Visio Divina for women: Thursday, July 8

Published by CN Admin2 at July 7, 2021

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Ruth Naomi Lushington is a beautiful 34-year-old, Artist and a parishioner of St Ann’s RC church. This Diego Martin born lass’, artistic talents seemed to blossom early, as she excelled at art at a very young age in secondary school and actually received the art award at Providence Girls Catholic School in 2002. She then went on to pursue Art at “A” levels where she also obtained a grade “A”.

After secondary school, although Ruth Naomi was still quite passionate about art, she went on to pursue a career in Finance and then in Sales. “After about 7 years I found myself back to my childhood passion and the need to express myself”. And so it began, “I started doing commissioned work initially for friends and then through word of mouth to many others and eventually corporate clients”.

When asked about the relationship between her art and her spirituality, Ruth shared, “Most often as an artist we are painting and revealing something about ourselves that we don’t even know… It’s our true story and a healing remedy, I turned to art to deal with my struggles with intense emotions and found that it always brought me clarity” She also confessed,” While I paint it represents to me the true essence of life…. it reminds me of the process in which we must all go through to achieve that perfect piece; which in this case I refer to as my art”

Ruth Naomi art pieces are filled with vibrant colours and contrast and her work was first featured in the Catholic News in 2002 but since then she has been featured in OMG Magazine in 2014 and most recently in Fashion Focus in 2017. She did her first joint exhibition with Horizons Art Gallery in April 2021.

Ruth Naomi says she is excited about this stage of her journey, “My aim is to capture your attention by using vibrant contrasting colours to encourage you to stop, reflect and live in the moment, and if only for a brief time, escape from the pressures of your daily life”

You can find more of her work at curations_ by_naomi

Copyright Ruth Naomi

As always we would love to get your feedback on this Visio Divina piece;.

Visio Divina (Latin for “divine seeing”) is a method for praying with images. Through Visio Divina we invite you to see beyond first and second impressions, and even beyond your initial ideas, judgments, or understandings. Our hope is to create a connection to the divine through local art.

So here is how we are going to do it.

1. Set aside 20 minutes in the day for the guided prayer experience

2. As you begin to prayer take a few minutes to open your heart and mind to God.

3. When you are ready, slowly look and notice the image, taking your time to let feelings and thoughts come to you as you take in forms, figures, colors, lines, textures, and shapes. What does it look like, or remind you of? What are your initial thoughts? What feelings are evoked?

4. Now, return to the image with an open heart and mind again. You may now experience new thoughts, meanings, and feelings. Start, exploring new meanings and feelings that come to you associated with the image. Be aware of any assumptions or expectations that you bring to the image. Regardless of your response to the image — delight, disgust, indifference, and confusion — contemplate prayerfully the reason for your response and what these responses might mean for and about you.

5. As you go deeper in this prayer, open yourself to what the image might reveal to you. What does the Spirit want to say, evoke, make known, or express to you in quiet meditation? What are your feelings, thoughts, desires, and meanings evoked by the image, and how they are directly connected to your life?

6. Now, take the time to respond to God. Jot down in a journal the insights you want to remember, actions you are invited to take, the wisdom you hope to embody, or any feelings or thoughts you wish to express. Bring your prayer to a close-by resting in God’s grace and love.