Ignation

Meditation
ancient Christian practices series.

“If you avoid unnecessary

talk and aimless visits,
listening to news and
gossip, you will find plenty
of time to spend in
meditation on holy things.”
- Thomas á Kempis
 Smell – ‘Smell the infinite fragrance and sweetness of the Divinity’
Ignatian Meditation o What do you smell? Are there fragrances? Are there animals?
If so, can you smell them? Is there food cooking? What does
the countryside smell like? Are there any smells that you do
Who was
was Ignatius? not recognize?

Taste – ‘Taste the infinite fragrance and sweetness of the Divinity’

Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) was the founder the Society of
o What do you taste? Are you eating? If so, what does the food
Jesus (the Jesuits). He was the compiler of the Spiritual Exercises and taste like? Is there a smell so pungent you can taste it? What
was described by Pope Benedict XVI as being above all a man of God, does the water taste like?
who gave the first place of his life to God, and a man of profound prayer.
Touch – ‘Embrace and kiss the places where such persons put their feet
and sit.’
Purpose of Ignatian Meditation o What do you feel? What are the different textures you feel?
What do the people feel like? Their clothes? Their skin? What
To place yourself in the Scriptures through your five senses so that you does the ground feel like? What do the buildings feel like?
may see the Scriptures more powerfully and thus you may live more fully
for Jesus Christ. 5. Colloquy [Spiritual Exercise 109] – Remain in the passage through
your five senses and have a conversation with Jesus.
How to Practice Ignation Meditation
• Ask Jesus some questions. Ask any question you wish (this is a time of
1. Find a quiet place and establish a sense of inner peace and prayer – in prayer we can be completely honest with God), but here are
tranquility – Put away all worries, concerns, aimless thoughts, etc some questions if you can’t think of any…
o Jesus, what are you saying to me? What are you asking me to do?
o What does this story mean for my life personally?
2. Pray - Ask God to be present during this time, to reveal His Word to o How can I follow You more closely based on my meditations?
you in a powerful way, and to remove any remaining distractions that
would hinder you from fully meditating on the Scriptures. 6. The Lord’s Prayer [Spiritual Exercise 109] – When you have
completed the Colloquy, conclude with The Lord’s Prayer.
3. Select a passage of Scripture – Typically a passage from the Gospels
works best. However, any Scripture passage may be chosen. 6. Journal your experience – Turn to the following pages and take some
notes on what your experience was like.
4. Composition of the Place [Spiritual Exercises 112, 121-125] – Slowly
read the passage several times with the following questions in mind so
that you may experience God’s Word through all of your senses
Tips for Ignatian Meditation
Sight – ‘See the persons with the sight of the imagination, meditating and o Go back to those points in prayer that provoked the strongest
contemplating in particular the details about them.’ reaction in order to experience the desire for intimacy with God
o What do you see? How tall are the people? What are the people more deeply.
wearing? What do they look like? What is the landscape like? Are there o Study the geography and historical context of the passage so that
buildings? What do the buildings look like? What time of day is it? you may more fully engage the senses.
o Don’t just be a passive observer; interact with your surroundings
Hearing – ‘Hear with the hearing what they are, or might be, talking about
and reflecting oneself’ in the story.
o What do you hear? If Jesus is in the passage, what does His voice o Pick a place in the story – Are you the main character? An
sound like? Who is speaking? What do the character’s voices sound observer? A companion to someone in the story?
like? Are there background noises?
 Date: ___/___/______ Date: ___/___/______

Ignatian Meditation Ignatian Meditation

Did you see the passage? Did you hear the people? Did you smell Did you see the passage? Did you hear the people? Did you smell
different things in the story? Did you taste anything? Did you touch different things in the story? Did you taste anything? Did you touch
anything? How did you experience each sense in the passage? anything? How did you experience each sense in the passage?

Was it hard to focus? Which sense was the hardest to imagine in Was it hard to focus? Which sense was the hardest to imagine in
the text? Why? the text? Why?

What did Jesus say to you during your conversation with Him? What did Jesus say to you during your conversation with Him?
What did you say to Him? What did you say to Him?

Did this bring new light to the Scriptures? How so? Did this bring new light to the Scriptures? How so?
 Date: ___/___/______ Date: ___/___/______

Ignatian Meditation Ignatian Meditation

Did you see the passage? Did you hear the people? Did you smell Did you see the passage? Did you hear the people? Did you smell
different things in the story? Did you taste anything? Did you touch different things in the story? Did you taste anything? Did you touch
anything? How did you experience each sense in the passage? anything? How did you experience each sense in the passage?

Was it hard to focus? Which sense was the hardest to imagine in Was it hard to focus? Which sense was the hardest to imagine in
the text? Why? the text? Why?

