Christian Mindfulness: The Sower and The Power of Acceptance Through Mindful Photography
This image captures a tree whose roots encountered a rock and, instead of turning back, wrapped around it. The rock, once an obstacle, became an anchor through storms, fire, and erosion. This reflects the Good News of Jesus, the seed sown on rocky ground, showing how a life rooted in Christ can grow and flourish despite adversity. In the parable, rocky ground causes quick joy but fading faith when difficulties arise. Here, the roots adapted and thrived, using the adversity to their advantage. Mindful photography reaffirms these principles, illustrating how we can embrace challenges and let our faith grow stronger through them.
A Bold Disclosure
As a Christian mindfulness advocate, I want to share the true source of my help. I’m fresh off the heels of publishing my first book, The Mindful Photography Field Guide. Now I am intensively (and in spite of the fear) putting the book’s message out there into the world (gulp!).
Right up front, I explain that there is one clear “why” as the reason for the book: suicide attempts are out of control. And guys who look like me? White males? We are 30% of the population yet accounted for nearly 70% of suicide deaths in the U.S. in 2021 (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention). And the older guys? Especially ones who have lost their partners and who are living alone? The picture gets even more grim.
My mission is to reach men and women who are in a hopeless state of mind and spirit. I’m in the fight now publicly and that forces me to get honest about what works for me and most importantly, what I believe will truly work for you too. Even if I alienate or trigger people who are set in their beliefs, I simply must be honest or my soul will fade.
In the Field Guide, I cast what I consider to be a broad net. I state up front that I am a Christian but that these mindful photography principles and practices are the perfect complement to any belief system. Since the book, I am of course continuing to write, blog, vlog, and create content. That is forcing me to get super-specific about my practices which are keeping me close to God, sane, and free of suicidal ideations.
So, after all of that rambling, here goes: This blog and other content (but not all) are going to talk very openly and personally about my particular daily experience with Jesus Christ. If you are not a Christian, I want you to know that I love you and I want so badly to connect with you. I have been through so many evolutions of my faith. I’ll bet you money that I have had each and every bit of doubt and skepticism that you are having. Please, hang with me. I promise that even in messages like this which are specific about my Christian beliefs and practices, you will be able to take away practical methods that are going to help you intervene on your negative thought-spirals with mindful, inner peace.
Mindfulness isn’t an end-all, at least for people like me. I’m in the major leagues of cray-cray. In my past, before I found these solutions, I took every miracle psych med that big pharma cooked up. Lots of painful and inhumane medical treatments. I was in seriously bad shape. We’re talking about a man with many years clean and sober, who was intensively doing the self-work and service, while at the same time was quickly exhausting every psychiatric or mainstream psychological attempt to make me OK with myself and these powerful emotions that well up inside of me.
That’s right. I was truly hopeless with a mighty sick mind. And a sick mind can’t cure a sick mind. It takes an almighty power to do miracles. If you still have self-help options left, by all means, follow your rabbit trails. Just don’t deceive yourself for long. Admitting we are truly powerless to find healing under our own strength only comes through the most tortuous suffering.
If you’ve suffered enough and want to consider waving a white flag and letting God take over, read on my fellow traveler. I’m going to point you to the source of power. I promise: life’s shit-show will continue, but your strength and courage will prevail. You were equipped to walk down your unique path. You’re in for the adventure of a lifetime. Ready to slay some dragons?
Overcoming the Thorns of Life Through Christian Mindfulness
Here we go: from the Parable of the Sower in the book of Mark in the New Testament.
Mark 4:14-20 (Jesus explaining one of his parables): “The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”
A Personal Reflection
Jesus’ explanation of the parable of the sower recently struck me during my quiet time. Among the various lessons, one part stands out: “Others, like seeds sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a (huge) crop.” The concept of accepting the word resonates deeply. Different translations of this passage use words like receive, welcome, embrace, and take it into your heart. Each of these words captures a facet of how we can fully integrate God’s presence into our lives.
What I love about this is the feeling of simply accepting the solution. No striving, no obsessing, just receiving, welcoming, embracing, and taking the Good News into our hearts. We let God’s power do the “impossible” work on our behalf.
The Thorns of Life
Reflecting on my journey, the imagery of seeds sown among thorns vividly represents my struggles. The thorns symbolize life’s worries, pricking and distracting me, making it challenging to grow up above them, reach the sunshine, and flourish. The deceitfulness of wealth is another powerful metaphor. And, it’s not just about chasing material possessions but also accomplishments and relationships. The word “deceitfulness” is fitting because it captures how misleading these pursuits can be. We often believe that attaining these things will fill the void in our souls, only to realize they don’t. And then, despite the pattern repeating, we go off again chasing the next illusion.
