Week Two, Day Five Peace

I invite you into the prayer practice of Visio Divina through the threshold of breathing.

Breathe in to the count of three...exhale to the count of six or seven.

Breathe in the One who is stacking the rocks of life with you...exhale the moments the rock stacks of our daily lives come crashing/crumbling down.

Breathe in a joy of creating...breathe out the voices that criticize or critique that what you've made isn't good enough.

Look at the image and let your eyes stay with the very first thing that you see. Keep your attention on that one part of the image that first catches your eye. Try to keep your eyes from wandering to other parts of the picture. Breathe deeply and let yourself gaze at that part of the image for a minute or so. 

Now, let your eyes gaze at the whole image. Take your time and look at every part of the photograph. See it all. Make a list of what you see and ask yourself the deeper question of why?  See yourself standing before the Rock Figure, noticing the wispy clouds across the blue sky, the green grass, and flowers.  Reflect on the image for a minute or so.

Consider the following questions:

What emotions does this image evoke in you?

What does the image stir up in you, bring forth in you?

Does this image lead you into an attitude of prayer? If so, let these prayers take form in you. Write them down if you desire.

Reflection

We had already been biking for three hours.  I had already stopped more times that I could count collecting countless photos that I may or may not ever share.  We had just had lunch and were not more than two minutes down the road.

Then, this rock statue appeared.

I hopped off my bike. I ran down a hill. I waited while other people took turns taking photos. Then, I took the photo you see above.

I am not sure what thoughts stirred within you.  I am not sure whether this photo will ever convey the sense of hope and peace (as well as serendipitous joy) I felt in that moment.

This rock statue is known as Inukshuk.  It is an ancient symbol of the Inuit culture in the Northwest.  Such structures were both a navigational aid as well as a symbol of hospitality and friendship.

What symbols welcome you with a word of peace?

What symbols might have been along the way to Bethlehem that helped Mary and Joseph know God's presence was with them?  Maybe someone in a small village along the way offered a drink of water or bit of bread to them.  Maybe a stranger passed the miles by walking with them and sharing a story.  Maybe a few people walked alongside them silently offering support.

What symbols are paving your path to Bethlehem this year with hospitality and friendship?

I offer this ancient symbol to you as a reminder that in the course of daily life, beauty arrives unannounced and catches us so often unaware/unprepared.

We cannot always plan for beauty, peace, or hope to stop by for a visit.  We cannot map our lives for when we will stop the train because something or someone has so captured our hearts that we must stop or our soul won't be content.

Whether the other person will understand or "get it" isn't the point.

The point is in that moment the rock statue suddenly appeared to me with hospitality and friendship.

The point is in that moment I stopped.

The point is in this moment we share together.

That puts a smile on my face and awakens peace in my soul as the traces of God's grace tether us together in this moment. 

Blessings ~~