Creating Visio Divina
In today’s blog I’ll show how I develop a mystical or contemplative painting.
This type of painting would classically be called “Visio Divina” or “Divine Seeing”. If you would like more information, there is an earlier blog written on this subject. Because of my work as a spiritual director and a practitioner of contemplative prayer, people are always asking questions about meditation. So besides just teaching with “words”, the thought was to create a painting to represent “the journey within”. This process will be fun, very creative, and challenging. I will be taking concepts from the unseen world, interpreting them, and creating a painting for the seeing world. Also, as a finished work, there would be a painting that could be used to explore Visio Divina and meditation.
The Beginning
The painting was started using blues, purples and blacks to form a dark 
outer edge around the canvas. This idea was based on the scriptural teaching that the “Kingdom of God is within”. Another passage speaks of; “the Temple of God being inside of us”. The Holy of Holies, which is the most interior part of the temple is totally dark, the light that is produced comes from the “Shekinah Glory of God”.
Next, on the bottom left of the picture I placed a boat; representing the meditative journey which begins by becoming quiet and looking inward towards Kingdom. Then the symbol of the “Lion of Judah” was added to represent a concept of the nature of God. 
This picture is not yet named, some ideas are; Entering the Garden, or The Kingdom Within. I would love to hear any ideas you might have for the painting or the title. You can write your ideas in “leave a comment” which is located at the end of the Tags at the bottom of this blog.