Guide to the Practice of
Daily Examen
Examination
A gracious Spirit-led revealing of how God was present in your life today.
This is a Spiritual Practice of Urban Monastics.
Guide to an Examen
This is a practical guide to practice the Examen, either on your own or to lead in a group.
The Examen
Inviting Gods Light
Imagine that you are in a pitch black room. There is no light, and you can barely sense your own presence in the space. (1) As we start the examen we pray, inviting Gods light to join us. The Holy Spirit illuminates the whole room in a warm glow. This first step lets us contemplate. As we invite God to join us, He invites us to rest in the knowledge and experience of His presence with us. We let our eyes adjust to the light, we feel the warmth from the light, and simply enjoy God within us.
[ Pause. Spend time inviting God to join you.]
Gratitude
After a few minutes we start taking notice of the room around us. (2) Gratitude is our first response as we see with growing clarity all that God has done for us. We meditate, dwelling and thinking upon all that comes to us. Gratitude to be grafted into the covenant. The irrevocable gift of Himself in Christ. For the gift of our new family in Christ, and all the new siblings we have. Gratitude for all that I am, for all that I have become, and for my failings in Christ.
[Pause. Spend time in Gratitude.]
Reflection
(3) You notice to the side, the light reflecting off a number of surfaces. Just as the light bounces around the room, the loving presence and action of God is seen in our reflection. Only through reflection can we see what we did not at the time see. We let God reveal to us the ways He was present that we did not see. Just as we see ourselves in a mirror, we come face to face with the illusion that we guide our own steps, manage our own lives, and are able to See God in all things. This reflection has the power to set us free from ourselves.
[Pause. Spend time in Reflection.]
Sorrow
As we look down at ourselves (4) we turn to sorrow. A sorrow the comes from the gift of being truly aware of ourselves. A sorrow which grieves for the ways we have failed to see or respond to Gods love at work in me. That fails to let the wonderful creator guide, lead, and shape me.
[Pause. Spend time in that grief and Sorrow.]
Tomorrow
Finally we look off to the wall, and see that the light is spilling out into the next room. (5) That we see what is to come, the path being illuminated before us. We understand that the giver of all the gifts of our life, has more gifts to give. That in the path for us in these coming hours is prepared by our generous God.