To "meditate" means to "think deeply and continuously." A person can meditate about anything: how many points she'll score in the next game, who he will take to the prom, what kind of career he will have, or who she will marry. As a prayer form, meditation involves using your thoughts, imaginations, emotions, and desires to turn to God. One goal of meditation is to see how God is revealed in everyday life, from the biggest events and experiences right down to the smallest details. Such revelations lead you to discover that God is love. A second goal of meditation is to know God better so that God might be better loved and served.

In a picture meditation, have you students select copy of a famous religious art, natural scene or photos of a place, person, or time in their lives of special importance and place it on their desk. Quiet the room and prepare for a brief guided meditation by taking them through the following steps.

Guided Meditation

Preliminaries

Assume a comfortable position. Quiet yourself through slow breathing. Be aware of the sounds around you. Be aware of God's love for you and the fact that God created out of nothing what has been captured in your picture. Turn to your meditation.

1. Observation

Spend the next three to five minutes concentrating on your picture. * What is in it?

• What is happening or has happened?

• What are the people doing?

• What season is it?

• Where is the action taking place?

• When?

• Who is in it?

• Why are certain actions taking place?

• What sounds do you hear?

• What odors do you smell?

Write a few sentences describing what you observed.

2. Reflecting

Spend three to five minutes discovering what the picture might be telling you about itself.

• Are there any symbols in it?

• What do they mean?

• What message(s) is (are) being communicated?

• If the picture could talk, what would it say?

Write a few sentences describing what your imagination discovered about the meaning of this picture.

3. Listening

Imagine that God has a message for you in this picture. Spend some time hearing what God has to say to you?

Resolution

Now that you have listened to God, write a short prayer to the Father with a resolution that will help you to grow.