Contemplation: Definition, Examples, & Theories

By Kelsey Schultz, Ph.D. Candidate
​Reviewed by Tchiki Davis, M.A., Ph.D.

An examined life is a good life. Read on to learn more about contemplation and how you can use that wonderful organ between your ears.

*This page may include affiliate links; that means we earn from qualifying purchases of products.

As Socrates famously articulated, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” This sentiment is echoed in the philosophy of another early Greek Philosopher, Aristotle. Aristotle believed that contemplation was essentially the core purpose of all human beings (Walker, 2018).

Whether or not contemplation is the central purpose of humans, contemplation is unequivocally an important part of enjoying the richness and extent of the human experience.​

That is, without taking time to explore and appreciate our inner and outer worlds, there is so much that we will miss. Being able to consider abstract concepts like time, love, justice, and truth is one of the special joys of being a human.

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What Is Contemplation? (A Definition)

Contemplation is the act of thinking deeply or meditating on a particular subject or idea. It involves considering a concept or issue in a thoughtful and introspective manner, often with the goal of gaining a deeper understanding or reaching a conclusion. Contemplation can be a mental or spiritual exercise that helps you reflect on your values, beliefs, and experiences, and can lead to personal growth and self-discovery.

Why Contemplation Is Important

Contemplation is important for several reasons. First, as mentioned previously, contemplation is an important aspect of our human experience in general. Reflecting on our inner and outer worlds helps us find meaning and purpose in life and appreciate our existence (Dahl & Davidson, 2019).
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Contemplation has also been shown to have a number of benefits including reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, improving mood, emotion regulation, and increasing feelings of happiness and overall well-being (Fraser, 2013), improving self-knowledge, and promoting kindness toward others (Kemeny et al., 2012).

Examples of Contemplation

Contemplation can take many forms and can involve reflecting on a wide range of subjects or issues. Here are a few examples:

Philosophical contemplation
​Philosophical contemplation refers to thinking deeply about fundamental questions such as the meaning of life, existence, ethics, morals, justice, love, and death. Questioning what it means to be a good person or what our purpose is are both examples of philosophical contemplation.

Personal contemplation
Personal contemplation is self-reflection. It is deeply and openly exploring fundamental aspects of yourself including your experiences, beliefs, and values, and considering how they shape your worldview and the decisions you make.

Spiritual contemplation
Spiritual contemplation refers to meditations on religious or spiritual themes, such as God, the soul, or the meaning of prayer.

Artistic contemplation
Artistic contemplation is a deep appreciation and reflection of artistic creations. For example, artistic contemplation would refer to contemplating the beauty and meaning of works of art, such as paintings, sculptures, or music.

Scientific contemplation
Scientific contemplation involves deeply considering aspects of science such as the scientific method and its application in solving problems and discovering new knowledge. Scientific contemplation might also include more abstract categories such as the nature of truth, the limits of human intelligence, and mathematical concepts like infinity or zero.

Environmental contemplation
Environmental contemplation refers to reflecting on the relationship between humans and the natural world and considering how to live in harmony with the environment. Environmental contemplation might also include psychologically exploring our responsibilities for caring for the earth in a society that makes stewardship a radical act. The unfathomable duration of geological time that produced our mountains and rivers is also an example of environmental contemplation.

Contemplation Stage of Change

If you’ve ever tried to change a behavior, you know that real and lasting change is a process that unfolds over time. For example, if you wanted to change your diet, you would need to first recognize that this is something you want to do, then identify what you want to change about your diet, and then begin the process. These are 3 of the 5 stages of change identified by researchers studying human behavior.
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The five stages include:

Pre-contemplation
Pre-contemplation is the stage before you have any intention to change your behavior or recognize that a change can be made.

Contemplation
The contemplation stage is the stage at which you become aware that a change is needed and think deeply about what it would mean for you to change the behavior and what the pros and cons of a behavior change might be. People often remain in this stage for a long time. For example, a group of researchers studying smokers found that they stayed in the contemplation phase for two years (DiClemente & Prochaska, 1985).

