Visio divina invites the viewer into "divine seeing." Visio divina shares roots with the ancient practice of lectio divina. (Lectio divina calls for a slow, careful interaction with scripture through meditation and prayer, allowing a word or phrase to rise in our consciousness, a holy word to savor and examine.) Similarly, visio divina invites us to encounter the divine through images. A prayerful consideration of and interaction with a photograph, an icon, a piece of art, or other visual representation allows the viewers to experience the divine in a unique and powerful way.
You may practice visio divina individually or in a small group or worship setting by using a piece of art as a focal point for prayer. You can also pair scripture with the image in order to reflect on the scripture through the art.
1. Pick out an image from a website: a photograph, painting, or icon.
2. Look at the image and let your eyes stay with the first thing you see. Focus your attention on the part of the image that first catches your eye. Try to keep your eyes from wandering to other parts of the picture. Breathe deeply and let yourself gaze at that part of the image for a minute or so.
3. Let your eyes now gaze at the whole image. Take your time and look at every part of the photograph. See it all. Reflect on the image for a minute or so
4. Consider the following questions:
5. Offer your prayers to God now in a final time of silence.
If you enjoyed visio divina, try Sight Psalms, a daily, online photo inspiration to help people reflect on God’s presence in the world and in their lives through the use of images. Each day, a new photograph is posted to evoke reflection and inspiration within themes connected to the Christian year. A few words usually accompany the photograph.
You may also be interested in Lectio Divina: Divine Reading
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