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Images of God

Preamble

The following was adapted from a guided meditation exercise experienced at a recent seminar on Spirituality and children. Before it begins you will need to provide students with two sheets of white paper and a small set of crayons. The aim is for students to enter a place where they imagine speaking to and seeing God. After they complete the guided meditation students are to draw their vision or experience of God. After this, they use words to describe it. The rationale behind this is that words are often limiting and drawings can convey the greater depth of their spiritual experience. It also enables students to see that 'theologising' is not just the work of professionals in the Church; rather, all of us think about God in our own way, because God calls to all of us. I have found this exercise interesting for the insights it provides about my students' innate spirituality and experience of awe and wonder in God's presence. It also helped me to understand their deeper yearnings and questions and hopes.

"Close your eyes and become aware of the gentle sound of your breathing. Breathe in slowly......and slowly breathe out......You begin to focus on the sounds outside and inside the classroom ........leave them behind as you you imagine yourself standing in front of a door........Think of your favorite place...When you are ready, open the door and enter into your favorite place....focus on what you can hear and see......Notice all the little sounds and the louder sounds....Notice all the colors you are aware of.......Soon you see someone coming to meet you...a friend or family member........Coming to you the person speaks and says that you have been chosen to see God...And all you need to do is ask for it...When you are ready, and in your own way, come into God's presence....reflect on what you see and on God. For a moment, all time stands still. What do you see? ....What do you feel?......There is something that you wish to ask God before you need to go. Ask God one thing you wish you had an answer to. ......Listen to God's reply. ..........When you are ready, become aware of returning to the door of the room.. Open it and you are aware once more of the sounds of this room. Breathe in slowly.....Slowly breathe out.......As soon as you feel the time is right, open your eyes and begin to draw and then write your vision of God, in silence."

(At this point, some instrumental music may be suitable or you may feel that silence is best)