Spiritual Direction by Henri J. M. Nouwen

Author:Henri J. M. Nouwen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2018-01-05T05:00:00+00:00

GOING DEEPER: EXERCISES FOR SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

FINDING GOD IN THE WORD

Listening, reading, speaking, and writing in ways that are faithful to the word of God are difficult spiritual disciplines. Here are four simple rules for finding God in the word:

Listen to the Living Word, which is Jesus, in your heart through contemplative prayer.

Read the written word with an open embrace through the practice of lectio divina.

Let your speaking of a word be born out of a gentle silence and humbleness of heart.

After a time or prayer and mediation, write a love letter or a spiritual reflection about what God may be saying. Share this with your spiritual director or prayer group.

With Christ in our hearts, the Bible in our hands, and some time for solitude and silence in our lives, we can find God in the word. The Living Word of God draws us into silence, and silence makes us attentive to God’s written word, but word and silence both need the guidance of a spoken word through a trusted friend. May I be your guide for a moment? I want to lead you through a spiritual exercise of centering prayer, lectio divina, and spiritual writing to help you find God in the word.30

CENTERING PRAYER

First, bring yourself to God as you are. Sit comfortably, your Bible open to a selected reading. All you have to bring to your relationship with God is yourself. The object is not to try to feel special or holy, but to feel plainly yourself.

Then, close your eyes and become quietly attentive to yourself. . . . Become aware of your breathing, and begin to relax with its natural rhythm.

As you relax, you will first become aware of noises, smells . . . soon your quiet will be interrupted, first by a trickle, then a rush of thoughts, feelings, shopping lists, things undone, pressing concerns.

Allow these to come. They are not obstacles to this time of quiet, they are its purpose.

Resist concentrating on any particular thought or feeling (this will block others), but allow each one to pass on by. When you do become hooked by one, don’t fight. Become attentive once again to your breathing, and then allow the thoughts and feelings to come again.

You will often find that the rush subsides to a few deeper thoughts, thicker feelings. Listen . . . Listen . . . Listen . . .

After several minutes, when you are ready, open your eyes. You are now ready to seek God in the written word.

LECTIO DIVINA

Choose a passage of scripture to read aloud, slowly, attentively, once through. Pause to let the passage sink in. Resist a familiar understanding, even of a familiar passage. Allow yourself to hear the story anew.

Reread the passage, piece by piece. Note the story line and questions raised. Again, resist the familiar interpretation. Look for a word or two in the story. Explore the passage the way a child might explore a strange room, in the spirit of curiosity and openness.

Read the passage a third time.

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