St. Ignatius of Loyola recorded his “Spiritual Exercises” in the 16th century. Born in Spain, he was the founder of the Society of Jesus—the Jesuits. A priest, reformer, and mystic, Ignatius founded the Roman College as well as homes for orphans and others in need.
One of his spiritual exercises is the Daily Examen: a method of praying and self-reflection that brings God’s presence throughout the day into focus. Generally, in a true Ignatian Examen, there are four steps—BUT, lest you are tempted to blow this one off as “way too Roman Catholic,” I am giving you the Adam Hamilton variation.
Of all the spiritual practices we’ve undertaken in pursuit of Soul-Tending, this has proven an invaluable tool for my personal devotions (and one I need to get back to on a daily basis!).
Try this examen practice today.