Examen - 01 2025
Transcript
There’s nothing like a good conversation. The memory of good conversations bring to mind dear friends, beloved relatives, comfy couches, a warm cup of tea, a delicious meal, kind words, and a sense of being listened to and that you belong. There is a give-and-take dynamic to a good conversation: we speak and we listen; we share and we receive; we ask and are asked. We get to talk about the things that matter to us, including the simple things, the silly things, the important things, the challenging things that are part of our own experiences.
During Ignatian Heritage Month, we are invited to these conversations through the tool of the Examen. You’ll see on the website that there are 30 different Examens, shared by faculty, staff, students, and even a Jesuit or two. Each Examen will reflect the presenter’s own style and utilize a particular theme. We hope you can peruse these recordings to find what will best invite you to this
intentional conversation.
With that, I now invite you to a simple, general Examen on your day. Please take a comfortable position, wherever you are. If you are in a space to close your eyes, I invite you to do so. We begin by praying for light. We ask for the courage and honesty to reflect back on what has been in this day. To look at things without judgement, simply to name them and allow them to be what they are or were,
to invite God into the conversation, the warm conversation where we simply look at what is going on for us.
With that spirit of honesty and authenticity, I invite you now to think back on the past day. Review your day looking for what has happened. Name any key events, conversations, interactions. You will have time to think back and place meaning on all of these later. For now, simply go back to when you woke up and try to remember the events of the last day. As you continue to think back on your day, I also bring to you the words of James Martin, S.J. as he describes the Examen. Fr. Martin writes, “Push the play button and run through your day, from start to finish, from your rising in the morning to preparing to go to bed at night. Notice what made you happy, what made you stressed, what confused you, what helped you be more loving. Recall everything: sights, sounds, feelings, tastes, textures, conversations. Each moment offers a window to where God has been in your day.”
You may want to press pause here to allow yourself some more time to think back on what has been.
If you are ready to move on, I invite you to think through the list you just made and name the gifts that you have received, big, small, or anywhere in between. Cultivate a spirit of thanksgiving as you remember when you encountered peace, love, or hope. When did you feel alive or that you are doing exactly what you are called to do? In what moments were you most aware of God’s presence in your day? Who were the people that contributed to any of the gifts of your day? The people where you encounter friendship, collegiality, support, connection, from any part of your life? I invite you to thank God for the people. Finally, I invite you to leave some room here to celebrate the small things, the things that brought smiles to your face, the moments when you laughed, and the simple things
that might seem mundane. Of course, press pause if you need more time in gratitude, more time to savor the gifts you have
received.
With that, we move on to the next part of our Examen. We move forward knowing our days have not been perfect. I invite you to look through your list again, looking for the challenges and frustrations. What are the things and circumstances that have brought stress to you, confused you, or made you angry today? When did you find yourself responding to injustices around you, either on a large level or a small, personal level? When did you find yourself acting out of alignment with your values? Perhaps in how you spoke with someone, any actions or words that you wish you had said or done or wish you hadn’t said or done? When did you feel moments of loneliness or disconnection? Places where you wish you could have felt God’s presence more meaningfully? Ignatius of Loyola invites us to recognize that God’s mercy is part of God’s unconditional love. So we ask God to give us mercy that we might forgive ourselves, be gentle with ourselves, and forgive and be gentle with others as well. We begin shifting our gaze towards restorative and means of reconciliation in our relationships and communities.
Please press pause if you need more time.
We now move forward to the final step of our Examen, the chance to look forward, aware of what we have prayed with in these last few minutes and how that informs what we want in the day ahead. What are you seeking in the next day ahead? What are your hopes, desires, or needs? Whatever is on your heart and mind, whatever your desires are, it is significant enough to bring to God’s attention.
Press pause if you want some more time, thinking about tomorrow.
As we come to the conclusion of our Examen, I invite you to take a few deep breaths at your own pace. Close out your Examen however feels right to you. Perhaps with an Our Father or a Glory Be, maybe a simple conversation with God to wrap up what you have just talked about in this conversation, or maybe just intentionally thinking thank you. For what has been, thank you. Amen.
November 01, 2025
Examen: General
SUMMARY: Our first Examen of the month is general, inviting you to pay attention to what happened and how you were in this past day.
