Though Christianity has deep contemplative roots, contemplative insights and experiences can radically alter our concepts and perceptions of God to something beyond those typical to the Western Christian culture in which most of us were formed – not that these concepts and perceptions are wrong as far as they go, but more that they are inadequate to express the sheer depth and breadth of Divine Love. To say 2 + 2 = 4 is completely true, but that mathematical insight alone hardly prepares one for calculus, because the tools, and the experience in the arena of mathematics for one that only knows addition, aren't equal to the task. Likewise, contemplative practitioners, even (and especially!) seasoned practitioners can struggle to articulate and even comprehend their own experiences and the shared wisdom of fellow contemplatives because the realm of contemplation is so beyond the bounds of what has come before. Contemplative author Carl McColman likens contemplative experience to visiting a foreign country: “There are so many differences big and small (different traffic laws, different money, different social customs, different shopping and dining establishments, subtle differences even when the language is the same, and so forth). We call this "culture shock"… So I think there's a bit of ‘spiritual culture shock’ when Christians write about [contemplative experience].” In overcoming this culture shock, we must be patient with ourselves and others as we navigate this “new land” together, and we must realize that no amount of study or discussion on contemplation can substitute for experience.