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Advent Devotional: Visio Divina

Encountering God through Art

This year for our Good Shepherd Advent Devotional, we will be exploring the use of artwork as we reflect on the words from Mary’s Song from the Gospel of Luke.  Four Good Shepherd artists have been invited to create pieces of artwork based on Luke 1:46-55, the Magnificat. You are invited to use these images to practice Visio Divina, a spiritual practice of listening to God through art.

The Art

Week One |  Artist: Gary Lewis

Week Two |  Artist: Jennifer Fagan

Week Three |  Artist: Tom Kuchenbecker

Week Four |  Artist: Mia Raven

Visio Divina directions

  1. Have the image in front of you
  2. Get comfortable and notice your breath and body
  3. Be present as you look at the image
  • What is the image saying to you?
  • How do you feel as you look at it?
  • What words are coming to you as you encounter this image?
  • Do you glimpse something sacred?
  • Is God saying something to you through this image?
  1. Be silent and sit with what you received.

Optional: Share a word/phrase that you received from the image on the Good Shepherd Facebook page.

FAQ about Visio Divina

  1. How long am I supposed to look at the image?
    There is no set limit on the amount of time.  Some people like to look at it for a few minutes others may take longer.  Whatever feels like the right amount of time to you is just fine.
  1. Can I practice this with others?
    Yes, definitely!  Visio Divina can be done by yourself or in a group and in fact hearing what others receive from the image can be another source of reflection.
  1. Can kids participate in Visio Divina?
    Visio Divina is a great spiritual practice for children and for families to do together.  You can go through the questions together and answer as you go.  You could also pray together at the end or create your own artwork based on what came to your mind.
  1. Can I use the same image more than once?
    Yes, please do.  Just like with the practice Lectio Divina where you read a Bible passage several times, Visio Divina can be practiced more than once with the same image. And in fact it can be interesting to use the same image over and over and see what new ways God is speaking to you through it.
  1. What if it is too weird for me?
    That’s okay!  If this is a new practice for you, it might feel weird at first. The most important part is spending time with God and if this isn’t your preferred way of connecting to God, there are many other ways.  Thanks for giving Visio Divina a try!

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