Seeing in the Dark

Visio Divina and Contemplative Photography

The practice of Visio Divina or contemplative photography may sometimes seem really foreign. Maybe you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing or you don’t know how to do it. Or maybe you think you’re doing it wrong. Honestly there’s, there’s no way to do it wrong. It’s like saying that you pray wrong or that you love somebody wrong.

There is no wrong way to practice visio divina. And there’s no wrong way to practice contemplative photography. They are practices that teach you how to see with a spiritual awareness. Once you learn these practices, you will never see the world the same. There will always be an extra dimension or layer of meaning.

In fact, you could say that learning to shift to seeing with your spiritual awareness is a lot like learning to see in the dark. At first, everything seems totally black, but if you are a patient and don’t grab for the flashlight, little by little you begin to discover that you can pick out shadows and shapes and in some mysterious way.  — from the book, Centering Prayer by Cynthia Bourgeault

What is a Contemplative Prayer Practice?

Is your heart in a place where you are seeking a relationship with God and you are showing up? That’s prayer. Anytime you invite God to be present in what you are doing, that’s prayer. Whether it’s going on a walk or sitting with a piece of art, walking around with your camera, reading the Bible, washing the dishes… Whatever it might be. What makes it contemplative? It’s the process of slowing down, being in the moment, and focusing your heart, mind, and senses on the presence of God.

Wherever we are, whatever we’re doing, if we’re inviting God into that process, inviting His presence, that becomes prayer; a time of relationship with God.

How Does God Speak?

God speaks to each and every one of us in His own way, with His own words. Sometimes He’ll speak to you when you’re reading something and something just jumps off the page. Or maybe you’re talking with a friend and something they say, makes you react like, “whoa.” It really depends on your personal relationship with God, how He might speak to you. Occasionally it’s a deep knowing or you see something that grabs your attention.

For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them. In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the spirit of God.  —1 Corinthians 2:11

Who am I to tell you what your relationship should be with God? Who am I to tell you what you should be hearing and how you should be hearing it? When I share about visio divina and contemplative photography, I’m just sharing tools that work for me. Be patient with the process of “seeing in the dark” and hearing God’s voice.

Trying New Spiritual Practices

When you try something new, like a different way of being or a different way of showing up in a relationship, it can feel awkward. It can feel like you’re stumbling around in the dark. You can keep trying. Or you can say, “yeah, you know what, this isn’t for me,” and that’s OK.

I want to encourage you that this is your relationship and your walk with God. And if it’s something that you really desire, then keep practicing, keep trying, keep listening, keep looking, keep showing up. Like Cynthia Bourgeault said in the opening quote I shared, it’s like finding out that you can finally see in the dark. Your eyes start to adjust, and you start to see. I don’t really know how else to explain it.

I think we’ve all experienced God speaking to us through something that we read or see but then we kind of lose the thread of what we were seeing or hearing. It’s like that when you’re learning a new skill: you have it and then you don’t have it, and then you think you have it, but you’re not really sure. It just takes time and practice.

So be patient. Be as patient with yourself as God is with you. Don’t get discouraged if these practices don’t click for you right away. I can assure you both that God is speaking AND that you will learn how to hear His voice.

If you would like to learn and practice visio divina more consistently, consider checking out my book: Meeting God through Art: Visio Divina.

Be blessed and keep your eyes open for beauty.