F
Flopfoot
Guest
The exercises are written to two people, a trainer and the person actually doing the exercises. Why do you need a trainer? It seems more awkward than just doing the exercises on your own
- Status
S
SuscipeMeDomine
Guest
In part you need someone with experience who knows what they’re doing. I mean wouldn’t it be easier to learn to drive if you just jumped in the car and hit the gas pedal? But you need someone who can remind you to check for oncoming traffic before you pull into traffic, someone to help you see hazards, etc. This isn’t really.any different.
A wise director can help you see things you’d miss. I can’t tell you how many times my director would say something like “Did you see how God was with you there.” It’s also helpful to be able to check your experiences against those of someone else. Like “does this make sense?” Or “Am I just making this up or is it what I’m really experiencing?”
When Ignatius developed the Exercises, he didn’t intend it as a do-it-yourself activity. Like so much of our spiritual lives, we gain from other people.
A wise director can help you see things you’d miss. I can’t tell you how many times my director would say something like “Did you see how God was with you there.” It’s also helpful to be able to check your experiences against those of someone else. Like “does this make sense?” Or “Am I just making this up or is it what I’m really experiencing?”
When Ignatius developed the Exercises, he didn’t intend it as a do-it-yourself activity. Like so much of our spiritual lives, we gain from other people.
J
jesusmademe
Guest
Trainer? Where did you hear/read this word?
J
jesusmademe
Guest
I’d say that they are only written for the director, the one giving the retreat, as they can be a bit hard to read for the one doing the retreat.
You never really read the daily Examen of conscience found in the exercices as it is a bit to much like a manual rather than a meditation the Jesuits have told me.
You never really read the daily Examen of conscience found in the exercices as it is a bit to much like a manual rather than a meditation the Jesuits have told me.
The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius is not a book to be read for spiritual enlightenment. It describes a series of meditations and contemplations on Christ, the world and ourselves.It is a set of guidelines to help the retreat director give the Spiritual Exercises to another.
Indeed, an essential part of the Spiritual Exercises is that you are guided through them by an expert spiritual director who has been through the experience themselves.
http://www.jesuit.org.uk/ignatian-way-pray
H
HeDa
Guest
What is also very, very, very important for the director, is to choose exercises that the one doing the Spiritual Exercises is prepared and ready for. If not, there could be disaster and that is why we should not do the Exercises by ourselves or with someone who hasn’t been trained and approved in giving the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius.
Z
Zach
Guest
If you can’t make a retreat there are books to guide you. Last year I did this with:
Do It at Home Retreat
The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius
By Fr. Andre Ravier S.J., who was a retreat director for decades.
I’m not saying it can take the place of a retreat or a spiritual director but it was helpful to someone like me who will most likely never get a chance to experience the retreat.
After writing this I read HeDa’s post. HeDa are you saying this type of do it at home is a bad idea?
Do It at Home Retreat
The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius
By Fr. Andre Ravier S.J., who was a retreat director for decades.
I’m not saying it can take the place of a retreat or a spiritual director but it was helpful to someone like me who will most likely never get a chance to experience the retreat.
After writing this I read HeDa’s post. HeDa are you saying this type of do it at home is a bad idea?
Last edited:
H
HeDa
Guest
The Spiritual Exercises can be done in what is called “everyday life” meaning you will meet with a director over a period of 1-2 years. There is the introduction and then you will meet maybe once per week or two weeks for about 1 hour. The two of you will go over what happened in your prayer, how God has been close to you since the past week and how that is helping you to continue to live a Christian life. Then you will receive the next meditation and off you go. Those who do the Exercises in everyday life are very much encouraged to go to Mass, pray with their families, go to Confession when needed and continue living faithfully to the faith.
The Exercises in everyday life have been adapted to people who have difficulties going on a retreat for 30 days or split them in two/three retreats over a period of a couple of years.
The Exercises in everyday life have been adapted to people who have difficulties going on a retreat for 30 days or split them in two/three retreats over a period of a couple of years.
H
HisSparrow
Guest
That’s all great. But what if u can’t find a spiritual director? . I have asked many priests and been praying for one. Can one be found online? Is that even a thing?
Cloisters
Well-known member
Before this present congregation that I’m in the midst of founding, I had a group of dispersed hermits. We were part Ignatian, and used the Spiritual Exercises at home as a month-long retreat before promotion. We used the pocketbook edition published by TAN, which includes a number of ways of doing the Exercises, including eight days. These formulas are included in the back of the book.
Here is a link explaining the 19th Annotation:
www.ignatianspirituality.com
An Introduction to the Devout Life is very, very similar to the Exercises, as St. Francis de Sales was Jesuit-educated. After having gone through both the SE and the IDL, I can almost say that de Sales “gave hands-and-feet” to the 19th Annotation.
At any rate, you can do the SE on your own. The leader/spiritual director is viewing direction through a Jesuit lens, as my OP spiritual director put it. Dominicans are very hands-off with SD. We refer the penitent to the spiritual classics, and have them check in at the confessional when they discover issues.
Blessings,
Mrs Cloisters OP
Lay Dominican
http://cloisters.tripod.com/
http://cloisters.tripod.com/charity/
http://cloisters.tripod.com/holyangels/id9.html/
Here is a link explaining the 19th Annotation:
The 19th Annotation: What Is It, and What Can You Expect? - Ignatian Spirituality
What is the 19th annotation of the Spiritual Exercises? What can you expect from the retreat in daily life?
www.ignatianspirituality.com
An Introduction to the Devout Life is very, very similar to the Exercises, as St. Francis de Sales was Jesuit-educated. After having gone through both the SE and the IDL, I can almost say that de Sales “gave hands-and-feet” to the 19th Annotation.
At any rate, you can do the SE on your own. The leader/spiritual director is viewing direction through a Jesuit lens, as my OP spiritual director put it. Dominicans are very hands-off with SD. We refer the penitent to the spiritual classics, and have them check in at the confessional when they discover issues.
Blessings,
Mrs Cloisters OP
Lay Dominican
http://cloisters.tripod.com/
http://cloisters.tripod.com/charity/
http://cloisters.tripod.com/holyangels/id9.html/
S
SuscipeMeDomine
Guest
@Heda, that’s what I did. The 19th Annotation or exercises in everyday life. Very intense but also a whole new way of experiencing your life. It really integrates your spiritual life and everything else you do.
- Status