77 – Visio Divina – Intention on the Spiritual Journey

I have mentioned here a couple of times ( #36 and #66 ) lectio divina, a way of sacred or holy reading.  What I have not mentioned is visio divina, a way of holy seeing.

While we can open ourselves to seeing the holy in any place or any time (have you every been looking at a mountain or the ocean or a lake or even a tree and “saw” something more, been touched by something more, found yourself on holy ground?) this time of year is full of things to see.  We might say it is “too crowded” with sights for the eyes.

More than once as I set looking at our lighted Christmas tree, I have found a sense of peace and presence coming over me.  In this otherwise busy season of the year does anything standout to you that draws you to peace, even to holy ground?

Recently I discovered Linda Roberts is sharing online “Advent Doodles” which are, to me, more than doodles and full images that can speak to me.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/markdroberts/advent/

Let me give you two suggestions for practicing visio divina on your own.

First, you could go to one of Linda Roberts doodles and spend time looking at it.  You could look at it on your computer or you could print the image and sit with it.  Look at all of it; look at the different images within the doodle.  Have a sense of what draws your attention and let that leading take you into the image and maybe lead you to a holy place.

Second, spend time looking at some Christmas decorations.  I don’t mean driving by a number of homes with decorations and thinking, “How pretty.”  Maybe some place has already drawn you in a way.  It might be the Christmas tree at your home or the lights and decorations at someone else’s home, or what a church has done.  Find a place and stay there a while.  Look and see the lights, the decorations, and see what happens.

My prayer is that you will be blessed by the sights, and sounds, and smells of this season, this Holy Season.  Merry Christmas to you and yours.

 


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *