Jul 9, 2019
The spiritual practice of lectio divina (divine/sacred
reading) originated in the early centuries of Christianity and
survived from then until recently primarily in monasteries and
convents. In the past few decades, it has found many practitioners
among spiritual seekers. Primarily focused on Bible texts but
applicable to all scripture, including LDS ones, and sacred
readings, lectio is a way of engaging these texts that concentrates
on our discernment of what in the passage is calling to us to
explore, and then using it as a catalyst for our inner work. In
this way, it becomes a form of scripture reading that truly allows
these texts, with their stories and symbols and metaphors, etc. to
become daily bread and living water for us. It isn't so much
reading for content or just the action of the story or in an effort
to nail down some hard and fast truth in ways that will build
testimony of our previously held notions, but a way of approaching
the texts with an open heart and soul that allows it to draw you
into conversation with it, and with our deepest selves.
In this episode, Latter-day Faith host Dan
Wotherspoon introduces this practice and its various
elements--lectio (reading), meditatio
(meditation/reflection), oratatio (prayer), and
contemplatio (contemplation)--in an attempt to get you
excited about engaging scripture in ways that aren't taught in most
traditions. He speaks about each of the aspects, as well as shares
as an example some of the ways that his personal practice of lectio
led him to discover new things in and about the story told in Luke
4:14-30, but even more to reflect on and help get unstuck in trying
to overcome a personal struggle of his.
We hope you'll enjoy learning about this practice and potentially
trying it out for yourself! We all need to draw fresh each day from
the well of the Spirit and Divine guidance and encouragement, and
this is one discipline that has been extremely helpful for other
fellow travelers along the spiritual journey trail.