Lectio Divina (divine reading) is a traditional Benedictine practice of scripture reading that is transformational. Traditionally Lectio Divina has 4 specific steps: reading, meditation, prayer and contemplation.

I respectfully add to this list of spiritual disciplines, a fifth: doodling/drawing.

[note: duco divina is a term I coined to help express that intimate connection between art and prayer.]

At the end of the day, duco divina isn’t just about doodling. It’s a call to us all to find that tool/method/discipline that helps us stay focused and engaged in meditation or prayer in our yearning for deeper connection with Truth as well as quality time time with our Creator.

du·co: /’dü-kō/  [dū-kō]
to draw, shape, construct, spend time

di·vi·na: /di-’vē-nə/ [di-vee-nuh]
divine

con·tem·pla·tive: /kən’templətiv/ [kuhn-tem-pluh-tiv, kon-tuhm-pley-tiv]
prolonged pondering, thoughtful, meditative, pensive

dood.ling: /düd-liŋ/ [doo-dling,  doo-dl-ing]
simple drawings that can have concrete representational meaning or may just be abstract shapes

-shini abraham
author, Treasures in Darkness
duco divina I contemplative doodling