People have asked me why I continue to use Hebrew and Christian scripture in the programs that I facilitate when there is so much controversy over interpretation of scripture. The reason I use scripture is because I have had the great fortune of teachers and mentors who have shown me the way to experience scripture as the living, breathing word of God. Released from the constrictions of doctrinal interpretation, Hebrew and Christian Scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita, The Vedas, The Yoga and Buddhist Sutras and the Quran (and all other sacred texts), have the potential for being a source of Divine revelation in a very personal and intimate way. Through ancient techniques of prayerful contemplation, scripture can be a vehicle through which God teaches, inspires, guides, comforts and heals. Hebrew and Christian scripture just happen to be the source materials with which I am the most familiar, and through which I have personally experienced the living, breathing voice of God.
In the coming weeks, I will share with you several of these ancient techniques of prayerful contemplation in the hopes that through these practices, you too may experience the voice of God in your own heart. May you experience the gift of God's loving presence in this holiday season and in the coming New Year!
Practice: Imagination-Contemplation
Technique: In this meditative practice, you are invited to allow God to reveal God's truth to you through your imagination. I affectionately refer to this practice as "Daydreaming as Prayer." Choose a scriptural narrative (story). Read through the story slowly and meditatively. Choose a character from the story (named or unnamed) and place yourself in the story, experiencing the story from the perspective of that character. Imagine all the details, your surroundings, other witnesses, what you are wearing, smells, sounds, etc. Allow your imagination to run wild as the story unfolds before you. Don't censor or judge the story, just let it unfold. Be aware of any emotions, thoughts, etc. that may arise as the story is unfolding. After imagining, write the story down as you experienced it, allow additional details to come forth, recording them along with the experience. After recording your experience, read it to yourself, reflecting on the following questions:
1) How are the details of the story reflective of me and where I am in my own journey?
2) What is God revealing to me through this reflection?
Scripture: A great scripture passage to use with this practice is the story of the Annunciation. See text below for your convenience. Happy daydreaming!
The Annunciation
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to be according to your word." Luke 1: 26-31, 34-38
copyright 2009 Lauri Lumby Schmidt
