The Examen
The saints with whom I make the inner pilgrimage had a profound sense of awareness and senstivity. Following Columba is about entering that awareness and sensitivity in order to perceive the Love of God 'moving' within me.
The title of this posting - 'The Examen' - may feel inhibiting! 'Examen' is not to be equated with 'examination' or 'analysis' in the context of spiritual disciplines and practices. It means a gentle but acute awareness of what is going on! I offer this little exercise as a useful way of increasing awareness and attention to the movement of God within. That 'movement' is happening in all things. As St Ignatius pointed out the art is 'finding God in all things'. 'The Examen' is a way of increasing the potential of that 'finding'. I try to practice this regularly. You will find out for yourself, from your own rhythms what are appropriate intervals and times to practice this simple spiritual art.
Stage One
What have you experienced in the last few hours or days that has given you 'life', that has given you a creative awareness? Now, this may not necessarily be an experience which is 'visionary' or out of the ordinary. On the other hand it might be! Allow what comes from your memory and feelings to be with you. Do not analyse or test it out. Remember the experience may not even be a delightful or happy one. It may be a serious, even a difficuly one.... If it is delightful all well and good. Notice, observe.... and move on. You might find it helpful to write it down as a record of what is happening within you.
Stage Two
What have you experienced that has given you sorrow? What has been 'deadening' for you? In this stage, analysis becomes even more destructive to the process. Notice what is happening in you. Don't dwell on the experience. Perhaps note down the experience and then pass on...
Stage Three
What is within me that is 'asking' for me to address it.... Now, what is important here is to avoid the 'oughts' and 'shoulds'..... This stage is not about writing out my 'to do' list. What maybe on some list may be important. This exercise is about what I am or am not feeling about what is pressing on me. Just notice the drive or the excitement, the expectation or the dread, or the boredom or anxiety, the pleasure or.... Notice and perhaps write it down.
Whatever you do, practice doing without judgement and aalysis. This is not at all easy.
FINDING GOD IN ALL THINGS.
This is not a project because God is not a project!
+Martin
Argyll and The Isles
The title of this posting - 'The Examen' - may feel inhibiting! 'Examen' is not to be equated with 'examination' or 'analysis' in the context of spiritual disciplines and practices. It means a gentle but acute awareness of what is going on! I offer this little exercise as a useful way of increasing awareness and attention to the movement of God within. That 'movement' is happening in all things. As St Ignatius pointed out the art is 'finding God in all things'. 'The Examen' is a way of increasing the potential of that 'finding'. I try to practice this regularly. You will find out for yourself, from your own rhythms what are appropriate intervals and times to practice this simple spiritual art.
Stage One
What have you experienced in the last few hours or days that has given you 'life', that has given you a creative awareness? Now, this may not necessarily be an experience which is 'visionary' or out of the ordinary. On the other hand it might be! Allow what comes from your memory and feelings to be with you. Do not analyse or test it out. Remember the experience may not even be a delightful or happy one. It may be a serious, even a difficuly one.... If it is delightful all well and good. Notice, observe.... and move on. You might find it helpful to write it down as a record of what is happening within you.
Stage Two
What have you experienced that has given you sorrow? What has been 'deadening' for you? In this stage, analysis becomes even more destructive to the process. Notice what is happening in you. Don't dwell on the experience. Perhaps note down the experience and then pass on...
Stage Three
What is within me that is 'asking' for me to address it.... Now, what is important here is to avoid the 'oughts' and 'shoulds'..... This stage is not about writing out my 'to do' list. What maybe on some list may be important. This exercise is about what I am or am not feeling about what is pressing on me. Just notice the drive or the excitement, the expectation or the dread, or the boredom or anxiety, the pleasure or.... Notice and perhaps write it down.
Whatever you do, practice doing without judgement and aalysis. This is not at all easy.
FINDING GOD IN ALL THINGS.
This is not a project because God is not a project!
+Martin
Argyll and The Isles
posted by Martin at 9:25 pm
1 Comments:
For some reason after reading this post this came to me
Drink: God is in the glass
but the devil is in the bottle.
To me this means one glass is good but too much can lead to evil
so there is good and evil in one bottle
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