Shimmering pilgrimages

With the Bible as our foundation, there are numerous ways in which God can use Creation to speak to us. For example, Jesus urged his listeners to "consider the lilies of the field, how they grow" (Matthew 6.28-30), inviting them to consider what they could learn.

I came across the idea of "shimmering" in a book entitled "The Soul's Slow Ripening" by Christine Valters Paintner, in a section entitled Contemplative Photography or Visio divina ('sacred seeing’).

Shimmering is described as follows:

A way of seeing the world with the eyes of the heart, which is the place of receptivity and openness, rather than with the mind, which is often the place of grasping and planning.

Here are suggestions for undertaking a Shimmering pilgrimage:

  • At some time, or times, during the period, make a prayerful, contemplative journey.

  • As you travel, be very open to how God may choose to speak to you through His creation.

  • Take a camera with you, or any other form of making a visual record such as a sketchbook.

  • As you journey, try and cultivate a state of not staring too hard. Instead, simply become aware of what is happening around you.

During the pilgrimage, reflect on any Scripture, thoughts or experiences that are on your heart. Depending on your circumstances, you may instead make a virtual pilgrimage (more details here), reflecting on images from the Internet, a mobile device, a book or perhaps a photo album.

The aim is to pay attention to things that ‘shimmer’, things noticed on the journey that shine and glisten in a tremulous light. They may gently reflect light and seem to move slightly.

Be open to what you sense as ‘shimmering’.

It might be a natural object like a flower, as noted earlier.

Or perhaps a tree with its roots and branches:

Continue to live your lives in Christ Jesus, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
(Colossians 2.6-7)

It might be an advertisement; this one reminded me of this verse:

And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins. (Mark 2.22)

I saw this sign whilst leaving a platform in Waterloo railway station, whilst on my mobility scooter!

I found it ironic as I reflected on the following:

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction. (Matthew 7.13)!

A shimmering light may bring to mind something new or important.

As you undertake your journey, you are invited to share images and thoughts on the Pilgrimage of the Word WhatsApp group. However, there is no compulsion to share anything, please only shared if you wish to.

Do contact me, Dave Smith, if you would like to join the WhatsApp group:
davidborrowdale54@hotmail.com