at grace in january we had a visitor from the london meditation centre who led us in an ignatian examen of the previous year. it really was wonderful. julie dunstan kindly sent us a copy of the examen. adam posted it as his lent blog post and has added it to the zine section of the grace web site. you can adapt it to make it a weekly, daily or occasional examen.

julie says this about it…

St Ignatius, in his teaching of the Examen expected that God would speak
through our deepest feelings and yearning, what he called consolation and
desolation.  Consolation is whatever helps us to connect in love to
ourselves, others, God and the universe.  In his language – whatever leads
to an increase in faith, hope and love.  Desolation is whatever blocks that
connection…

So what follows is this – if we can reflect upon what in our life connects
us to Life, love, faith, hope, peace… the qualities of the spirit… we can
track where it is God is most available to us – or, more precisely, where
we are most available to God.  And the opposite – if we can see where it
is we are being drained of life – and then think about how we block God
in those areas…  This is not the same as feeling merely good or bad.

if you want to know more about the examen a great and easy to read introduction to it is the book sleeping with bread.