Ignatian retreat ?

[NadaTeTurbe]

Did you did one ? How does it works ? Is it good for discerning vocations ? 

[Swami Mommy]

I did a facilitated Ignatian Retreat with a group of about eight other people several years ago, but was left unchanged/unedified by the process.  That could just be me, though, and not the process.  

[LittleDiana]

I think it depends on what kind of prayer suits you best. People who tend to structured types of mental prayer and usually make compositions of place to prompt prayer may find it helpful. I tried ignatian prayer but gave up because in the rare ocassions that I could follow the steps, I ended up feeling drained afterwards; and most of the time my mind went blank after the first five minutes.

[Swami Mommy]

By the way, I still have my Ignatian journals from that retreat if you'd like me to list the Bible passages that are used.  (There's a lot).  

 

The book we we used was Draw Me Into Your Friendship: The Spiritual Exercises by David L. Fleming, S.J.

[Sister Leticia]

No way of prayer is meant to become a straitjacket or leave people feeling drained! The different ways of prayer - Ignatian imaginative contemplation, lectio divina, centring prayer etc - each come with tips and methods and techniques - and enthusiastic teachers. However, the methods are really only there to support someone - especially someone new to this way of praying, or to prayer itself - but they shouldn't become an end in themselves. Sometimes, though, an over-rigid/zealous director can fall into the trap of making the whole process seem way too complicated - and too confining.

I have made Ignatian retreats, including the full spiritual exercises twice, but I've never once done composition of place or points or whatever. (Right now I haven't much time for going into why or how, though)

An Ignatian retreat can consist of many different bible passages and meditations, depending on how and where God is leading the retreatant, so even if you read Swami Mommy's book that doesn't mean it would be the same for you - especially if you have an experienced director, who is free and flexible enough not to stick to every single page of the manual. The fundamental, important thing in Ignatian prayer is the encounter with Jesus, and the calls/challenge/transformation which can come about as a result. Ignatian spirituality also emphasises God present and active in all circumstances, which is why things like the Examen are so central, to help us find God and God's calls and presence in places outside the obvious.

As to whether an Ignatian retreat can help with discernment... Obviously, Ignatian trained directors are trained in the rules of discernment - though this is not necessarily about choices and life paths, it's also about interior movements. So a retreat might help you discern a blockage or a call of some sort, but can't guarantee you'll come out of it knowing you absolutely have to email the Sisters of XYZ because that is definitely where God wants you to go! But if you go to the retreat pondering whether God is calling you to the Sisters of ABC or XYZ, then it could give you clarity and direction.

At the same time, though, a caveat: we often go to retreats thinking we're going to spend our time praying with a particular question... only to find that when we get there, God whispers "oh good, now that you're here, this is what I'd like you to focus on..."

As you're in France, Nada, a little plug for a Sacred Heart retreat centre: the Centre Sophie Barat, in our foundress's maison natale, in Joigny, Burgundy. It's very simple, within the old town but very close to open countryside and vineyards, run by RSCJ and lovely! (and, of course, I'm not in the least bit biased!! )

[NadaTeTurbe]

My previous SD (who was a jesuit) thought I was "Ignatian" in my way of prayer because I'm very organized (I plan my prayers from the beginning to the end) and used visualising (although... it's mostly because I'm an history student, and I like my reading of the Bible to be historically correct  ). 

So, if I go to an Ignatian retreat, what is going to happen ? Is it in group, or alone ? I'm going to read Bible passage. Do I need to open up to the person leading the retreat ? 

Sister Leticia, thank you for the link. I will give it to a friend who is part of a Jesuit youth group - I'm sure she can find it usefull, she's looking for something to do during the holidays... The easier thing for me would be to go to the Jesuit center next to my city, but someone mentionned the Cenacle Sisters.

[Swami Mommy]

NadaTeTurbe, when I did the retreat the facilitator gave us readings to contemplate during the week and on our meeting day we went around the group and commented or read from our journals without any discussion or general comments.  We were basically passive listeners to others' journeys.  Don't know if that's how all group retreats are done with the exercises.

[Sister Leticia]

If you go to a retreat centre to make a silent, individually directed retreat (which is the "classic" way) you won't do it the way Swami Mommy did. You will meet each day with your retreat director in private, to share and reflect on how the prayer has been, how the day has been (you may have met God on a walk or while resting, you may be struggling with the silence, or it's raining heavily and you feel restless), insights, movements within yourself etc. The director will then suggest the material for the next day's prayer.

Many retreat centres advertise retreats at certain times, thus there's a sense of being part of a group, who are on retreat together, and come together for Mass, as well as meals and maybe adoration, and some might pray in the same space at the same time. But you're not there as a group - everyone is in silence, and needs to respect each other's silence. Meals are in silence. Obviously, you're sensible and polite - if someone picks up something you've dropped you smile and murmur thank you, or if you meet a retreatant who has got lost in the big house you show them the way, you but you don't then start a conversation.

I have heard of the Exercises being done in a group, with the same material for everyone, but the difficulty is that people may need to go in different directions or at different speeds. On an individual retreat you can spend longer with a particular meditation, mining its riches, and this can be a source of great grace and healing. There's also the issue of trusting a group and sharing - or not - deeply personal things with them, especially if the prayer raises past hurts, traumas or other things you'd rather not share in front of a group of strangers. The retreat director should have a role, in accompanying each person as they share, as if in an individual session - or else seeing people 1-1 afterward. Otherwise, if there are no comments, reflecting, questions - no direction - what happens when the retreatant loses focus, or faces their traumas or otherwise needs help?

[Amppax]

On 2/12/2017 at 2:51 PM, NadaTeTurbe said:

Did you did one ? How does it works ? Is it good for discerning vocations ? 

I did a 3-day version of the Spiritual Exercises several years ago. I would say based on my experience it is absolutely an excellent way to help further discernment. I can say fairly confidently that my current vocational discernment was largely prompted by my experience that weekend. Obviously, a lot will depend on your retreat director, and how they conduct the retreat. 

[Amppax]

On 2/13/2017 at 5:31 PM, NadaTeTurbe said:

My previous SD (who was a jesuit) thought I was "Ignatian" in my way of prayer because I'm very organized (I plan my prayers from the beginning to the end) and used visualising (although... it's mostly because I'm an history student, and I like my reading of the Bible to be historically correct  ). 

So, if I go to an Ignatian retreat, what is going to happen ? Is it in group, or alone ? I'm going to read Bible passage. Do I need to open up to the person leading the retreat ? 

Sister Leticia, thank you for the link. I will give it to a friend who is part of a Jesuit youth group - I'm sure she can find it usefull, she's looking for something to do during the holidays... The easier thing for me would be to go to the Jesuit center next to my city, but someone mentionned the Cenacle Sisters.

 

If you'd like to read more about the spirituality of the exercises, there are some excellent articles on them by Fr. John Hardon, SJ. I've personally found his writings on Ignatian Spirituality very helpful. His writings on the exercises can be found here: http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Spiritual_Exercises.htm.