The Awareness Examen - The First Spiritual Exercises

1. I give thanks.

I give thanks for the graces, benefits and good things of my day.

2. I ask for help.
I ask the Holy Spirit for help to discern my day with openness.

3. I review.
I review my day, hour by hour, to see how God is working in my life.

4. I respond.
I respond to what I felt or learnt in my review just made.

5. I resolve.
I resolve with hope and the grace of God to amend my life tomorrow.

Our Father.

Suggested Prayer time: 10-15 min: Thanks 3 min. Help 1 min. Review 3-8 min. Response 2 min. Resolve 1 min.

The simple Awareness Examen sifts my day with gratitude and gives me a space and time to become aware of the good things in my day.

It will guide me with happiness and gladness, reveal new understandings and open me to the gift of inner peace. The best time to pray this powerful exercise is at day’s end or midday.

The central focus of the Awareness Examen is not on my life, rather it is on God’s life at work in my life. In practice, I carefully search out how God is working in my life, moving hour by hour, through my day.

After some weeks I also look for any pattern of events or relationships that console me or give me inner peace.

Conversely, is there a pattern that desolates or deadens me? Knowing this pattern, I can now move in the contrary direction.

In time, with regular practice, I begin to see how God works best through me. Then I can ask how I may work best with God tomorrow.

Interested in Inner Peace in Darkness and Light, the retreat containing this exercise? Buy The First Spiritual Exercises here.
Alternatively, each FSE retreat will given online in monthly rotation under the Spiritual Exercises menu.

Your responsible agreement is necessary for use of this exercise:

I agree give the FSE to others without cost.
I agree to embody the FSE Code of Ethics and the The FSE Golden Rules.
I agree to create a FSE Safety Net before giving the FSE retreats.