Prayer Practice: Praying with Sacred Images

There is a contemplative prayer practice called Praying with Icons.  In this practice, one is invited to contemplate an Icon (a Sacred image), to sit in front of the Icon and allow it to become part of you.  You notice how it moves your spirit.  You notice what it says to you.  You notice how the Sacred moved from it to you.  The Icon/Image becomes a window or mystical portal through which you encounter the Sacred.

I have taken this prayer form in my own fashion.  I do not have official Icons around my house.  I have decks of Sacred cards: SoulCards, Healing Heart Cards, Goddess Cards, and Ocean Oracle Cards.  Each deck comes into my life on its own and I receive them.   Each deck contains images of the Sacred.  They are all beautiful and iconic.

I pray with them.  I shuffle the deck, images away from me.  I place them on a flat surface and spread out the deck, like you would a Tarot deck.  I allow my intuitive self and my heart to pick the card.  I grab the card I am most attracted to.  I meditate with that image for a time.  I live with that image for the week.

After reflecting upon desert spirituality, I picked up my SoulCards deck.  I choose my card.  I have never seen this card before, and I have been picking from this deck for years!  I even sometimes look through the images.  Never came across it.

When I looked at this beautiful woman my heart opened deeper to this invitation into the desert.  There she was, a Desert Amma, right in front of me!  I held Her and meditated with Her for quite a while.  Then I carried Her with me for the entire day.  I am still carrying Her with me.

I find myself glancing over to look at Her to absorb more of Her beauty; more of Her earthiness; more of Her glow; more of Her connection to the Sacred.

I want to be HER!  

I have not had this experience before.  I have prayed with my cards for years.  My heart is moved.  Healing happens.  I am cracked open more.  The cards speak to the depth of my Soul.  And I have let each card go at the end of the week.  I have moved on to the next image.

Not with this one.  She went on retreat with me.  She went to Spiritual Direction with me, my companion calling me to be courageous and gentle.  She was next to me as  I painted my inner goddess.  I want Her guidance as I dive deep into this invitation to “Get up and Go For it.”

So, I am carrying Her with me.  I will continue to carry Her iconic image in my heart, soul, mind. Her mystical portal has opened widely in my heart and I am diving through it.

I invite you to contemplate a Sacred Image for a period of time.  

What image captures your attention?  What image draws you to a deeper experience of the Sacred?  Were you able to feel your mind descend into your heart as you gazed lovingly at the image?  How did you encounter the Sacred through that particular mystical portal?

Spend some time contemplating and living with that image.  Carry it with you if you must….