Preparing to Begin

Before you start, it’s important to consider whether you’re ready for this kind of commitment and how you will structure your retreat in daily life.

• Time commitment – plan for at least 30 weeks, dedicating 40–60 minutes per day for prayer, plus weekly meetings with a director.

• Creating a sacred space – choose a quiet, comfortable place for prayer, and mark it as a sacred spot with a candle, icon, or other meaningful object.

• Regular schedule – try to pray at the same time each day, and minimize distractions by turning off phones, TV, and other electronics.

• Composing yourself – start each prayer period by centering your mind and body, imagining God’s loving gaze, and offering your time and attention.

• Pray for a grace – begin by asking God for a gift or desire that aligns with your spiritual growth, or simply the desire to receive God’s grace.

• Engage the exercises – meditate or contemplate on the material provided, allowing God to lead your prayer rather than forcing a strict order.

• Closing and reflection – end each session with a prayer, gesture, or ritual that marks the conclusion, and reflect on your experience through journaling or discussion with your director.

Remember, this is a retreat in the midst of life. The goal is not to control your experience but to be open to the Spirit, noticing how God is moving within you and through your life.

The Spiritual Exercises help you:

• Grow in intimacy with God – deepen your relationship and awareness of God’s presence in everyday life.

• Gain clarity about your life – notice patterns, desires, and obstacles that shape your choices.

• Cultivate freedom in your choices – learn to respond with discernment rather than habit or obligation.

• Engage your whole self – use your mind, heart, imagination, and will to explore your spiritual journey.

• Wrestle with obstacles and discern God’s call – confront challenges with guidance and reflection.

• Navigate major life decisions or transitions – receive support in discerning your path.

• Live more authentically and love more deeply – bring awareness and generosity into daily life.

• Respond to God’s invitation in your unique circumstances – integrate prayer and reflection into the rhythms of your life.

Introduction

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola are designed to help you deepen your relationship with God, gain clarity about your life, and cultivate freedom in your choices. While originally designed as a 30-day full-time retreat, Ignatius recognized that not everyone can take a month away for prayer and reflection. In his 19th Annotation, he offers a way to experience the Exercises in the midst of daily life—what we often call a “retreat in everyday life.”

Whether you are facing a major life decision, seeking guidance, or simply longing for a deeper connection with God, the Exercises provide a structured space to reflect, pray, and act with greater awareness and generosity. They are appropriate for anyone desiring a deeper personal experience of God, regardless of background or stage in life.

Preparing to Begin

Before you start, it’s important to consider whether you’re ready for this kind of commitment and how you will structure your retreat in daily life.

• Time commitment – plan for at least 30 weeks, dedicating 40–60 minutes per day for prayer, plus weekly meetings with a director.

• Creating a sacred space – choose a quiet, comfortable place for prayer, and mark it as a sacred spot with a candle, icon, or other meaningful object.

• Regular schedule – try to pray at the same time each day, and minimize distractions by turning off phones, TV, and other electronics.

• Composing yourself – start each prayer period by centering your mind and body, imagining God’s loving gaze, and offering your time and attention.

• Pray for a grace – begin by asking God for a gift or desire that aligns with your spiritual growth, or simply the desire to receive God’s grace.

• Engage the exercises – meditate or contemplate on the material provided, allowing God to lead your prayer rather than forcing a strict order.

• Closing and reflection – end each session with a prayer, gesture, or ritual that marks the conclusion, and reflect on your experience through journaling or discussion with your director.

Remember, this is a retreat in the midst of life. The goal is not to control your experience but to be open to the Spirit, noticing how God is moving within you and through your life.

Begin Your Journey

If you feel drawn to explore the Spiritual Exercises, you are already taking the first step. With intention, courage, and generosity of spirit, the Exercises can guide you toward greater awareness, freedom, and intimacy with God.

[Schedule a Consultation]