Iconography as a Starting Point for Prayer

“I have occasionally found the experience of sitting before an icon to be startlingly similar to the experience of intentionally opening myself before God in prayer and worship. If the attention stays with the visual object, that object may become an idol: that which intervenes in the place of God. As something that opens, leads or guides to God (another meaning for icon in the early church), it can be a legitimate starting point for prayer.”

— Patricia Loring, 1997
Listening Spirituality, Volume 1

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Today’s Invitation

Hold an object that is meaningful to you for a few minutes of silent prayer. What do you notice about the experience?

Query of the Week

How can spiritual discipline enrich your life?

What areas of spiritual practice would you like to improve on? How can you practice patience with yourself as you move toward your goals incrementally?

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Author

  • Patricia Loring (1936-2016) was a Quaker author, teacher, and retreat leader, most active in her related work in the 1980s and 1990s. She was the author of a widely read Quaker spiritual guide, "Listening Spirituality, vols. 1 and 2." For eight years her ministry was supported by Bethesda Friends Meeting, Bethesda, Maryland.

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