Scriptio Divina: Contemplatio
Date/Time - 24/03/2024 at 16:00 - 18:00
Sunday, March 24th, 2024
11 am – 1 pm EDT
3 – 5 pm UK
4 – 6 pm CET
Scriptio divina (“divine writing”) and its elder sibling lectio divina (“divine reading”) are among the oldest recorded contemplative practices in the Western mystical tradition. The four-part method – reading, reflection, response, and contemplation – has its roots in the 6th century but was finally written down in the late 12th century by Guigo II, a Carthusian monk and prior. In 1286, a Carthusian nun, Marguerite d’Oingt, expanded the practice to include writing. The basic premise is that reading and writing slowly and thoughtfully, with attention, curiosity, and openness, brings us into contact with something greater than ourselves.
For this workshop dedicated to scriptio divina, you don’t need to enter a cloister or have a religious affiliation of any kind – though you are most welcome if you do. That “greater something” we will be writing towards may be God to you, or Life, or Inspiration, or the Universe, or any other name for the ineffable.
You will:
- practice reading and writing with the attention and devotion of a Carthusian monastic, from the heart of your everyday secular reality
- explore a method, rooted in the word, that can lead you back to the most alive and vibrant part of your existence
- take the time to slow down and interact with beloved texts that are “sacred” to you – poems, excerpts of fiction or non-fiction, anything that moves you – and be exposed to new inspirational writing
- practice reading and writing in a way that sharpens your attention to what is real
- work with and through the written word to connect to a force that’s bigger than you
- move towards a state of openness in which you can receive deep meaning from the written word – meaning you can then take into your life like a light, like a shield, like a hand to hold.
In Contemplatio, you’ll be guided through all the stages of scriptio divina with a beloved text. The emphasis will be on the final phase, which is one of contemplation, listening, and letting go of reasoning and interpretation to allow something new to come into your heart and mind.
You’ll work with a piece of writing of your choosing that makes your heart sing: a poem, an excerpt from a novel, short story, or non-fiction work, a passage from scripture, song lyrics… I’ll also guide you through simple somatic exercises to help you slow down, breathe deeply, and listen to what the text is saying to you. No prior writing experience is necessary.
In these times of AI and chatbots, I feel more than ever a desire to be in the presence of the written word, to honor it, celebrate it, really see it, and listen for what it holds for me. If you share this desire, please join me.
Cost
Two-hour online workshop: 25 €
Once your registration is processed, you’ll receive a link to access the workshop. Check your spam! If you have not received the link on the day of the workshop, contact us at info@elainekonopka.com.
Elaine Konopka – somatic practitioner, writer, and editor – is the founder of The Attentive Body in Paris, where she teaches body awareness to help people live healthier, more intense lives. An avid believer in the power of the written word, she has been facilitating writing workshops for over a decade.