Reading can be an act of consumption, in which you look for information as fast as possible, or an exercise in transformation, in which a few lines are read, reread and allowed to work. The medieval monastic tradition gave this second form a name, lectio divina, and in the twelfth century the Carthusian monk Guigo II described its structure in four rungs in his Ladder of Monks: reading, meditation, prayer, contemplation.
The same principle appears in other cultures: Stoic philosophers reread and copied out short maxims to make them their own, the Jewish tradition cultivates repeated, commented study of texts, and in Indian schools the disciple listened to and repeated verses until they were internalised. Meditative reading is a practice suited to any text that deserves to be read slowly.
Choosing the text
The right text is short, dense and meaningful to you. Some possibilities:
- a passage from a sacred text of your tradition;
- a page by an ancient philosopher: Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus;
- a fragment from a mystic or a poet;
- an aphorism, a maxim, a line of verse.
| Length | Suited to |
|---|---|
| One sentence or line | beginners, busy days |
| A paragraph | regular daily practice |
| A page | longer sessions, weekends |
Too little is better than too much. A single sentence, truly read, provides material for a whole session.
Preparation
Choose the passage before the session so you do not waste time looking for it. Sit in a quiet place with the text printed or in a book, not on a screen with notifications. Take a few breaths to gather your attention. Keep a notebook and pen beside you.
The four rungs
1. Reading (5 minutes)
Read the passage slowly, a first time, all the way through. Then reread it, preferably in a low voice: the voice slows reading down and involves hearing. Read it a third time.
As you read, one word or phrase will strike you more than the others. Underline it or note it down. Do not try to understand everything: try to notice what calls to you.
2. Reflecting (8 minutes)
Now leave the text and stay with the word or phrase you chose. Repeat it in your mind. Ask yourself:
- what does it mean literally?
- what image does it evoke?
- where do I find it in my experience, today or in the past?
- what is it asking of me?
Medieval monks compared this rung to rumination: slowly chewing a word to draw out its nourishment. You do not need to reach a conclusion: you need to give the text time to enter your reflection.
3. Responding (4 minutes)
The third rung is a personal response to what you have read. In the monastic tradition it is a prayer; in a more secular practice it can be a resolution, a thanksgiving or a written question. Put this response into a few words, in a low voice or in your notebook.
4. Remaining in silence (3 minutes)
Finally, let go of the response too. Remain in silence, without words and without guided thoughts, like someone who has finished a meal and stays at the table. This rung cannot be forced: you can only leave room for it.
Memorisation
An ancient habit worth rediscovering is learning the most meaningful sentences by heart. A memorised sentence goes with you through the day: you can recall it while waiting, before a decision, in the evening.
A simple method:
- Write the sentence on a card.
- Read it three times in the morning and three times in the evening.
- On the third day, try to repeat it without looking.
- Repeat it from time to time over the following weeks.
The reading notebook
Devote a notebook to this practice. For each session, record:
- the date and the passage read, with the exact source;
- the word or phrase that struck you;
- your main reflections;
- your response.
After a few months you will have a personal collection of annotated passages, a kind of anthology of your search.
Mistakes to avoid
- Reading too much: quantity does not count; a whole chapter read in a hurry is not meditative reading.
- Changing text every day: it helps to follow the same book, one passage after another, for weeks.
- Rushing to the commentary: studying commentaries is valuable, but belongs to another time. During meditative reading what matters is your direct encounter with the text.
In short
- Meditative reading turns a few lines into material for deep reflection.
- Choose short, dense passages: a line of verse, a paragraph, a maxim.
- Follow the four rungs: reading, reflecting, responding, remaining in silence.
- Memorise the most meaningful sentences to carry them through the day.
- Keep a reading notebook and follow the same text for weeks.