Preparation
The preparation stage is the stage at which you make decisions about how you are going to go about implementing the change you’ve been thinking about. Using the diet change example, this would be the time at which you might consult a nutritionist, look into healthy meal subscriptions, or lay out specifically which foods you want to avoid and which foods you want to increase.

Action
This is the stage at which you actually start to make the changes you’ve decided to make. For example, this would be when you would grocery shop according to your meal plan or subscribe to that meal delivery service.

Maintenance
Maintenance refers to sticking to the changes you’ve made. Ideally, this stage lasts for the rest of your life or until you’ve reached your goal. However, as you may have experienced, maintenance can be the most difficult stage. This is apparent in the eventual dissolution of so many of our New Year resolutions. That said, if you do revert back to the previous behavior you wanted to alter, all you need to do is go through the stages again. Most people tend to cycle through these.

Contemplation Stage of Recovery

The contemplation stage of recovery is the same as the contemplation stage just described with the exception that it refers specifically to addiction.

In the context of addiction, this stage is characterized by a person reflecting on their lives and exploring the possibility that they have a problem and might need to make some changes. 

During the contemplation stage, people struggling with addiction may be aware that their behavior is causing problems, but they may also be resistant to change due to fear, denial, or ambivalence. They may weigh the pros and cons of changing their behavior and may experience internal conflict about what to do. Recovering from addiction always comes with a period of withdrawal when the body is suddenly without the substance of choice and has to adapt. Depending on the substance, the period can be very painful, making the decision to quit even more challenging.
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It's important to note that not everyone goes through every stage of change and that some people may move back and forth between stages, or spend a long time in one stage before moving on to the next.

The contemplation stage is an important part of the recovery process, as it provides an opportunity for individuals with an addiction to gain a deeper understanding of their behavior, where it came from, and the impact it is having on their life. This is also the stage where they begin to weigh the costs and benefits of change. With support and encouragement, individuals in this stage can move on to the next stage of change, which is often preparation or action.

Contemplation Philosophy

Philosophical contemplation refers to reflection on the most fundamental of life issues, those that derive from our inner depth. These questions include topics such as the meaning of life, death, existence, ethics, and truth.

Contemplation is found in the philosophy of many early Greek philosophers including Aristotle, Socrates, and Plato.

Contemplation Exercises

Contemplation exercises are practices designed to help individuals reflect and gain insight into a particular subject or issue. Here are a few examples:
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• Journaling: Daily journaling about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences can be a powerful tool for contemplation and self-discovery.
• Reflection questions: Asking yourself thought-provoking questions, such as "What are my values?" or "What makes me happy?" can be a useful way to stimulate contemplation.
• Mindfulness meditation: Practicing mindfulness meditation involves focusing on the present moment and observing thoughts and feelings without judgment. This can be a helpful tool for gaining insight into your thoughts and behaviors.
• Solitude and silence: Spending time alone in quiet reflection can help to calm the mind and provide space for contemplation.
• Gratitude practice: Taking time to reflect on what you are grateful for can be a powerful tool for promoting well-being and self-reflection.
• Visualization: Imagining a desired outcome or imagining yourself in a desired situation can help to clarify your goals and promote contemplation.

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​These are just a few examples of contemplation exercises. The most important aspect is that the practice is tailored to you and addresses your specific goals, needs, and wants. The goal of any contemplation exercise is to help you gain insight, clarity, and a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around them.

Contemplation Meditation

Contemplative meditation is a type of meditation where you focus on a specific thought or image that may provide insight or understanding of a particular aspect of your life or yourself. This form of meditation typically involves a quiet and relaxed state of mind, with a focus on the breath or a specific mantra or phrase, and an open and receptive attitude towards the thoughts and emotions that may arise during the practice. The aim of contemplative meditation is to help you become more self-aware, calm, and centered.

