Ignatian Prayer Background

Prayer & Practice

Ignatian Spirituality is not only something to study — it is something to practise and live. These tools help you encounter God daily.

Pray the Examen Prayer Methods Discernment Contemplative Prayer

The Daily Examen

A simple 5-step reflection to review your day with God’s eyes.

The Examen is a prayer of awareness that helps you pause and notice where God has been present in your day. St. Ignatius invited us to practise it daily as a way of deepening gratitude, learning from our experiences, and preparing to live tomorrow with greater freedom and love.

  1. 1. Give Thanks Notice gifts and graces received today.
  2. 2. Ask for Light Invite the Holy Spirit to guide your review.
  3. 3. Review the Day Walk through the day’s moments with honesty.
  4. 4. Face Shortcomings Seek mercy where you fell short.
  5. 5. Look Ahead Ask for grace for tomorrow’s choices.
Pray the Examen Now

Quick Examen

A guided prompt set you can use anytime.

Thanks: What am I most grateful for today?
Light: Where do I need God’s clarity?
Review: What moments felt close/far from God?
Mercy: Where do I ask forgiveness?
Tomorrow: What grace do I need?

Methods of Prayer

Tried and trusted ways to pray in the Ignatian tradition.

Contemplation

Enter a Gospel story with your senses and imagination.

Imaginative Prayer

Let God speak through images and inner stirrings.

Lectio Divina

A slow, prayerful reading of Scripture.

Colloquy

Speak with Christ as with a friend.

Explore Prayer Methods

Discernment of Spirits

Learn to notice what draws you closer to God — and what pulls you away.

Ignatius described consolation (hope, peace, love) and desolation (fear, doubt, isolation). The 14 Rules help us recognise God’s voice in daily life.

Learn the Rules for Discernment

Signs to Notice

  • • Movements toward faith, hope, love → Consolation
  • • Movements toward fear, isolation, apathy → Desolation
  • • Patterns over time matter more than one moment
  • • Share with a trusted guide when unsure

🕊 Contemplative Prayer

“Be still and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10

Contemplative prayer is the quiet heart of Ignatian spirituality — a way of resting in God’s loving presence and seeing all things through His eyes.

Like the Carmelites, Teresa of Ávila, the Poor Clares, and the Benedictines, Ignatius teaches that true prayer is not escape but encounter — a silence that awakens us to love. In stillness, we discover that God is already here.

Begin Contemplative Prayer

🌸 Moments of Stillness

  • • Find a quiet space — breathe deeply, let your thoughts settle.
  • • Gaze with love upon Christ — allow His gaze to meet yours.
  • • Rest in silence — listen not for words, but for peace.
  • • Respond with gratitude — “Thank You, Lord, for being here.”

Seasonal Prayer Guides

Ignatian prayer resources for the liturgical seasons:

Advent

Waiting in hope

Lent

Walking in conversion

Easter

Living resurrection joy

Ordinary Time

Growing in daily faithfulness (Year C: walking with Luke’s Gospel)

Pray the Season

Ignatian Voices Today

Reflections, podcasts, and talks that bring Ignatian wisdom into everyday life.

Weekly Reflection

Short meditations rooted in the Gospel and daily life.

Conversations

Interviews with guides and companions on the way.

Listen & Pray

Audio examens and imaginative prayer tracks.