The Spiritual Exercises arose out of the life experience of Saint
Ignatius Loyola, who founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuit Order) in the
16th Century. St. Ignatius developed the Spiritual exercises based
on the Gospels for a person who could get away from everyday life to
spend thirty days in quiet, solitary prayer. But Ignatius found
that many people could not, because of family or business reasons, take
thirty days off, leave home and go away for a retreat. So he created an
everyday adaptation of the Exercises, often referred to as the 19th
Annotation, which would be extended over a period of eight to nine
months, during which people could make the retreat with a spiritual
director while continuing to live their daily lives.
Spiritual
Exercises in Everyday Life (S.E.E.L.) of Puget Sound offers this
experience to participants living in and around the Seattle/Tacoma
area.
This
retreat is best suited for those who have established a discipline of
regular personal prayer, have experience of sharing their spiritual
journey with another, and who are called and committed to deepening
personal faith and nurturing the seeds of a spirituality that
transforms human society.
There is
no one method of Ignatian prayer: Ignatius drew on a number of
sources, and the Exercises contain different kinds of prayer. A
readiness to pray with scripture is important, but there is
opportunity for stillness too. They are oriented to mission and rooted
in contemplation.
The
Exercises develop characteristics which then become part of daily
life. Firstly, retreatants become better able to discern their inner
desires and to see how God is working in their lives and in the world.
Secondly, they learn how to bring together contemplation and action.
And thirdly, they become increasingly aware of the presence and
activity of God in all things.