Quotes on Contemplation

• “Give yourself a gift of five minutes of contemplation in awe of everything you see around you. Go outside and turn your attention to the many miracles around you. This five-minute-a-day regimen of appreciation and gratitude will help you to focus your life in awe.” - Wayne Dyer

• “The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival.” - Aristotle

• “That pleasure which is at once the most pure, the most elevating and the most intense, is derived, I maintain, from the contemplation of the beautiful.” - Edgar Allan Poe
• “What we plant in the soil of contemplation, we shall reap in the harvest of action.” - Meister Eckhart
• “In a position of utter desolation, when man cannot express himself in positive action, when his only achievement may consist in enduring his sufferings in the right way - an honorable way - in such a position man can, through loving contemplation of the image he carries of his beloved, achieve fulfillment.” - Viktor E. Frankl
• “Art is contemplation. It is the pleasure of the mind which searches into nature and which there divines the spirit of which nature herself is animated.” - Auguste Rodin
• “Life is an experimental journey undertaken involuntarily. It is a journey of the spirit through the material world and, since it is the spirit that travels, it is the spirit that is experienced. That is why there exist contemplative souls who have lived more intensely, more widely, more tumultuously than others who have lived their lives purely externally.” -  Fernando Pessoa
• “Contemplation seems to be about the only luxury that costs nothing.” - Dodie Smith
• “A man must find time for himself. Time is what we spend our lives with. If we are not careful we find others spending it for us. . . . It is necessary now and then for a man to go away by himself and experience loneliness; to sit on a rock in the forest and to ask of himself, 'Who am I, and where have I been, and where am I going?' . . . If one is not careful, one allows diversions to take up one's time—the stuff of life.” - Carl Sandburg

• “It is necessary for the perfection of human society that there should be men who devote their lives to contemplation.” - Thomas Aquinas

Articles Related to Contemplation

​Want to learn more? Check out these articles:

• Introspection: Definition (in Psychology), Examples, and Questions
• Well-Being Definition, Meaning, and Strategies
• Identity: Definition, Types, & Examples​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Books Related to Contemplation

If you’d like to keep learning more, here are a few books that you might be interested in.

• The Art of Contemplation: Gentle path to wholeness and prosperity
• The Inner Experience: Notes on Contemplation
• The Deepest Peace: Contemplations from a Season of Stillness

Final Thoughts on Contemplation

Contemplation is an important part of life. It allows us to more richly enjoy or understand our daily experiences, helps us find purpose and meaning in life, and can improve our health and well-being in a number of different ways. For more on contemplation, check out this video:

Video: Contemplation – The Most Important Tool For Sages

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References

• Dahl, C. J., & Davidson, R. J. (2019). Mindfulness and the contemplative life: pathways to connection, insight, and purpose. Current opinion in psychology, 28, 60-64.
• DiClemente, C. C., Prochaska, J. O., & Gibertini, M. (1985). Self-efficacy and the stages of self-change of smoking. Cognitive therapy and Research, 9(2), 181-200.
• Fraser, A. (2013). The healing power of meditation: Leading experts on Buddhism, psychology, and medicine explore the health benefits of contemplative practice. Shambhala Publications.
• Kemeny, M. E., Foltz, C., Cavanagh, J. F., Cullen, M., Giese-Davis, J., Jennings, P., ... & Ekman, P. (2012). Contemplative/emotion training reduces negative emotional behavior and promotes prosocial responses. Emotion, 12(2), 338.
• Prochaska, J. O., DiClemente, C. C., & Norcross, J. C. (1992). In search of how people change: Applications to addictive behaviors.American Psychologist, 47(9), 1102–1114. https://doi-org.libproxy.uoregon.edu/10.1037/0003-066X.47.9.1102
• Walker, M. (2018). Aristotle on the Uses of Contemplation. Yale-NUS college

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