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Lectio Divina is an ancient Christian way of engaging deeply with God through scriptures and other texts. |
Below is a guided meditation for Lectio Divina in written and audio formats.
These are intended specifically for use with the longer quotes from the weekly, 'Quoting Silence: A month with ...' series, here, but can be used to ground yourself and practice Lectio Divina with any text.
These are intended specifically for use with the longer quotes from the weekly, 'Quoting Silence: A month with ...' series, here, but can be used to ground yourself and practice Lectio Divina with any text.
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Audio Lectio Divina practice: For the audio guided Lection Divina, click the play button on the small image next to or below this text. To pause, and restart, click in the same place. You may like to allow 10-15 minutes for this practice. |
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A written guided meditation for Lectio Divina:
I invite you to engage with this week's longer quotation more deeply, through the ancient Christian practice of Lectio Divina. Lectio Divina is a Latin phrase that translates as ‘Divine reading’.
In Lectio, as it’s called for short, we seek to be attentive to ourselves and to God as we engage with a text using the ears of our hearts.
There are four movements through the Lectio practice:
Lectio – reading, but can also be hearing a text
Meditatio – reflecting
Oratio – responding
Contemplatio – resting in God
Begin by settling into a physical posture in which you feel comfortable and relaxed, but also alert, where possible, with some part of your body connecting you to the ground.
Close or lower your eyes, or focus on something simple, like a candle.
- Notice the sounds around you.
- Feel your body in contact with whatever is supporting it.
- Is there any aroma that you can smell?
Bring your awareness to your breathing and follow the flow of several breaths, in and out, in and out.
Open your heart to the presence of the Holy, sustaining you in life.
Lectio Divina Practice
- Lectio: re-listen to or read again the long quotation, attentive with the ear of your heart for a word of phrase that draws you. Repeat it gently a few times.
- Meditatio: Reflect on and savour the word or phrase that caught your awareness. How is it resonating in your heart?
- Oratio - responding: As your being with this word or phrase deepens, allow responses to arise spontaneously — wonderings, thanksgivings or laments.
- Contemplatio - resting with God: Simply be with and open to the presence of holy divine love.
You may like to return to earlier movements of the Lectio practice.
Allow yourself all the time you need before drawing this time of Lectio to a close, perhaps with a few words, an action or intention that express your gratitude for whatever you have encountered.