The prayer of the Spiritual Exercises offers an experience of graced striving toward freedom and hope. St. Ignatius wrote in the first paragraph of the Spiritual Exercises: For just as taking a walk, journeying on foot, and running are bodily exercises, so we call Spiritual Exercises every way of preparing and disposing the soul to rid itself of all inordinate attachments, and, after their removal, of seeking and finding the will of God in the disposition of our life for the salvation of our soul. [Sp.Ex. 1]

Master Ignatius knew that spiritual exercise of our interior landscape, just like physical exercise in exterior landscapes, is more fruitful when a person who has experience in exercising helps and supports persons just entering. The Ignatian Spirituality Institute offers experienced guides embedded in Ignatian spirituality to personally help you make the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius. All ISI guides are persons who have personally made the Spiritual Exercises in a one-to-one format, have been formed as guides of the Spiritual Exercises, and each continue with ongoing formation of their ministry to help others.

In the Exercises in Everday Life, you will:

  • pray daily with given materials. The commitment to daily prayer is 45 minutes to an hour of daily.
  • meet weekly with a spiritual guide to discuss and explore what is happening in your prayer.
  • retreatant and guide decide their own meeting time and place, as well as beginning and ending of the retreat.

We recommended persons interested in making the complete Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life first make a silent preached or five-day directed retreat at a Jesuit Retreat House, or pray through the Finding Christ in the World or Toward Greater Freedom retreats offered by ISI. Priority for the Spiritual Exercises in Everday Life is given to persons who have previously made one of these retreats. 

Applications to make the Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life are required. We will contact you within two weeks of your application for conversation to further explore where the Lord may be leading. 

You may apply here.

ISI requests a retreat offering of $650 per retreatant. Payment options are available.