Earth Meditation

Welcome to this Earth Meditation.

Using Ignatian Spirituality practices, you will be guided through a time of reflection on two contrasting landscapes.

You are encouraged to engage your imagination and senses along the way, to find the movements of God during this session.

The session will last about 25 minutes. Take your time and pause when you need to. You might like to keep a journal of what stirs you... As we begin, prepare by turning your focus now to the God of creation, becoming aware that you are a beloved creature, sitting under the gaze of the Creator's love... 

To begin, I arrive. I look, as if seeing for the first time, at all the shapes and colours around me.... I listen, as if hearing for the first time, all the sounds around me.... I become aware of myself, the awareness behind these sensations....

I close my eyes and take flight in my imagination... seeing myself in the room, the building, the city, the country and the planet where I find myself.... I run the clock back, observing this place 100 years ago... 1000 years ago... I run the clock forwards, observing this place 100 years from now... 1000 years from now....

I know that God is always present in all these places and in all these times. I ask God to bring me into a felt awareness of God’s presence in all creation throughout space and time....

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I allow myself to be drawn to a time and place where I have recently encountered beauty and joy in creation... I engage all my senses: what shapes and colours, sounds, smells, tastes and sensations do I experience in this place?

I now allow myself to be drawn to a time and place where I have recently encountered ugliness and sadness in creation... I engage all my senses: what shapes and colours, sounds, smells, tastes and sensations do I experience in this place...?

What do these two contrasting experiences reveal to me about God’s presence and action in creation...?

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I pay attention to where God is drawing me to reflect and pray... what particular aspect of these recent experiences stands out...? I pay attention to the feelings that it evokes in me... which feeling stands out? I stay with this feeling. I then turn my attention to the thoughts that are giving rise to this feeling... what is my internal voice saying? Lastly, I ask what events, actions or words triggered these thoughts... I observe these circumstances, free from any judgements.

Aware of the thoughts these circumstances evoked, I look to recognise the needs and desires behind them... I share these needs and desires with God....

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I observe how I have responded to these needs.
 




In what ways have I been able to respond to my needs and desires with acceptance and care...? How have my ways of responding been dismissive or exploitative...?

How does God see my responses...? How is God inviting me to respond to my needs and desires...?

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I take a moment to recognise the specific call to ecological conversion arising from this time of prayer...

I seek to recognise God’s call to reconciliation with creation.What is it that I need to let go of in order to be less exploitative of creation...? I listen to God’s call to enter into a more loving relationship with creation.What do I desire to do in order to take better care of creation...?

I talk to God about my experience of ecological conversion.... I give thanks.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Writer: Jacques St Laurent SJ Voice: Adewale Adeyosoye