Tar-Palantir wrote:And the time when visualizing is most likely to occur is during prayer, I would expect.
Very true.
As I mentioned, I need to make a deliberate effort to visualize, to combat a natural tendency to abstraction, and I find that my visualizations of the Father and Son are entirely conventional - derived from art and the media.
I have no mental image of the Father. Certainly not the unhelpful Blakean archetype of an old man with a white beard, which I am completely allergic to. (Despite my deep love for the Christian tradition in Western art.)
When Jesus said that God was spirit, I tend to believe him.
God the Father to me is a Presence: sometimes mysterious and awesome but also infinitely kind and benevolent. As Lali said, so very well: 'not a doting grandpa, or a disinterested or bad father.' I really like that word 'ineffable'.
I have sometimes experienced a deep peace in the midst of terrible stress, and I definitely attribute that to the presence of God.
Visualising Jesus ... well, there's a rich artistic tradition for us to draw upon, from Russian icons to the Renaissance and beyond, but I prefer above all depictions of Jesus that actually show he was
Jewish, since the Church was in denial about that rather key fact for so long.
I also like African depictions of Jesus.
I
love the 'Jesus mafa' website (which I think is Catholic):
http://www.jesusmafa.com/anglais/accueil.htm
As for visualizing the Holy Ghost I cannot do it! He always comes out invisible - something pervading like magnetism or an aroma...
He
is invisible, though, IMO.
I believe that the Holy Spirit is the spiritual force or presence of God.
The Spirit is also linked with the figure of 'sophia', Wisdom, in Proverbs, and the Hebrew word for 'spirit' or 'breath' is
ruach, a noun of feminine gender. I do find that immensely interesting.
I am aware that in the Jewish tradition, and certain Protestant traditions, portrayals of God are a big 'no-no'. I completely respect that.
However, I find it helpful, personally, to visualise ... all art is symbolism, but personally, I can find those kinds of symbols helpful, as 'aids'.
"Frodo undertook his quest out of love - to save the world he knew from disaster at his own expense, if he could ... "
Letter no. 246, The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
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