence of God by : Walter Beuttler

Download or read book The Manifest Presence of God written by Walter Beuttler and published by . This book was released on 2021-09-05 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Walter Beuttler was a teacher in the Bible School that I attended. He personally knew and walked with the Lord as few have. I personally witnessed the effect and the outworking of the very unusual personal relationship which he maintained with the Lord. The Lord often visited the classroom, as he taught, to reveal Himself and manifestly move in the lives of the students who sat under his ministry. As a result, my life was both challenged and changed. He often exhorted his students to cultivate a personal, experiential knowledge of the Lord. He used his unique spiritual walk and experiences with the Lord as a means to provoke us to begin seeking the Lord in earnest. Walter Beuttler traveled extensively in overseas ministry, teaching the principles of the "Manifest Presence of the Lord," and "Divine Guidance," until close to the time of his death in 1974. --Wade Taylor This is the intimate story of a man who walked with God as friend.

Why We Believe in God(s)

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Author :
Publisher : Pitchstone Publishing (US&CA)
ISBN 13 : 0984493239
Total Pages : 89 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (844 download)

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Book Synopsis Why We Believe in God(s) by : J. Anderson Thomson

Download or read book Why We Believe in God(s) written by J. Anderson Thomson and published by Pitchstone Publishing (US&CA). This book was released on 2014-07-01 with total page 89 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this groundbreaking volume, J. Anderson Thomson, Jr., MD, with Clare Aukofer, offers a succinct yet comprehensive study of how and why the human mind generates religious belief. Dr. Thomson, a highly respected practicing psychiatrist with credentials in forensic psychiatry and evolutionary psychology, methodically investigates the components and causes of religious belief in the same way any scientist would investigate the movement of astronomical bodies or the evolution of life over time—that is, as a purely natural phenomenon. Providing compelling evidence from psychology, the cognitive neurosciences, and related fields, he, with Ms. Aukofer, presents an easily accessible and exceptionally convincing case that god(s) were created by man—not vice versa. With this slim volume, Dr. Thomson establishes himself as a must-read thinker and leading voice on the primacy of reason and science over superstition and religion.

Conversations with God for Teens

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Publisher : Hampton Roads Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1612831168
Total Pages : 250 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (128 download)

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Book Synopsis Conversations with God for Teens by : Neale Donald Walsch

Download or read book Conversations with God for Teens written by Neale Donald Walsch and published by Hampton Roads Publishing. This book was released on 2012-10-01 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Suppose you could ask God any question and get an answer. What would it be? Young people all over the world have been asking those questions. So Neale Donald Walsch, author of the internationally bestselling Conversations with God series had another conversation. Conversations with God for Teens is a simple, clear, straight-to-the-point dialogue that answers teens questions about God, money, sex, love, and more. Conversations with God for Teens reads like a rap session at a church youth group, where teenagers discuss everything they ever wanted to know about life but were too afraid to ask God. Walsch acts as the verbal conduit, showing teenagers how easy it is to converse with the divine. When Claudia, age 16, from Perth, Australia, asks, "Why can't I just have sex with everybody? What's the big deal?", the answer God offers her is: "Nothing you do will ever be okay with everybody. 'Everybody' is a large word. The real question is can you have sex and have it be okay with you?" There's no doubt that the casual question-and-answer format will help make God feel welcoming and accessible to teens. Conversations with God for Teens is the perfect gift purchase for parents, grandparents, and anyone else who wants to provide accessible spiritual content for the teen(s) in their lives.

The Brain, Consciousness & Illusion of Truth

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Author :
Publisher : Universal-Publishers
ISBN 13 : 9781581127799
Total Pages : 228 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (277 download)

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Book Synopsis The Brain, Consciousness & Illusion of Truth by : Karol Ondrias

Download or read book The Brain, Consciousness & Illusion of Truth written by Karol Ondrias and published by Universal-Publishers. This book was released on 1999 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ...How do we know that something is true or false? How does the brain discern the truth? What kind of mechanism allows the brain to interpret the information received in the shape of electrical and chemical impulses to which it is constantly exposed? Is it the case that our brains are endowed with appropriate algorithmic rules for discriminating between truth and untruth, alongside certain rules for handling, say, optical information? Is it the case that the brain produces illusions of truth like it does illusions of vision? My answer is in the positive, and this is what I shall be seeking to show in this essay. An essay in style, The Brain, Consciousness and Illusion of Truth is a valuable addition to the literature on the mind/body problem and an engrossing account of the human brain with its services and disservices to the self. Karol Ondrias is one of the 'disturbing' authors who will not stop at taboos. Problems he addresses here are of our postmodern era, when people, still tightly controlled by their ancestral genetic code and ethnocentric cultural stereotypes, are acquiring an awareness of this and trying to review the authenticated behavioral patterns and preconceived ideas still shaping their lives. The notion of the distorted and manipulated reception of the world cuts through the whole of the essay. ...The human race, the author argues, cannot afford any longer remain content with the illusory certainties provided by the 'selfish' genes and by parochial cultures (however dear to the cockles of our heart the latter might be). But isn't it just another illusion - to try and free the self from the comfortable bondage of biological and cultural forces? The essay will take you to the further and farther reaches of human nature and this may be part of the answer.

New Seeds of Contemplation

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Author :
Publisher : Shambhala Publications
ISBN 13 : 1590300491
Total Pages : 321 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (93 download)

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Book Synopsis New Seeds of Contemplation by : Thomas Merton

Download or read book New Seeds of Contemplation written by Thomas Merton and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2003 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A collection of thirty-nine short essays in which Thomas Merton examines what true contemplation is and how it can impact one's spirituality.