Be not afraid
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” Luke 2:8-15
Visio Divina is seeing "with the eyes of our hearts." Take some time to consider these four movements as you behold "Seeing Shepherds" by Daniel Bonnell.
Settling and Shimmering
Breathe deeply. Move your awareness down to your heart center. Settle into this moment. Gaze on the image with a soft focus. Release any thoughts or expectations. Explore all of the details, colors, movements, and shapes. Notice what shimmers for you. Let your eye rest somewhere on the image.
Savoring and Stirring
Staying with what shimmers, close your eyes and allow it to unfold in your heart, savoring your experience. Make space within for images, feelings, and memories to stir. How does your body respond?
Summoning and Serving
Slowly shift your awareness to a sense of invitation or summoning which rises up from your meditation. How does the prayer stirring in you meet you in this particular moment of your life? How might you be called into a new awareness or kind of service through this experience?
Slowing and Stilling
Release all of the words and images and slow down even more deeply. Allow yourself some time for silence and stillness. Breathe gratitude in and out.
At the end of your prayer you might gaze one more time on the image just to see if you see anything new there.
(Prompts from Christine Valters Paintner – www.AbbeyoftheArts.com)