What did Jesus say to you during your conversation with Him? What did Jesus say to you during your conversation with Him?
What did you say to Him? What did you say to Him?

Did this bring new light to the Scriptures? How so? Did this bring new light to the Scriptures? How so?
 Date: ___/___/______ Date: ___/___/______

Ignatian Meditation Ignatian Meditation

Did you see the passage? Did you hear the people? Did you smell Did you see the passage? Did you hear the people? Did you smell
different things in the story? Did you taste anything? Did you touch different things in the story? Did you taste anything? Did you touch
anything? How did you experience each sense in the passage? anything? How did you experience each sense in the passage?

Was it hard to focus? Which sense was the hardest to imagine in Was it hard to focus? Which sense was the hardest to imagine in
the text? Why? the text? Why?

What did Jesus say to you during your conversation with Him? What did Jesus say to you during your conversation with Him?
What did you say to Him? What did you say to Him?

Did this bring new light to the Scriptures? How so? Did this bring new light to the Scriptures? How so?
 Date: ___/___/______ Date: ___/___/______

Ignatian Meditation Ignatian Meditation

Did you see the passage? Did you hear the people? Did you smell Did you see the passage? Did you hear the people? Did you smell
different things in the story? Did you taste anything? Did you touch different things in the story? Did you taste anything? Did you touch
anything? How did you experience each sense in the passage? anything? How did you experience each sense in the passage?

Was it hard to focus? Which sense was the hardest to imagine in Was it hard to focus? Which sense was the hardest to imagine in
the text? Why? the text? Why?

What did Jesus say to you during your conversation with Him? What did Jesus say to you during your conversation with Him?
What did you say to Him? What did you say to Him?

Did this bring new light to the Scriptures? How so? Did this bring new light to the Scriptures? How so?
 Date: ___/___/______ Date: ___/___/______

Ignatian Meditation Ignatian Meditation

Did you see the passage? Did you hear the people? Did you smell Did you see the passage? Did you hear the people? Did you smell
different things in the story? Did you taste anything? Did you touch different things in the story? Did you taste anything? Did you touch
anything? How did you experience each sense in the passage? anything? How did you experience each sense in the passage?

Was it hard to focus? Which sense was the hardest to imagine in Was it hard to focus? Which sense was the hardest to imagine in
the text? Why? the text? Why?

What did Jesus say to you during your conversation with Him? What did Jesus say to you during your conversation with Him?
What did you say to Him? What did you say to Him?

Did this bring new light to the Scriptures? How so? Did this bring new light to the Scriptures? How so?
 Date: ___/___/______ Date: ___/___/______

Ignatian Meditation Ignatian Meditation

Did you see the passage? Did you hear the people? Did you smell Did you see the passage? Did you hear the people? Did you smell
different things in the story? Did you taste anything? Did you touch different things in the story? Did you taste anything? Did you touch
anything? How did you experience each sense in the passage? anything? How did you experience each sense in the passage?

Was it hard to focus? Which sense was the hardest to imagine in Was it hard to focus? Which sense was the hardest to imagine in
the text? Why? the text? Why?

What did Jesus say to you during your conversation with Him? What did Jesus say to you during your conversation with Him?
What did you say to Him? What did you say to Him?

Did this bring new light to the Scriptures? How so? Did this bring new light to the Scriptures? How so?
 Date: ___/___/______ Date: ___/___/______

Ignatian Meditation Ignatian Meditation

Did you see the passage? Did you hear the people? Did you smell Did you see the passage? Did you hear the people? Did you smell
different things in the story? Did you taste anything? Did you touch different things in the story? Did you taste anything? Did you touch
anything? How did you experience each sense in the passage? anything? How did you experience each sense in the passage?

Was it hard to focus? Which sense was the hardest to imagine in Was it hard to focus? Which sense was the hardest to imagine in
the text? Why? the text? Why?

What did Jesus say to you during your conversation with Him? What did Jesus say to you during your conversation with Him?
What did you say to Him? What did you say to Him?

Did this bring new light to the Scriptures? How so? Did this bring new light to the Scriptures? How so?
 Date: ___/___/______ Date: ___/___/______

Ignatian Meditation Ignatian Meditation

Did you see the passage? Did you hear the people? Did you smell Did you see the passage? Did you hear the people? Did you smell
different things in the story? Did you taste anything? Did you touch different things in the story? Did you taste anything? Did you touch
anything? How did you experience each sense in the passage? anything? How did you experience each sense in the passage?

Was it hard to focus? Which sense was the hardest to imagine in Was it hard to focus? Which sense was the hardest to imagine in
the text? Why? the text? Why?

What did Jesus say to you during your conversation with Him? What did Jesus say to you during your conversation with Him?
What did you say to Him? What did you say to Him?

Did this bring new light to the Scriptures? How so? Did this bring new light to the Scriptures? How so?