PRESENTER: Lauren Schwer, DMin, Director, Ignatian Spirituality; Adjunct Professor, Institute for Pastoral Studies
Transcript
There’s nothing like a good conversation. The memory of good conversations bring to mind dear friends, beloved relatives, comfy couches, a warm cup of tea, a delicious meal, kind words, and a sense of being listened to and that you belong. There is a give-and-take dynamic to a good conversation: we speak and we listen; we share and we receive; we ask and are asked. We get to talk about the things that matter to us, including the simple things, the silly things, the important things, the challenging things that are part of our own experiences.
During Ignatian Heritage Month, we are invited to these conversations through the tool of the Examen. You’ll see on the website that there are 30 different Examens, shared by faculty, staff, students, and even a Jesuit or two. Each Examen will reflect the presenter’s own style and utilize a particular theme. We hope you can peruse these recordings to find what will best invite you to this
intentional conversation.
With that, I now invite you to a simple, general Examen on your day. Please take a comfortable position, wherever you are. If you are in a space to close your eyes, I invite you to do so. We begin by praying for light. We ask for the courage and honesty to reflect back on what has been in this day. To look at things without judgement, simply to name them and allow them to be what they are or were,
to invite God into the conversation, the warm conversation where we simply look at what is going on for us.
With that spirit of honesty and authenticity, I invite you now to think back on the past day. Review your day looking for what has happened. Name any key events, conversations, interactions. You will have time to think back and place meaning on all of these later. For now, simply go back to when you woke up and try to remember the events of the last day. As you continue to think back on your day, I also bring to you the words of James Martin, S.J. as he describes the Examen. Fr. Martin writes, “Push the play button and run through your day, from start to finish, from your rising in the morning to preparing to go to bed at night. Notice what made you happy, what made you stressed, what confused you, what helped you be more loving. Recall everything: sights, sounds, feelings, tastes, textures, conversations. Each moment offers a window to where God has been in your day.”
You may want to press pause here to allow yourself some more time to think back on what has been.
If you are ready to move on, I invite you to think through the list you just made and name the gifts that you have received, big, small, or anywhere in between. Cultivate a spirit of thanksgiving as you remember when you encountered peace, love, or hope. When did you feel alive or that you are doing exactly what you are called to do? In what moments were you most aware of God’s presence in your day? Who were the people that contributed to any of the gifts of your day? The people where you encounter friendship, collegiality, support, connection, from any part of your life? I invite you to thank God for the people. Finally, I invite you to leave some room here to celebrate the small things, the things that brought smiles to your face, the moments when you laughed, and the simple things
that might seem mundane. Of course, press pause if you need more time in gratitude, more time to savor the gifts you have
received.
With that, we move on to the next part of our Examen. We move forward knowing our days have not been perfect. I invite you to look through your list again, looking for the challenges and frustrations. What are the things and circumstances that have brought stress to you, confused you, or made you angry today? When did you find yourself responding to injustices around you, either on a large level or a small, personal level? When did you find yourself acting out of alignment with your values? Perhaps in how you spoke with someone, any actions or words that you wish you had said or done or wish you hadn’t said or done? When did you feel moments of loneliness or disconnection? Places where you wish you could have felt God’s presence more meaningfully? Ignatius of Loyola invites us to recognize that God’s mercy is part of God’s unconditional love. So we ask God to give us mercy that we might forgive ourselves, be gentle with ourselves, and forgive and be gentle with others as well. We begin shifting our gaze towards restorative and means of reconciliation in our relationships and communities.
Please press pause if you need more time.
We now move forward to the final step of our Examen, the chance to look forward, aware of what we have prayed with in these last few minutes and how that informs what we want in the day ahead. What are you seeking in the next day ahead? What are your hopes, desires, or needs? Whatever is on your heart and mind, whatever your desires are, it is significant enough to bring to God’s attention.
Press pause if you want some more time, thinking about tomorrow.
As we come to the conclusion of our Examen, I invite you to take a few deep breaths at your own pace. Close out your Examen however feels right to you. Perhaps with an Our Father or a Glory Be, maybe a simple conversation with God to wrap up what you have just talked about in this conversation, or maybe just intentionally thinking thank you. For what has been, thank you. Amen.