REFLECTION: ‘Thankfulness is part of our natural state of being. It’s waiting within us, longing to surface. But the demands of life can suppress our thankfulness, constrict it, even flatten it. So we may need to (re)discover our thankfulness, release it and nurture it. We need to discover how to become thankful people again!
PRACTICE: The practice of the Examen is at the heart of a particular strand of the ancient and unfolding Jesus tradition, Ignatian spirituality. A series of both demanding and freeing practices have emerged from the life and work of St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556), founder of the Jesuits (the Society of Jesus). The daily Examen is a key element of the Ignatian path, a prayerful reflection of the past day’s events and the possibilities of the day to come. This week’s daily posts will include elements from our own take on the Examen. And however the day has gone, there will almost certainly be a growing number of happenings, encounters, moments and surprises for which we will find ourselves giving thanks – a small strip of wild flowers at the edge of the toughest road…’
©Ian Adams 2013 ‘Running Over Rocks: spiritual practices to transform tough times’ (Canterbury Press)
Look out for short daily posts around this week’s theme on Facebook and Twitter. We’ll be doing the practices wherever we are, and we’ll look forward to hearing how you get on – do let us know!