The Virtue of Reflective Practice

REFLECTION  & CRITICAL THINKING

( finding a better balance)

We live in a fast moving and dynamic world where new discoveries are occurring almost daily and where all professions , branches of society and sciences are challenged to remain rooted in truth and yet open to new  ideas. Most of the other main professions recognise our tendency towards thinking and the inherent imbalance between reflection and thinking . Therefore , they exhort followers to develop the attitudes and skills of Reflective Practice, combine this with genuine Critical Thinking and live a more balanced life.

The Table below outlines some important issues that contrast  Reflection and Thinking and are then followed by some important points about DEEP REFLECTION  or Meditation

REFLECTION  (PRACTICE)	(CRITICAL)THINKING
Emphasises the instinctive or intuitive	Emphasises explicit reasoning and debate  or discussion
Is expressive and inquisitive and explores  spirituality and religion as  a way of life and a journey into relationship	Is analytical and strategic, linking  knowledge bases , such as Scripture and other books etc to practice and worship

Emphasises learning through practice and personal experience of the Mystery

Emphasises deconstructing Religion by  examining processes, worship and

written Scripture

Appreciates that  the world and creation have meaning that can both inform and give deeper understanding to the Spiritual Pilgrim

Understands the difference between empirical information ( facts) , and attributed  meanings from  written tradition and personal perceptions

The Classic Challenge for Reflective Practice : -  Being sensitive to others  while at the same time being true to one’s personal experience of  the Indwelling Mystery . Remaining open , awake and aware  that each unique being has a personal journey back to the Source of Life we  refer to as God

The Classic Challenge for

( Critical) Thinking : defending current religious thinking and practice in a dynamically changing world. Remaining mindful that theology is constantly shifting in response to new knowledge and new understanding of the contextual issues that inform our Scriptures, Religions and cultural influences.

DEEP REFLECTION – Spiritual Wisdom

Spirituality is much older than the main Religions. Spirituality has been around since the dawn of humanity and we have over 70, 000 years of recorded evidence. Religion is a more recent expression of our human spiritual experience, it is ,at most, only 5000 years old.  

The Spiritual Wisdom has much to teach us about Reflection and provides many useful Spiritual Practices to aid our reflection. . Ultimately Deep Reflection  ( meditation) is a state of profound inner silence  and peace , a state of not thinking, of just being aware. And in this state of awareness, deep truths rise up within. Therefore, Spiritual Pilgrims can learn much from our past, from other professions and their own experience and thus develop a Spiritual Practice that places a greater emphasis on the value and virtue of finding moments of stillness and silence to aid Reflection.   Like salt or yeast, moments of reflection  add a great deal to life’s balance.

Peter Creagh