Spiritual Practices (4)
Growing faith Through Daily Practice
don't give something up - take something on

Here's another practice that I've presented at our church in our bulletin during Lent.
Lectio Divina with Music

Music lovers are in for a treat with this prayer. Instead of listening for a word from the written page, you will be listening for what is evoked in you by music. You are allowing God to speak to you through musical notes, phrases, and images.

The choice of music used in this prayer is entirely up to you. It can be instrumental or vocal. It can e from any genre that inspires you – it does not have to be religious of from the inspirational genre. If you have a music collection, start with a selection that has moved you in some way previously.

After doing this prayer intentionally for awhile, or may find yourself moved to prayer spontaneously when listening to music. That’s the beauty of lectio divina – it becomes a part of life as you practice it regularly. It helps us “pray always.”

Intention

• To experience God in music.

The Exercise

• Choose the music you want to pray with.
• Begin with silence, asking God to be present in the music.
• Listen to your selection more than once. As you do this, be aware of any image, word, emotion, or memory that is called forth in you.
• When you settle on an image, word, emotion, or memory, sit silently with is and bring your attention back to it when your attention strays. Allow this prayer gift to deepen in you.
• What might this image, word, phrase, or emotion have to say about your life today? How is it connected to your spiritual journey? Ask God to reveal that to you.
• Rest silently with your image, word, phrase, or emotion . Offer it to God. Wait patiently on God.
• What would you like to express to God about the experience of praying with this piece of music? You might want to write in a journal about it, share it with someone, or return to it in prayer at another time.
• Settle into a wordless and imageless time with God. When distractions get in the way, simply acknowledge them and return to contemplation (spiritual wondering).
• Thank God for what is received in this time of prayer.

Tips for the Practice

This prayer will be easier for some people than for others. In traditional lectio divina, we have a lot of words to work with. With music – especially instrumentals – we don’t’ have word hooks to grab on to. We are propelled into the ephemeral world of emotion, images, and memories. Perhaps what comes to you is a word. But more likely it will be a feeling that leads you to a memory or an image. Whatever feels important to you is what you take into prayer and spend time on with God.

Shamelessly plagurized from 50 Ways to Pray: Practices from Many Traditions and Time by Teresa A. Blythe pages 52-53. If you liked this entry buy the book for 49 more prayer practices!

I love this. It's fun. Challenging. Fits me. Yet I'm struggling to practice this with a recent fav. Big Girls.