Background: Much of my spiritual growth over these last few years has been around opening my mind to the reality of the divine feminine. I suppose it was one of those, “When-the-student-is ready,-the-teacher-appears” things, that Phileena Heuertz’s Mindful Silence was so impactful to me. In particular, she talks about a period in her life that she found it helpful to see herself as within God’s womb.
If you had asked me about being in God’s womb even a year before that, I would have found some made up reason to be uncomfortable with it. The reality is that I had not truly made peace with the fact that both men and women are made in God’s image.
The exercise below was inspired by Ms. Heuertz’s experiences as portrayed in that book. If you are going to read only one book about the contemplative path, it should be that one. If you are going to read more than one book about the contemplative path, you ought to think about picking up one of mine. 🙂
On the subject, this exercise will appear in the soon-to-be-released Contemplating Lent. Stay tuned for more details.
The Exercise
- Close your eyes. Sit in a comfortable position.
- Take 3 deep breaths. Try to fully empty your lungs with the exhales and fully inflate your lungs with the inhales.
- Imagine yourself dwelling in the womb of God. It is a place that is safe, comfortable, and warm.
- Feel all your needs for food and oxygen being met through a cord that reaches into your body through your navel. Know that you are protected in this place.
- Continue those deep breaths. Luxuriate in the way you are being nourished and prepared for what is next.
- Take all the time that you need.
- God is within you. Know that this is true. Take a deep breath.
- Live in the paradox that even as you are in God, God is in you.
- God may be small, now. But a divine spark is within. See this spark as a child in a womb.
- Know that you are nourishing this God-spark. It is growing strong and healthy in the dark mystery within you.
- As you continue to breathe deeply, and hold to the image that you are in God’s womb, cultivate this idea that God is also in your womb.
- Sit in this comfortable paradox, this warm, nourishing safe reality for as long as you need, today.
The Faith-ing Project 