After all the cool, beautiful, wild, wonderful things… it is the moments of quiet reflection that I think have the most meaning in our lives. Those are the moments all the cool things and all the traumatic things are reflected upon to help create lasting meaning and healing.
Filtering by Category: The Examen
The Examen 5/6
Fueled by discontent, staring at the planes as they fly overhead, wishing I was on one.
Missing the relationships in front of me as I long for another place.
Missing the affirmations of God all around me, as I long to experience him elsewhere.
The Examen 4/6
What are the things that form you? Who are the people? The art, music, conversations, literature?
What are the contributions you make in your daily life that help form others?
Which of these things feels like something you should lean into?
Which of these things feels like something you should walk away from?
The Examen 3/6
Our yard has two large oak trees at either corner. Our little porch is situated roughly between the two. My favorite contemplative practice is to sit in that space gazing up into the trees, following the twists and turns of the branches as they interweave. Looking at the little patches of light making their way through the bunches of leaves and limbs. Even with the noise of cars driving too fast down our street, golf carts with speakers playing terrible pop country, and loud exhausts... Even with the noise of my own extremely loud children... there is a stillness, silence, and holiness to contemplating the journey of the trees in our yard.
God is with us.
Yesterday.
Today.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Stop.
Reflect.
The Examen 2/6
God, I believe I am in your presence and you are loving me.
Stop + reflect.
How does this affect your daily mundane activities?
How does this affect your thoughts about productivity?
How does this affect how you see yourself in this particular moment?
The Examen 1/6
The Ignatian Examen is meant to break the business of your day with 15 minutes of contemplating God’s presence in the midst of your life and stress and joy. It is not meant to conjure God’s presence, but to remind us of God’s presence. God is here. Now. It is I who am distant. Distracted. It is I who forsake.