Spiritual exercises: Difference between revisions

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The '''Spiritual Exercises''' of [[Ignatius of Loyola]], (written within 1522-1524) is a brief set of [[meditation]]s, [[prayer]]s and mental exercises, available in various book formats, designed to be carried out over a period of 28 to 30 days. The book is approximately 200 pages long. They appear to have been written with the intention of enhancing and strengthening one's faith-experience in a manner that includeshas distinctly [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] nuancesaspects.

== Typical methodology and structure of the Exercises ==

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=== Some historically contextual aspects of the Exercises ===

The teachings conveyed via the exercises appear to reflect the prominent Catholic views of the 1500's, during which time they were written. Such teachings include support for the [[Crusades]], prayers tofor the intercession of [[Mary]], unquestioning and absolute obedience to one's religious superiors, and an implied antagonism towards [[Islam]]. (One of the exercises describes the physical ___location of all evil in the world to be located "in the region of [[Babylon]]", while the physical seat of all goodness is located "in the region of [[Jerusalem]]".)

=== Implied antagonism of Islam within the Exercises ===

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=== Spiritual viewpoint of the Exercises ===

The Exercises are perhaps a reflection of some of the personal inner deliberations through which Ignatius once went during his own lifetime. They include considerations regarding humility, selflessness for the sake of the religious life, reflection upon one's tendency to fall into [[sin]], the view that the human [[soul]] is continually drawn in two directions: both drawn towards Godliness, and at the same time tempted towards selfishness and baseness. Consistent with Roman Catholic [[theology]], the Exercises make numerous references to the belief that man's highest purpose is to glorify God, and not one's self. Accordingly they provide several illustrations of how one might best be able to refrain from satiating one's 'lower' desires and instead how one might find a means to redirect one's energies towards the fulfillment of one's higher purpose in life.

== Modern applications of the Exercises ==