By Barbara Prinzi
(This Tuesday night at 7 pm, and every Tuesday night in Advent, we will be gathering in St. Paul’s Chapel to teach the Ignatian Examen to anyone who is interested. A contemplative prayer for anyone looking for a new way to connect with God. Details here.)
I discovered the Examen prayer during our “Discerning Your Purpose” workshop that Fr. Chris led at Christ Church Cranbrook. The focus of that class was discerning where God calls us, i.e. how we find the intersection between the world’s great needs and our deep passions. Anyway, one of the tools we used was the Examen prayer. I have found it to be a very thoughtful tool for reflection and evaluating my day and use it as a part of my evening ritual before retiring for the night. It only takes 15 or 20 minutes, but I have found it to be a wonderful tool for connecting with God in new ways and building a habit of listening to the Holy Spirit in my daily life.
I share this experience with anyone who would like to try out a new way to pray that will open up amazing new doors in your relationship with God.
Ways to read the Ignatian Examen: