THE BOOK OF THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES
Ignatian Vision: All things come from God and are on their way back to God. In this two-fold
movement, each human person has a specific role to play. The human person can attain
happiness by fulfilling his/her Personal mission. For this creatures will help or hinder. Hence
need to be free and not to be enslaved to creatures.
Ignatius did not make the Exercises. He was led by God through a spiritual experience over a
long period of time in his life. This experience he has enshrined in the Book of the Spiritual
Exercises. As he began sharing is spiritual experience with others, he found that many more
could be brought to the similar experience. Thus he wrote the book. It went through many
revisions based on experience of giving the retreats until finally the definitive version was
published in 1548.
The Book of the Sp Exs is not a treatise on spiritual life. It is not a book to be read. It is a
manual to be practiced, usually with the help of an experienced director. Therefore, the book is
meant more for the director than the retreatant.
Purpose of the SpExs: God has a purpose for each one (Jer. 29/11). Only by fulfilling this
purpose can one be truly happy and fulfilled. Therefore, it is necessary to find God's plan for
me. This is not easy because our inner vision is clouded by distortions, complexes, attachments
and enslavements. These first need to be rid of and we become inwardly free before we can
clearly see what God wants of us. SpExs helps us in this two-fold purpose: to be free in order to
see God's plan for us.
Adaptation: Even though Ignatius envisaged a person to be highly motivated and prepared
before entering the retreat the SpExs have been adapted to the varying needs and circumstances
of the individuals making it. Thus it has been used for many different persons in many different
ways: persons who want to choose a state of life, persons who want to solve a personal
problem, persons who want to reawaken a life of prayers, those who want to make a decision
etc. Exercises are also given to individuals and groups, large and small. The duration of the
retreat too, though ideally 30 days, has varied. Thus we have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 20 day
retreats. There is also a practice called Exercises in Daily life according to Annotation 19.
Structure of the book:
1. Introduction; 20 introductory explanations for directors and retreatants (1-20)
2. Purpose of the Exercises: arranging one's life according to God's plan by freeing
oneself from all enslavements (21)
3. Presupposition: presuming good will and sincerity on the part of another and being
slow in condemning (22)
4. Principle and Foundation: The whole Exercises journey in a nutshell. Map of the
itinerary (23)
5. Particular and General Examens, Additional guidelines, General Confession and
Communion (2444)
6. The Exercises grouped into 4 "Weeks" "Week" = a phase, a stage.
First Week: (8-9 days) nos. 45-90: purgative way: purification. Sin in all its dimensions and
aspects and consequences. Additional directives (73-90)
Second Week: (10-12 days) Illuminative way Imitation of Christ Kingdom Exercise as an
Introduction to the whole week, setting the tone, creating the atmosphere. Contemplations of
the Mysteries of the Lord's life. Ignatian Triptych: Two Camps, Three sets of people, Three
degrees of love. (91-189)
ELECTION
Choice, Decision, Option, Commitment.
A state of life
a specific way of living my commitment
reform of life
Christian decision making
Third Week: (6 to 8 days) Unitive way (190-217)
Contemplation of Christ in His Passion and Death
Fourth Week: Contemplation of the Risen Lord (4 to 6 days) (218-237)
Final Exercise: Contemplation to obtain love.
Supplementary Matter
Three methods of praying (238-260)
The Mysteries of the Life of Christ (261-312)
Rules for Discernment of Spirits (313-336)
Ministry of distributing alms (337-344)
How to deal with scruples (345-351)
Rules for Thinking with the Church (352-370)
Style and Interpretation of the Book
not polished writing, unlike Teresa of Avila or John of the Cross
to be used as a set of directions to be practiced rather than read as a spiritual treatise
Style is terse and dry. The book comes alive only to the person who first goes through
the experience of the Exercises. Then, it becomes a treasured possession and a gold
mine of spiritual treasure. Hence considered a spiritual classic. Therefore don't READ
but DO them.
Flexibility is the norm. Therefore, different interpretations.
There is an ever growing interest in the inexhaustible spiritual treasures of the book.
Helps for the study of the book
1. In a given text what exactly did Ignatius mean?
2. What is the spiritual experience of Ignatius that is enshrined in this particular exercise?
3. How can we recapture it today for this particular person?
4. Use contemporary knowledge of theology, psychology and human sciences while
studying and understanding the text.
5. Study the text prayerfully.
Conclusion: Though the book is not a treatise on spiritual life still it outlines important
principles of our life in the Spirit. Ignatius' later writings throw light on the book of Spiritual
Exercises. Constitutions of the Society of Jesus can be properly understood only in the light of
the Spiritual Exercises.
