The Spiritual Exercises
“The Spiritual Exercises” refers to both a book and a retreat experience. The book was written by St. Ignatius Loyola based on his own spiritual journey and is a collection of prayers, meditations, and notes meant to guide those making the retreat.
Jesuit typically say they “make” a retreat, by which they mean “go on a retreat,” not that they are creating the retreat in a literal sense.
Make the Exercises.
Interested in making the Spiritual Exercises? We have a list of ministries within the USA East Jesuit Province that offer the full Spiritual Exercises, many of which are offered online and can be made from anywhere.
What are the Spiritual Exercises?
“The Spiritual Exercises” refers to both a book and a retreat experience.
During the 1520’s, St. Ignatius Loyola began writing about the emotions that took hold of him — feelings of gratitude and anguish, consolation and sadness — while encountering the Scriptures. Those meditations eventually became The Spiritual Exercises, which were first published in 1548.
The book itself is a guide written for spiritual directors who accompany others as they make the Exercises. Yes, you can buy the book on Amazon, but you will quickly notice that it is more of a reference guide than the page-turner you were hoping for. It is a compilation of meditations, prayers, and other contemplative practices, mostly written in the form of notes for the director.
The Spiritual Exercises are meant to be experienced, not read. That experience is called a “retreat,” and it can take several forms. The full Exercises can be experienced as a 30-day retreat — a full month spent in prayer at a retreat house. There is also the Retreat in Daily Life, sometimes referred to as the “19th Annotation,” during which retreatants typically spend about an hour each day reading and praying, and then meet with a spiritual director periodically. There are also shorter retreats, made either at a retreat house or in daily life, which are designed around specific meditations and contemplations in the Exercises.
Video.
What are the Spiritual Exercises?
Matt Wooters, SJ, explains what the Spiritual Exercises are in this short video interview. (3 minutes, 24 seconds)
Article.
What are the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius?
by Dr. Stephanie Russell (4 minute read)
Marquette University
Go deeper.
The 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises
(4 minute read)
The Ignatian Adventure, by Kevin O’Brien, SJ, is an annotated version of The Spiritual Exercises frequently used for the Retreat in Daily Life (also called the 19th Annotation). The explanations of various facets of Ignatian spirituality found at the beginning of each section are excellent. However, we strongly recommend that you work through the prayer exercises with a spiritual director or as part of a guided retreat.)
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.
- “Suscipe,” St. Ignatius Loyola, Spiritual Exercises, 234
Three Recommendations for those thinking about making the Spiritual Exercises.
Making the full Spiritual Exercises is a big commitment and can be a significant life experience.
Most people, including Jesuits, will only make the full Exercises once or twice in their lifetime, and typically at a significant moment they have discerned is the right one for such a powerful experience.
There are many recommendations we could make, but here are three key suggestions, if you are interested in experiencing the Spiritual Exercises.
One: Pray the Ignatian Examen
This prayer of reflection is found right at the beginning of the Spiritual Exercises, because it is so fundamental to the practice of Ignatian spirituality. Try developing the habit of praying the examen daily. Here are some resources to help you.
Two: Talk to a Spiritual Director
Deciding when to make the full Spiritual Exercises is something that must be discerned. A spiritual director can be invaluable in helping you with your discernment.
The experience of spiritual direction is also an important part of the retreat itself, so it is recommended that people have been in spiritual direction before they begin the Exercises.
Learn more about spiritual direction, and find a spiritual director.
Three: Make an Ignatian Retreat
There are many Ignatian retreats that offer a shorter, less intense, experience of the Spiritual Exercises. Jesuits typically only make the full Spiritual Exercises twice in their lives, but they make an 8-day retreat annually.
Retreats come in all shapes and sizes. Some take place at a retreat center, and others can be made at home in the midst of a busy life.