When the term “scientific” is mentioned, automatically what comes to mind is “logical” and being logical is oftentimes considered to be antithesis to mystical or contemplation. But did you know that among the beginnings of the scientific method is contemplation?
“But there is a very important reason that seems to have been forgotten by present-day scientists. It was within the religious monastic tradition where the so-called scientific method had its beginnings. Roger Bacon considered being responsible for the scientific method was a Franciscan friar. Others that were nurtured by the religious tradition include the Venerable Bede “who in the seventeenth century proposed the notion that the world was round.” Galileo and Copernicus were “educated and nourished by the monastic life,” and Nicolas of Cusa was a mathematician, mystic and bishop.“
-- From Mystic or Mistake: Exploring Filipino Mysticism in Quiapo by Teresita ObusanI interviewed an old woman in her seventies asking what she thinks of development. She looked at me and said:
"Salamat sa pagtanong mo sa akin. Sa ngayon di ko alam ang sagot . Ngunit ako ay uuwi at aking itong pagninilayan." (Thank you for asking me. I do not know the answer but I will go home and reflect on it.)
--From Kinaiyang Pamamaraan : Towards Discovering the Wisdom of our Nation in Hiyang Papers of the Colloquium on Research Methodologies in the Study of Spiritualities in the Philippines (June 28-30, 2004)