ANNOTATINIONS AND ADDITIONS
1. Introduction to Annotations and Additions
2. Annotations (1-20)
1. Nature: Summary
2. Object: Theoretical and Practical object
3. Division:
i. The nature and purpose of the Exercises (1)
ii. General way of proceeding (2,3,4)
iii. Basic dispositions required in the retreatant (5)
iv. Guideline for the retreat director
1. When there is no reaction (6)
2. Dealing with desolation (7-13)
3. Dealing with Consolation (14-15)
4. Demanding the spirit of abnegation (16)
5. Need for openness demanded from the retreatant (17)
6. Adaptation of Sp Exs (18-20)
3. The Text
1. The nature and purpose of the Exs.- purification of unfreedoms leading to
seeking and finding Gods Will
2. Brief points to be given to the retreatant. Knowing much is not important a
but feeling and tasting things interiorly
3. Prayer needs attitude of respect and reverence
4. The Exs. are divided into four parts. Adapt the length of time of each phase
to each person. Only after the attainment of the goal of the particular week
proceed to the next week
5. Attitude of openness and generosity are needed in the retreatant
6. Need to question the retreatant to find out the Spiritual experience
7. The guide has to be gentle and kind and encouraging in times of desolations
and not to be judgmental
8. Supplying of information towards the spiritual growth according to the
need. This should not be overdone
9. Supplying of Information and challenging according to the readiness of the
person for it.
10. Keeping pace in direction with the pace of growth of the person
11. Help the person to be present to the present and not to live in the future
12. Temptation in desolation is to be lax. Hence the need to be faithful to prayer
13. Increase of time of prayer in times of desolations
14. In times of consolations help the person to discern authentically and not
rashly
15. The director should be neutral towards the directee, allowing the spirit to
work directly with the person and the person directly with the Spirit
16. Help the person to recognize selfish desires and unfreedoms
17. Real openness is required from the retreatant for receiving guidance in the
retreat
18. Adapt all the facets of the SpExs to this unique individual person .
19. Make extraordinary adaptations in extraordinary circumstances for persons
desirous of making the SpExs
20. The SpExs are best made in solitude and silence
4. Additions (Additional directions)
i. Procedure/Practice
ii. Physical environment
iii. Mental attitude/disposition
A. Additions for the first week (73-90)
B. Additions for the second week (130)
C. Additions of the third week (206,207)
D. Additions for the fourth week (229)
5. Study Questions:
Which of the Annotations and Additions that you have found to be very helpful in
your retreat experience
Explain the meaning and purpose of Annotations and Additions to a prospective
group of retreatants
Summarize the Annotations and Additions in your own words.
THE KEY GRACES OF THE EXERCISES
Signs of readiness for the first week
Meaningful preparatory prayer
The experience of being loved and desire to reciprocate
Already moved to a consciousness of sin
Disposition of annotation 1, 5, 15, 20 - i.e. generosity, desire to do God s will, desire
to order ones life
Good rapport with the director, being a sign of good rapport with the Lord and of
free spontaneous response to the word.
Beginning of affective prayer
Desire to serve God - to let him call the shots
Experience of being a creature; the tasting of this truth with the awareness that God
is near and wants to communicate - my Father - This child / son / brother brotherhood, equality, love - relationships with others (priestly prayer - intercede for
people)
Not tired
Not turned in oneself
Acceptance and appreciation of any
Signs of readiness for the second week
Experience of God's mercy
Desire to know my personal benefactor more "what would you have me do?": "To
whom can I go?"
Experience of some pain at having looked at self; with a certain amount of freedom
and a recognition that I have been hard hearted
Peace in sinfulness
Jesus as personal Saviour
Experience of each of the graces of the five exercises
Experience of sin as impotence. I am helpless without Jesus my Saviour
Different reactions and ways retreatants enter into the third week
Confirmation of election made
Beginning to see how suffering is involved in their choice of life or in the following
of Christ
Continuation of the Election
Another hit at First week, if grace was not received during the First Week
Unitive - a great deal of freedom and intimacy. (Note No. 199 - Ignatius' description
of the colloquy. How will I make up what is wanting in the passion of Christ? Also
of No. 210)
Prayer of Faith - also unitive. Here there may be no sensible consolation but there are
distractions - effort at prayer seems useless but the will is still attached to God
Desire to be compassionate yet the inability to experience compassion - this can be a
strengthening experience
Readiness for the fourth week & entry into day-to-day life
Growing trust in the Lord
Accepting Jesus as the Lord
Surrender to the Lord
Walking with Christ in Freedom, poverty and solidarity
Ability to find God in all things, persons and events
Confirmation of the Choice
Living in unconditional and disinterested love
Living more deeply the Paschal mystery
