To the perfection of this high Contemplation may no man come till he be first reformed in soul to the likeness of Jesus in the perfection of virtues: nor can any man living in mortal body have it continually and habitually in the height of it, but by times when he is visited. And as I conceive by the writing of holy men, it is a full short time, for soon after he returneth to a sobriety of bodily feeling; and of all this work charity is the cause. Thus, as I understand St Paul speaks of himself: For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God, or whether we be sober, it is for your cause; it is the love of Christ that constraineth us; that is, whether we overpass our bodily senses in Contemplation, or we are more sober to you in our bodily feeling, the love of Christ straineth us. (John Climacus)

The Latin origins of contemplate are con (or com) meaning together or with or at one and templum to cut, divide, or separate. You can see the word temple, as in a place set aside for auguries.

To contemplate is to be at one with what is separated, to be at one with what is set aside, what is sacred.

We typically think of the contemplative being separated from the world. But more accurately the contemplative is bound to that which is separated.

To both know and experience God is to be in deep relationship with the extraordinary. To the extent we are in deep relationship with the sacred we may seem separated from the world.

But if our God is fully engaged with and deeply concerned with the world, what does this say of the contemplatives stance?