Contemplative practices and spiritual disciplines do not—in and of themselves—make us contemplative or spiritual. In short, learning to be still is a kind of awakening to the deeper realities of God and His Kingdom, it’s an awareness and mindfulness that is slowly cultivated by the Great Vinedresser (note: early monastics called their spiritual disciples a “rule of life” based on the trellises that hold up grape vines; indeed, Jesus is the vine and we are the branches and spiritual disciplines teach us to “abide in Him”). We learn to pray fewer words, knowing God isn’t like the pagan gods who only respond to pageantry and show.