Lectio Divina by Ale R

The meaning of Lectio Divina in English is divine, spiritual, or holy reading. It a traditional Christian practice created so that people could increase their knowledge about God and his word, and to promote Communion. At first the monastic rules of Saint Agustine, Benedict,etc. promoted the practice of divine reading, together with manual labor and participation in liturgical life, the base of monastic life. Lectio Divina is typically practiced daily for one continuous hour. A selection from the Holy Scriptures is chosen ahead of time, often as a daily progression through a particular book from the bible. Time and Place: Selecting a time for lectio divina is important. Typical methods are to pray for one hour in the morning, or to divide it into two half-hour periods, one in the morning and one in the evening. The key is to pre-select the time that will be devoted to the prayer and to keep it. Using the same time every day leads to a daily habit of prayer that becomes highly effective. The place for prayer is to be free from distractions. This means it should be isolated from other people, telephones, visual distractions, etc. Some find an icon to be helpful. The same place should be used for lectio if possible, especially as one first begins to practice it. Familiarity with a location reduces the possibility of distraction away from the prayer. Or, one may wish to pray in an unaccustomed place, for the express purpose of finding a place that will be dedicated to prayer alone and not other daily activities. Some practitioners conduct other devotions, such as praying before the Catholic Eucharist, as a preparation for Lectio Divina.