But after thou hast escaped these temptations, or else if our Lord hath so kept thee (as He doth many by His mercy) that thou hast not been troubled much with any such, then it is good for thee that thou beware of turning thy rest into idleness; for there is many a man that taketh rest upon him too soon, as if he were ripe for rest in Contemplation. But if thou wilt do well, begin a new game and a new travail, and that is, by meditation, to enter within into thy own soul, for to know what it is, and by the knowing thereof to come to the spiritual knowledge of God. For St Austin saith, By the knowing of myself I shall get the knowledge of God. I say not that such exercise is absolutely necessary, and thy bounden duty, unless thou feel thyself stirred up by grace, and as it were called thereto. For our Lord giveth divers gifts where He pleaseth, not all to one man, nor one to every man, save the gift of charity, which is common to all. (John Climacus)

Contemplātus ptp. of contemplāre, contemplārī to survey, observe, equiv. to con- con- + templ ( um ) space marked off for augural observation, temple + -ātus -ate.

Com- a prefix meaning “with,” “together,” “in association,” and (with intensive force) “completely,” occurring in loanwords from Latin.

Meditātiōn-(s. of meditātiō ) a thinking over, reflect, plan (see meditate, -ion); r. ME meditacioun < AF < Latin.

Most English dictionaries conflate contemplate and meditate. But contemplation is a public act attentive to God in our context, while meditation is a process of spiritual self-examination.

God exists in both the exterior and the interior. Engaging in both contemplation and meditation can help us more fully know God.