LECTIO DIVINA

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Lectio divina means "divine reading" in Latin.  It is done specifically with Holy Scripture, but the method may be applied to any spiritual work that is dense and deep.  It is not so much reading to gather information, but reading to let the word of God soak into your soul and gain wisdom and understanding.  It is said to have been developed by the Benedictines.  It is not something done in a hurry, but is immensely rewarding.  Benedict makes time for it every day in the Rule and schedules it early in the day when the mind is still fresh.

There are four steps to lectio divina:

1. Lectio -- Reading the text
2. Meditatio -- Commonly translated as thinking about what you read.  Fr. Laurence Kardong, one of America's pre-eminent Benedictine scholars, thinks that for the ancient monks this was actually slow, reflective, and often audible reading of the text.
3. Oratio -- Actively praying about it
4. Contemplatio -- Engaging in contemplative prayer, that is, sitting quietly with the mind cleared and letting the Holy Spirit put the knowledge into your heart. 

For a more complete explanation, see the web page 
Accepting God: The Ancient Art of Lectio Divina

Lectio Divina Book Reviews

Hall, Thelma  Too Deep for Words: Rediscovering Lectio Divina. Paulist Press, 1988, 110 p.  [248.319/HAL] Despite the title, the author couldn't seem to make up her mind whether to write about lectio divina or contemplative prayer and as a consequence doesn't do a very good job of either.  There are much better books about contemplative prayer.  Ironically, a better book about lectio divina is Preferring Christ, by Norvene Vest, which is about the Rule of Benedict, but uses the lectio divina method to teach its lessons so you pick up the method as you go along.  St. Benedict would have liked that.  Too Deep for Words is padded with 500 Bible passages that are supposed to inspire you to lectio divina.  This "greatest hits of the Bible" approach seems at odds with the spirit of lectio divina.  What the Benedictines had in mind by developing the lectio divina method was to read Scripture for yourself and allow the Holy Spirit to work in your heart.  It was definitely not to have the Word handed to you as a sort of spiritual fast food. *****

Vest, Norvene  Preferring Christ: A Devotional Commentary & Workbook on the Rule of Saint Benedict. Source Books, 1990, 180p. [255.106/VES] There is a longer review of this under Benedictinism Books.  This book is not actually about lectio divina, it is about the Rule of Benedict.  In each of 73 short chapters, Vest takes a line or two and discusses it critically, then adds her own reflections.  The reader is then expected to apply the Benedictine method of lectio divina to the passage.  The glorious thing is, not only will the serious reader come out with the lessons of the Rule internalized, but at the same time, you will learn how to do lectio divina.  St. Benedict was a practical man and understood that the best teaching takes place by doing.  Read this book and not only will you have a good understanding of the Rule of Benedict, but lectio divina will be second nature to you.  This book is a treasure and at $17.95, a bargain to boot.  *****