The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola:

Before describing the 19th Annotation, it’s helpful to have an understanding of the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola which are:

 

a collection of contemplative prayers, meditations and rules of discernment designed to guide you toward a sweeter & deeper connection with Christ while following him closely through the gospels.  By entering into a personal experience of the mystery of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection, one can grow in love for Jesus and into a closer discipleship to him. The Exercises are a proven approach to prayer and discernment and can be a helpful when facing a significant transition or decision in life.

 

Friend, if you're a member of the Meditation Garden, you have already been introduced to many of these exercises including: Imaginative Prayer, Prayer of Examen, Colloquy, and Prayer of Repetition!

 

About the 19th Annotation:

The 19th Annotation was created by St. Ignatius of Loyola in the 16th century as a “Retreat in Everyday Life.” This retreat was originally designed as a 30 day retreat in a monastery. During this time of prayerful solitude, one would journey through the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. As blissful as retreating to a monastery sounds, Ignatius quickly learned that most people cannot retreat from their everyday lives for 30 days. And so, the “Retreat in Everyday Life” was born.

 

Instead of a monastery, the 19th Annotation occurs at home and across eight or nine months during which you’ll be guided  into a daily rhythm of contemplative prayer & meditation on Jesus’ life, death, & resurrection. By beginning in September, you will have the opportunity to be with Jesus in the Exercises at his birth during Advent & Christmas and also journey with him to the cross during Lent & Easter.

 

The 19th Annotation also includes weekly meetings with a trained spiritual director. Together, we'll meet over the course of the retreat to discuss what you're noticing within you and how you're personally experiencing Jesus as you journey through the Spiritual Exercises.

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How is the 19th Annotation different from the Meditation Garden?

In comparison, the Meditation Garden is like a day trip while the 19th Annotation is a once in a lifetime pilgrimage. If you’re new to contemplative prayer & meditation, the Meditation Garden is a great way to “try on”  some of the Spiritual Exercises. The 19th Annotation however, will immerse you in the full experience as originally intended by Ignatius of Loyola.

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Who is the 19th Annotation for?

This "Retreat in Everyday Life" is perfect for one who:

• has a habit of or longs to establish a daily contemplative prayer practice.

• wishes to strengthen their ability to discern the will of Christ in their everyday life.

• longs to know Jesus more clearly, love him more dearly and follow him more closely. Not out of obligation or ritual, but from a place of intimate connection and true love.

• is comfortable with scripture which is used as a sacred meeting place for contemplative prayer & meditation throughout the retreat.

• has experienced Spiritual Direction (aka Soul Care), which demonstrates your ability to talk about your inward journey and entrust it with your director; and

• can commit to weekly spiritual direction sessions starting in September 2023 through May 2024.

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Our guiding intention as you move through the exercises is to know Jesus more clearly, love him more dearly, and follow him more closely. This occurs slowly and over time as you contemplate the mystery of Christ’s life, death, resurrection and ministry.

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Cost:

Because I am in training, this experience is being offered at a generous rate which can be discussed privately.  This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone- especially those on a budget.

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Friend,  sincerely and truly: if the 19th Annotation makes your heart leap, I encourage you to move forward with the Interest Meeting. I will not allow cost to be a barrier for you. :)

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Next Steps:

Most people only make this "spiritual pilgrimage" once in their lifetime and before you begin, it's best to make sure that it will be a blessing to you in the season of life that you're in.

 

Because if this, I offer a FREE interest meeting followed by a discernment process before we embark. During this FREE 30 minute session, we'll explore your hopes and desires for making the retreat and your current relationship with God. We'll also discuss any obstacles that you foresee along your journey- and if/how we could navigate around them. You're welcome to book your Interest Meeting when you're ready to take that next step.

 

Interested? Curious? Let's chat! Book a FREE 30 minute Interest Meeting!