Immersed in God: Visio Divina

Van Gogh painting taken from the New Yorker

By Linda Anderson-Little

My husband and I visited Immersive Van Gogh art experiences. Using 90,000 pixels and 500,000 cubic feet of projection, Van Gogh’s paintings covered all four walls and the floor. They manipulated the paintings with the video, set to beautiful music. We were truly immersed in moving art — it was all around us, on our bodies and even covering our shoes. It was captivating and deeply spiritual, personal and communal. The whole experienced opened a spiritual doorway to peace.

This is how we live in God, in Spirit — every second of our life we are immersed in God, the creator and ground of all being. At the burning bush in Exodus 3:14, God said to Moses, “I am that I am.”

God is life and breath itself. We have been breathing God unconsciously since we were born. Acts 17 says, “in God we live and move and have our being.” This is why I feel close to God in nature - because God is projected everywhere in creation, the ver first Bible with more pixels and cells than we can possibly conceive!

When I go outside to listen to the birds, feel the music of the breeze, and breathe deeply, I can connect with this doorway to peace. But such moments are always available to me wherever I am as I become more attuned to contemplation and the prayer of union with the God within and around me in all things. I am always immersed deeply in God with or without my conscious awareness, The doorway to immersive peace is always open.

This essay was originally published in House of Peace, a publication or Retreat House Spirituality Center. Purchase a copy and learn more about this book series.

Visio Divina

Pick out an image from a website, a photograph, painting, or icon. Or, you may wish to use this photo of the pink Hibiscus outside on the back porch of Retreat House.

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. 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.

Now, offer your prayers to God in a final time of silence.

Amen.