n my role as a spiritual companion, I often hear those with whom I journey say, “My prayers seem routine or boring” or “I don’t know how to pray about this issue.” Perhaps you have had the same experience with your own prayers. Our first response to these thoughts might be to tell ourselves to simply talk to God. This advice is about as helpful as telling someone to talk non-stop to a friend instead of listening or enjoying their presence. Just as there are a number of ways we can interact with and enjoy our friends and family members, there are a number of ways we can interact with and experience the joys of being with The Holy One (the name I use interchangeably with God). Today, I will introduce you to a new and ancient way to pray – the Examen or The Examination of Consciousness.

I describe the Examen as new and ancient because, while it was developed over 500 years ago, it is a new and fresh way of prayer for many of us. Developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola in the 16th century, the Examen is a way of prayerfully reflecting over the day or week so that we can notice where The Holy One was present with us while experiencing The Holy’s promptings and direction in our lives. It is a beautiful practice of intentionally paying attention to what we otherwise might not have noticed – God actively being present and working in our lives.

To participate in and experience the Examen, I suggest that you find a quiet, interruption-free space to sit comfortably. Since the Examen helps us to look back and examine a specific period of time in our recent past, I recommend experimenting with the Examen on a daily or weekly basis so that you can more easily remember the events upon which you will be reflecting. When you are ready, here are some basic steps to follow:

• Pray. Ask The Holy One to be with you as you reflect and notice. Ask to be able to see yourself through the eyes of The Holy One.
• Give Thanks. Reflect over the day (or week) and remember the people, experiences, and gifts for which you are most thankful.
• Look for God’s Presence. Review the day (or week) and notice when The Holy One felt particularly present. Hints for The Holy’s active presence include times of joy, love, hope, and peace. Savor these moments. Ask what The Holy One is showing or revealing to you in those moments.
• Respond. Consider how you want to respond to The Holy One. Are you grateful? Are you inspired? Are you more clear? What is your response?
• Look Forward. After your Examen experience, what will you do tomorrow? What will you notice? To what will you commit?

The Examen is a wonderful way to be intentional in noticing the presence and the prompting of The Holy in your life. In addition to praying with the Examen about your overall life experiences, you might also find it helpful to use the Examen as a way to notice The Holy One’s presence and guidance in specific contexts within your life. For example, you might consider any of the following:

• Examen for Leaders
• Examen for Caregivers
• Examen for Self-Care

I have created a downloadable pocket-sized guide to the Examen (click here to download). It contains the steps of the more general Examen along with a guide for each of the three specific Examens above in a bookmark format. Simply download, cut the page on the dotted lines and place the version(s) that are most helpful to you in a place where they can remind you to pray the Examen. You might consider printing them onto card stock so they can serve as a reminder for years to come.

Blessings on you as you continue to notice and discern the movement of The Holy One in your life.