Contemplative practices are present in all contemplative traditions, and although there are differences when it comes to meditation, contemplative teachers within the varied traditions all point to the same thing. Within the Catholic tradition, one of these teachers is Saint Francis de Sales, a Doctor of the Universal Church who lived between 1567 and 1622.
When asked how to meditate, Saint Francis de Sales is quoted to have said the following statement that speaks to the heart of mindfulness:
“Bring yourself back to the point quite gently. And even if you do nothing during the whole of your hour but bring your heart back a thousand times, though it went away every time you brought it back, your hour would be very well employed.” (as cited in Dowrick, 2013)
This can be very difficult to do, and Francis de Sales is quoted to have further said that, “what we need is a cup of understanding, a barrel of love, and an ocean of patience” (as cited Kornfield, 1993, p. 58), to do this..……….. You can read the rest on the substack “Now About Meditation” by clicking below.