We’ve been exploring the beauty and power of the spiritual practice of journaling. We’ve found that when we prayerfully write to God and then prayerfully listen, that we actually can be led to write divinely inspired conversation. Tonight we continue that practice and privilege but in a slightly different way.
In the last two weeks in particular, I have laid out some of the obstacles people often experience when they first enter this practice. Some, for instance, feel that they lack the requisite writing skills to effectively engage in this practice. Hopefully, by now we’ve overcome that obstacle. Others tend to feel that God could never or would never speak directly to and through “me.” I think that last week, in particular, we saw that such a humble self-assessment ought not get in the way, and, in fact, does not get in the way of God speaking.
But is the third obstacle that we will confront head on in tonight’s practice. The third obstacle we have discussed is one that operates mostly at the subconscious level. It’s so subtle that at times we aren’t even aware of it. It is the notion many of us carry that God, the Creator, the Spirit, the Ultimate Source is somehow disappointed with us, upset with us, not pleased with us. Deep down, in our quietest and perhaps weakest moments, many of us, regardless of religion, may feel this way, with the result that we may not really WANT to hear from God. For those of us growing up in American Christianity in particular, with its constant emphasis on sin, guilt, confession, and what John Calvin called “total depravity,” it shouldn’t be hard to figure out where we get our sense of being disappointing to God. But is that really the whole story? Is sin even supposed to be central to the story of who God is, who we are, and what the nature of relationship to the Divine is and is all about? Does the loving God who created all that is, does that Source of all energy and life really want us to feel that way about ourselves?
My hope is that tonight’s unusual and imaginative practice will at least begin to answer that question for us. It is an usual practice and it does ask a lot of your imagination. I am going to ask all of us to close our eyes in a few moments and imagine a scenario. Once I’ve painted the scenario and sounded our bell, I’d like us to keep silently present in the scenario for ten minutes or so. From there, eventually, I’d like us to write whatever we heard and sensed and felt throughout the imagination-based exercise. That is the journaling component of this evening’s practice. Now to give this imagined scenario as much flesh and bone as possible, I’m going to use the name and figure of Jesus in the description. But, if you would like to picture or work with some other divine manifestation or figure, that is fine too. So let’s begin.
You’ll need to get comfortable, sitting with good posture, practicing good, deep but relaxed breathing, and, of course, close your eyes.
I want you to imagine that you are sitting in an incredibly beautiful, peaceful, natural setting…It could be a place you know and go to often, a park, a place on the shore or in a woods clearing. It could be a place you’ve never been but have pictured…But it is amazingly beautiful and profoundly peaceful….Absorb and take in the scene… There you are…the sun is warming your face…listen to natures sounds…smells…aromas…
In your peripheral vision you see a figure off in the distance walking toward you. It’s a peaceful figure, moving easily, naturally, taking in the scenery as you are. He’s not in a hurry and is as relaxed as you are…He’s not a distraction from the scene but seems part of it…
He draws closer and you begin to make out his features….He is smiling…He approaches and gestures as if to ask if he may join you, sit beside you, and you nod your consent….It is Jesus… He begins to speak with you…. Listen to what he says to you…and pay attention to your conversation with Jesus…
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