Inner World Pearl
How to heal your heart by the Practice of the Pearly Presence of God
The Secret of the Pearl: A Journey into the Inner World
The painting entitled Inner World Pearl by Dorinda C Plaisance invites the viewer to enter a sacred space where art and prayer become one. This painting, rich with symbolism, whispers of divine transformation—an intimate conversation between the soul and the presence of God.
The Blue Figure: The Depth of the Inner Self
At the heart of the composition stands a serene, ethereal figure painted in shades of blue. Blue, often associated with the heavens and deep introspection, represents the sacred interior life we can experience in contemplative meditation. This is the place where the true self dwells, where prayers rise and where healing begins. The closed eyes suggest an inward gaze, a call to quiet the external noise and turn toward the inner sanctuary of God’s love.
The Golden Eyes: Seeing with Spiritual Vision
Rather than ordinary human eyes, the figure possesses golden, radiant lids. This suggests a vision beyond the physical—a way of seeing through the lens of faith, wisdom, and divine illumination. In spiritual traditions, gold symbolizes purity and enlightenment, indicating that this figure has surrendered to the refining process of God’s merciful love.
The Pearl at the Heart: Transformation Through Grace
The pearl, resting at the figure’s chest, holds the essence of the painting’s message of inner world healing. In nature, a pearl is formed when an oyster transforms an irritant into something precious. Likewise, our struggles, wounds, and burdens can be transformed into spiritual treasure when surrendered to God. The pearl represents the divine process of healing—a call to embrace trials as opportunities for grace.
The Sacred Seashell of Serenity: A Gateway to the Presence of God
Surrounding the figure is an ornate, gold-leaf Seashell of Serenity, echoing the concept of divine protection in the the strength of God's embrace. The inner layer designs hint at the smooth luminous interior of an oyster, reinforcing the theme of luminous transformation. The presence of shimmering golden tones and textured elements suggest that this space is not merely an earthly one but a sacred threshold—a secret place deep down within where one encounters the reality of Divine Mercy.
The Abstract Background: The Mystery of the Spiritual Journey
The rich interplay of turquoise, red, and gold in the background creates a dreamlike atmosphere, symbolic of the unseen yet ever-present movement of God’s love. The warm reds and earthy tones ground the figure, while the celestial blues and golds lift it beyond the material world. This reminds us that while we walk through the complexities of life, the presence of God is woven through it all.
Practicing the Pearly Presence of God
This painting is more than an image—it is a prayerful invitation. It calls us to practice what the artist describes as the pearly presence of God—a state of being where we intentionally allow divine love to refine us, to take our hardships and shape them into luminous pearls of great price.
The secret of the pearl is not in resisting the trials of life but in surrendering them to the One who transforms trouble into treasure.
As you meditate on Inner World Pearl, consider:
• What are the “problem pebbles” in your life that God is shaping into pearls?
• How can you shift your vision from fear to faith, from near-sighted earthly vision to the panorama of the divine Drama of Life?
• In what ways can you dwell more deeply in the presence of God, trusting His merciful love to restore your heart?
A Prayer for times of Resentment or Fear
When we surrender the pebbles of our troubled thoughts to the pearlescent light within God's heart, healing is not only possible but promised.
We can become the observer of our thoughts which are often based on self-protective survival instincts that trouble our emotions when we think we are in charge. We can remember the Loving Presence of God and surrender that thought to be aligned with the truth. We find that more is revealed when we respond in trustful surrender to Divine Mercy, rather than reacting from the false figment of self-protective fear.
When we feel offended or disturbed at someone's words or actions, we might pause and say to ourselves something like this:
"God, perhaps this person, like me, is spiritually wounded. Save me from being angry. Guide me in how I can be helpful, even if that is by saying or doing nothing at this time. You are the Author of Life. I am here to play the role You assign, for I am no longer running the show. Thy will, not mine, be done."
A short way to say this is to quietly say within our hearts, "God, I trust you. Thy will be done."
And even shorter way is to Pause and use the eyes of your heart to envision the Pearly Presence of God pulsating around you and the person you are now praying for.
Be the Pearl you wish to see in the World
"Whoever is in Christ is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come into being" (2 Cor. 5:17).
So how can we experience the transformation that enables us to match calamity with serenity?
The scriptures advise us, "Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10).
It also proclaims that "God is love, and whoever abides in Love abides in God and God in them" (1 John 4:16).
The mystic saints through the ages reveal over and over that the power of God is a particular kind of love -- Merciful Love to be exact. This Spirit-led power is the very life-force that we experience in deep, cleansing breaths. The kind of breath we hear escape from our lungs when we sit down after a long day and let go of all of our strivings and expectations.
After all, we are made from the earth, yet the Spirit of God was breathed into us (Gen. 2:7). We can intentionally choose to breathe that breath.
So when we sit and breathe in our prayer space each morning to "be still and know" that "God is Love" - the powerful Light of Merciful Love grows within us. We grow eyes to see the that we are wrapped in that shimmering power of Love that does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. We are connected into the Eternal internet and becomes channels of God's peace.
We ask for the serenity to pause at moments throughout the day to stay God-conscious -- to remember that we abide in the Seashell of Serenity. Always.
When we practice contemplative prayer by abiding in the sacred space where God’s love resides, we discover that even in our deepest wounds, a pearl is forming. We can see others reacting from their own wounds. We stop taking things personally. We can be still and respond when appropriate, instead of reacting in the moment.
Our hearts slowly become a treasure chest holding inner world pearls of experience, stregth and hope.
Our Lady, Mother of Pearl, pray for us.
The Sacred Heart of the God-Man Jesus is the perfect image of the pearl -- a heart that took on our pebbles voluntarily to be transformed and resurrected as a new creation in the Sunlight of the Spirit.
Mary, his Mother, was uniquely designed by God the Father, to be what the saints call the "gateway of heaven." As Mother of Mercy, she models for us the original design of who God created us to be -- humble yet magnificent -- magnifying the glory of God's Love with and for one another.
In the Seashell of Serenity, we find our true identy as cherished children of a Loving God. Abiding in the grace of God, we too are able to serve God and others and to reflect the mercy and compassion that is so freely given to us.