In the Catholic tradition, meditation and contemplation are two distinct but related forms of prayer that represent different stages of the interior life. Meditation (also called mental prayer or discursive prayer) is an active exercise of the mind and will. The person deliberately reflects on Scripture, a mystery of the faith, or a spiritual text, using reason, imagination, and the emotions to deepen understanding and stir love for God. St. Teresa of Avila described it as 'thinking about God' — it is something we do with effort. Common methods include Ignatian meditation (imagining yourself in a Gospel scene) and Lectio Divina. Contemplation, by contrast, is a gift from God — an infused, wordless awareness of His presence that goes beyond thoughts and images. St. John of the Cross called it 'a loving knowledge of God' and St. Teresa described it as 'being looked at by God.' In contemplation, the soul rests in God's presence without active thinking. It cannot be manufactured; one can only dispose oneself to receive it through faithful practice of meditation and the sacraments. The Catechism describes contemplation as 'a gaze of faith, fixed on Jesus' (CCC 2715).