After finding out my morning had been ruined by a simple task of a phone dying in the middle of the night, I laid in bed just thinking of what happened and why it was already ten o'clock...
A passage from Sonny's Blues came to mind "I couldn't believe it: but what I mean by that is that I couldn't find any room for it anywhere inside of me". I had so many thoughts running through my head and I decided that it was best just to never rely on a phone that wasn't connected to an outlet(though it had three bars the night before...just inputting that there). I asked around about what we did in class, and I found out we did something that I was taught in the beginning of the year: lectio divina(please ignore incorrect spelling).
So, I tried this out on my own with a few key passages of the Bible to sorta inch my way along so I wouldn't be left behind in class for tomorrow.
As I went along with the process, I had to say it was cruel. It felt tedious. But most importantly, it changed my perspective on what the verse meant.
Using this technique brings out thoughts that usually don't happen when you skim a page or browse a few sentences here or there. With this latin term I can't spell, you find yourself really digging into the text and actually reading it.
I know. What a concept. To read something is a thing we often don't do. I mean you can skim words but does that mean that you are really reading it? If it is then by all means disreguard my thinking process.
But for me, I totally skim words all the time. I gaze at the page thinking "Why isn't this seeping into my brain any faster??" and end up skimming a few key words and ending my journey there.
With L.D. it is totally different. Instead of gazing at the pages hoping that the words magically seep into my brain, I picture instead my head getting beating over with the book because it's that intense. Not only do you actually READ the passage, but you do it 3 times! Not enough to be over kill but enough to actually be effective.
In the end, I enjoyed my experience with L.D.(not to be confused with LSD) because it really showed me how I've been cheapening many sources of literature. I do hope to correct my bad habits in the future...
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Yeah, I too really enjoyed Lectio Divina. It definitely helps you reflect on what you’re reading. Something I've learned in my classes has been that you aren't reading if you do not comprehend what it being read therefore, if you're just skimming than that's not reading at all. I've learn that to actually gain something I can't just skim it, but actually read It (make connections with it, and activating prior knowledge with what is being read). =)
ReplyDeleteYes, just skimming over things does suck. Sometimes I will get lost in a reading and keep reading and then realize that while im reading I'm thinking about a whole other topic. Then I know I have no idea what I was reading. This usually happens with stuff I am forced to read though... LD is a good way to understand a reading, but I tend to read things over when I get stuck anyways, however using LD is more then just reading it over again.
ReplyDeleteLectio Divina really helps you get to the meaning of a passage. I couldn't believe the transformation in my thoughts on the passage after it was read for the third time. Each time something new was revealed adding to the greatness and importance of the story.
ReplyDeleteI thought l.d. meant something more to me before but You really have affected how I should read! Thank You!
ReplyDeleteHey! So I thought Lectio Divina was useful too. It's such a good way to really understand what you're reading. To take time and reflect on the words, and to soak in all it has to offer.
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