Lectio Divina

I had the pleasure (not) of studying Latin for 7 years as a young adult because my mother was convinced it would help me with my university entrance tests.

I am not sure how much it helped with my exams, but it definitely helped a lot when learning other languages.

LECTIO = READING
DIVINA = DIVINE (that's not so hard)

So what is DIVINE READING?

I am currently reading the book The Power of Ritual by Casper ter Kuile, where he outlines various ways we can bring more sacred and community practices into our lives, especially as so many of us no longer participate in traditional religious institutions. (Yes, you can be spiritual even if not religious.)

One of those ways is through Lectio Divina, or what ter Kuile calls 'Sacred Reading.'

The specific form of Lectio Divina that he proposes was created by a monk named Guigo II back in the 12th century, and consists of exploring, or meditating, on a line of text through 4 ladders moving from literal to more transcendental questioning.

In The Power or Ritual ter Kuile outlines these 4 questions for a fictional text:

1) What's literally happing in the narrative? Where are we in the story?
2) What allegorical images, stories, songs, or metaphors show up for you?
3) What experiences have you had in your own life that come to mind?
4) What action are you being called to take?

​After doing some additional research on Guigo and the practice, I have come up with these 4 'ladders' for non-fiction texts.

1) What is the author literally saying?
2) What is the broader context of these words? What memories does this evoke in you?
3) What actions are you being called to take?
4) How do these words connect to your greater purpose and the impact you want to make in the world through your leadership?

We'll be trying out the method this afternoon in our leadership book circle.

I am intrigued to see how it goes.

Would you consider bringing 'lectio divina' into your reading practice?

Originally posted on LinkedIn

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