Spiritual
Reading Process 1.
Sit quietly for at least two minutes paying attention to the
movement of your breath and the steady beat of your heart. Imagine
the charged thoughts in your mind becoming as still as a soundless
pond under the reflection of the sun. As you feel your mind becoming
more settled and silent, notice the presence of the Holy One
around you, and let yourself rest in that presence. 2.
Begin to read the material before you slowly and deliberately.
Whisper the words or phrases that attract your heart. Linger
over them, waiting for them to empty themselves over your mind
and soul. You might ask the words what they really want to say
to you, and then wait patiently for their reply. 3.
You may be tempted to move quickly to the next sentence, but
try to remain with what you have read – turning it over
in your mind, looking for nuances, chewing it as a cow chews
a cud. When you feel the words have nothing more to give you,
begin to read again. 4.
Continue this process for the time allotted. You may find that
you read through an entire chapter, or perhaps only one small
paragraph. The amount of text covered is unimportant. The encounter
and dialogue with the text is what is critical. 5.
Say a prayer of thanksgiving to heaven for the wonder of knowledge
and the gift of wisdom. Sit in silence to see if God has a response
to make to you. 6.
Spend a few minutes recording in your journal a few of your new
learnings or the questions that have emerged from your reading
and reflection. 7.
End your journal entry with the one short thought that you will
carry with you throughout the day.
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