“The prayer of examen is the specific searching every day to find where God’s love is active this day, where God’s love is leading today, to discern what within me may be resisting that leading and to discover the growth to which God is calling me tomorrow and that this deepest desire can be increasingly fulfilled.” (Timothy M. Gallagher, OMV)
ex·a·men – /iɡˈzāmən
a devotional exercise involving reflection on and moral evaluation of one’s thoughts and conduct, typically performed on a daily basis.
Use an examen prayer practice to help you pay attention to God’s invitations and activity in your ordinary life. This is one example of a daily examen, but there are many variations on this Ignatian prayer practice. You’ll also find resources at the bottom of the post.
Try out a Daily Examen
Find a quiet spot. Start with awareness of God’s presence, whatever that looks like, and try to start in your (consistent) usual way (candle, breathing, stillness, a borrowed prayer)… Some authors pose this practice is best done regularly but not to exceed 15 minutes. I find that makes it doable!
This can either be written in a journal, line by line, or in the form of prayer, sitting with God. It can also be done as you walk.
1. Review events of the previous day/time period (ex: if examen at night, that day; if morning, the day previous; if a week, start with major events each day).
2. Gratitude is foundational. Notice joys and delights with thankfulness.
3. With the Holy Spirit, pay attention to emotions / feelings without judgment. Reflect on them.
4. Choose one aspect that stands out to you, one shimmering event or moment. Asking Jesus, continue to journal or pray about this that stands out. May be an encounter, feeling, or desolation. It might even seem insignificant. Notice it, and then pray about it. Prayer arises from heart.
5. Look forward to what’s next. With awareness of circumstances, pay attention to feelings that surface as you consider what’s coming. Allow feelings about the rest of today to turn into prayer. Ask for guidance and understanding, invite him to be present, and notice what arises.
6. End with quiet and stillness. Just be with God in whatever way you are comfortable being present to the Trinity.
Resources
Pray As You Go audio examen (8-min) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Book: Reimagining the Ignatian Examen: Fresh Ways to Pray from Your Day
Examen app for your smartphone
YouTube video (there are many examples, but here’s one)