The Logos: Embodying the Divine in Your Spiritual Practice
Understanding Jesus as the Logos, as described in the beginning of the Gospel of John, adds another layer to this reflection. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Jesus, the Logos, is the embodiment of God’s message. Accepting the word means wholeheartedly accepting Christ into our hearts, allowing His presence to transform us from within. This acceptance goes beyond mere intellectual agreement or external actions; it’s about embracing and (over and over and over) humbly submitting to the Holy Spirit’s wisdom, allowing it to shape our lives. When one experiences this work of the Spirit, it’s easy to see the evidence that the “surrender all” message of Christianity is the ultimate form of mindfulness.
Mindfulness and Acceptance in Christian Faith
Mindfulness has played a crucial role in my journey. It involves being fully present and accepting each moment without judgment. Mindfulness in my Christian practice has helped me create fertile ground in my heart for God’s word to take root. By being mindful, we can embrace and accept the divine message, letting it transform our inner lives. Christian mindfulness allows us to focus willfully on present moment awareness, free from the distractions of life’s thorns (worry, ego, burnout, fear, the past).
Mindful Photography: A Path to Christian Inner Peace
Many moons ago I realized that while I was practicing photography I wasn’t dwelling on my problems. I realized that photography therapy uses our most powerful sense: vision. I then developed these mindfulness practices, as a way to connect deeply with the present moment and the divine. When I’m out in nature, my smartphone in airplane mode and cut off from the digital world, it’s such a rush to get lost in creation.
I’m certain that Jesus would love mindful photography. Technically, if Jesus’ Spirit lives inside me, He is present with me everywhere. Way cool. But just imagine going up into the forest alone with Jesus, out there capturing glorious images! What would He naturally do? Surely He would focus on the beauty around us and be fully present, thereby letting go of all worries and distractions. He would demonstrate a surrendered state. His mindful approach to photography would help me welcome and receive God’s word, creating space for spiritual growth and inner peace.
Steps for Mindful Photography: Focus, Capture, Shine in Christian Meditation
The book has 15 fun, engaging practices for inner peace. Each one of them utilizes the Focus, Capture, Shine approach.
1) Focus on Your Body and Surroundings
Hand on your heart, take three deep belly breaths to center yourself. Open your eyes and take in the details around you. Notice the light, colors, textures, and movements. This step grounds you in the present moment, creating a receptive state for God’s word.
2) Capture the Present Moment
Use your camera to capture the beauty and essence of what you see. This practice helps you stay grounded in the here and now, fully embracing the moment. By capturing these moments, you solidify your connection to the divine presence around you.
3) Shine Your Light on Someone
After your photography session, find a way to bless someone with your work. This act of blessing enhances mindfulness and brings you even more powerfully into the present moment, enriching your spiritual practice. By shining your light on others, you embody the word and spread its transformative power.
Practice: Capturing the Elements of the Parable
Let's put these steps into practice by capturing mindful photos of elements mentioned in the parable of the sower. I’ll tell you upfront that if you do this practice, you’re going to crack yourself up afterward. You’ll start seeing seeds, paths, roots, and rocky places everywhere! Just the other day, after writing this blog, I was dealing with a bunch of stressful “issues” at work. You know the expression, “the more you stir it the more it stinks?” Well, I realized that instead of just avoiding the “thorns,” I was instead thrashing around in them, making the irritation worse. I remembered this parable and chuckled.
Turn on airplane mode and transform your squawk box into a simple, mindful camera. Now, get off your keister, wander off into nature, and get delightfully dirty.
Seeds: Find seeds in nature and photograph them. Reflect on how these represent the word of God being sown into our lives.
Path: Capture images of paths, considering how the living word can be taken away when it falls on a hard path.
Rocky Places: Look for rocky areas where plants struggle to grow. Think about how shallow roots symbolize a lack of depth in our spiritual lives.
Thorns: Photograph thorns and consider how life's worries and the deceitfulness of wealth can choke our spiritual growth.
Roots: Capture images of roots, representing the importance of deep, strong faith.
Good Soil: Find and photograph rich, fertile soil where plants are thriving, symbolizing those who hear, accept, and produce a bountiful crop.
Bountiful Crop: Look for scenes of abundant growth, illustrating the fruitful results of accepting and embodying God's word.
Conclusion
Dear friends, I deeply care about your well-being and am passionate about sharing the peace and transformation I’ve found through mindful photography and hearing God’s “still, small voice.” This practice has brought me closer to the divine, helping me grow through life’s thorns with grace and resilience.
If you resonate with what I’ve shared and want to dive deeper into these practices, I encourage you to check out my book, The Mindful Photography Field Guide. It’s packed with engaging practices and insights that can help you cultivate inner peace and spiritual growth.
For those looking for more personalized guidance, I also offer one-on-one mindset coaching. Through tailored sessions, we can explore how to integrate these mindful photography practices into your daily life, helping you to find balance, clarity, and a deeper connection to the divine.
Let's embark on this journey together. Embrace the beauty around you, capture the present moment, and shine your light on others. With the right tools and support, you can cultivate a bountiful crop of peace, joy, and love in your life. Ready to take the next step? Let’s go!
Download a free practice from the book at MindfulPhotography.org and learn more about my mindset coaching at JoeVanWyk.com.
