Campus Ministry

Examen Conscientiae

What is Examen?
Saint Ignatius of Loyola adopted Examen as a short prayer (15 minutes) that is performed 2 times a day whenever, wherever (which is most appropriate). Most people like to do Examen during their lunch break and at night when they want to sleep. At lunch, you look back at how the day went from morning to noon while you prepare yourself for the remaining half of the day. In the evening, you look back on your day from noon (during lunch) to the time you did the Examen at night and prepare for tomorrow.

In Examen, we rewind our past experiences that we recently had to find the presence of God and the blessings that He bestows in our lives. We also look back at moments in the day where we may have been hurt by certain experiences, or times when we have fallen into sin or mistakes. We are grateful for the blessings we receive. We ask for forgiveness for our fragility and ask to be healed of our wounds. After reflecting on the days that have passed, we also look to tomorrow and ask God to show us the challenges and opportunities we might experience. We ask for the graces we need to live tomorrow better: patience, wisdom, self-control, peace, optimism, etc. We believe that God wills so our day goes well.

Some Tips Before Getting Started

A. Keep it short

It is recommended that the Examen be made in no more than 15 minutes. One of the characteristics of this prayer is straightforward, it can be done here and there, such as a washing machine “wash quickly, dry quickly, use immediately”, or a music player that “just plugs and plays” Examen are not meant to be or provide a deep (spiritual or mystical) experience. Examen is designed to be a simple moment now-here to remind me of God’s presence and direct my life towards Him. This does not belie that nothing big or important can happen during Examen.

Usually, Examen takes place in the middle of working hours or at the end of a long, tiring day. So, Examen was meant to be a present-here way of prayer and did not require complete stages of meditation. Some people find it helps to set an alarm or alarm clock for 10 to 15 minutes so they don’t have to look back and forth at the clock.

B. Skip to Specific Sections

I don’t need to be too fixated on following Examen’s guidance that is provided step by step. I don’t have to wait for an answer from a stage before moving on to the next stage. Examen is not a math problem! The existing guideline is more useful to give consideration to me about a certain point where God wants to show “something” to me. This process can be imagined as a parent helping their child find Easter eggs, “Maybe there, kid? Have you been over there yet? ” When I found that point, I left other things behind and stayed there with God for a while before continuing.

C. Don’t Get Trapped in Sin

Unfortunately, the Ignatian Examen is all too often understood as the Examination of the Heart (in the 30 day Spiritual Exercise). Indeed, both of them made me look back at my life as a whole. However, both have different goals. The Examination of the Heart (in 30 days of Spiritual Exercises) aims to prepare me to do confession and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation while the Ignatian Examen is broader than that. The purpose of the Ignatian Examen is to see my life as a whole (past-present-future) with God. What is reviewed is not only my negative side but also the positive side of my life.

Reflecting on my sinfulness is one of the gifts contained in the Ignatian Examen. However, I have to be careful not to fall into guilt, sin, failure. Coping with sin – reflecting on it, lamenting it, seeking a path of repentance from it – is the same as keeping me centered and busy with myself.

D. Care the Feel of Prayer

Because it is too practical, sometimes the realization that Examen is prayer can be lost and turned into mere practice. In order to maintain its essence as prayer, Examen must be God-centered. That is,

  • Please God alone guide. I asked God to show me how He looks at the day I have been through.
  • I am conversing with God and not talking to myself.
  • I hear God’s voice. With my inner eyes, I saw what God was doing. What does he want to tell me right now? Does he smile at me? Is he listening attentively to me? Is he just silent and distant?

God is often “silent” and therefore can feel very distant. Our faith tells us that God is never far away – He is present
in every molecule in our body. But we often don’t feel God’s presence. It is okay! Don’t worry. This experience is normal and even felt by Saints from Teresa Avila, Teresa Lisieux, to Teresa Calcutta. To be a prayer, we don’t need to feel God’s presence all the time, we just need to point ourselves to Him, be oriented towards Him. We don’t actually have to hear God speak, we just need to open our ears to listen if He says something. As long as we are open by listening, we will be led to Him, whether He says something or not.

E. Begin and End Examen in Your Own Way

It would be good if we started developing personal ways of starting and ending Examen. Some people start their Examen by praying for Our Father, or by singing a short song like “Amazing Grace,” or by repeating a favorite verse from the Scriptures. (“My heart is steadfast, God, my heart is steadfast,” – Psalm 57: 7) Others have bowed first in a place to make it a place of prayer. Catholics will usually make the sign of the Cross. Some people find it helpful to slowly inhale and exhale. The point is I have a simple, concise, and solemn way to start entering prayer and ending it to return to daily life.

Traditional Ignatian Examen

Saint Ignatius suggested the following 5 stages; tasting (Relish) the grace I received, asking (Request) the guidance of the Holy Spirit, playing back (Review) my day, doing repentance (Repent) for my mistakes, and building the intention (Resolve) to live more good tomorrow.

  1. I started my Examen as usual.
  2. First, I taste. I ask God to show you all the gifts and graces He has given me today, from the very large (my life, security, compassion) to the seemingly miniscule ones (a good night’s sleep, a confirming call from a friend, work. resolved, a compliment to me). For each gift that arises, I take a few moments to give thanks and praise the majesty of God.
  3. Second, I beg. Since I need God’s help to be more realistic in seeing my weaknesses from the point of view of His compassionate love, I ask Him to pour out His Holy Spirit upon me. I asked Him to lead me and go ahead during this prayer process, rather than leaving an opening for me to make it obsessive musing on the things I didn’t like about myself.
  4. Third, I rewind. Hour after hour, I turn my day back. In my imagination, I relive the important experiences of my day. I live in those important moments.
  5. Fourth, I ask for forgiveness and repentance. While researching my day, I continue to thank God for all the gifts I have encountered. However, I pause at certain experiences – when I think something bad, say things I shouldn’t have said, or do things improperly. I also pay attention to the opportunities I miss, such as when I could have been more Christian but wasn’t. When I encounter times when I have not fully become who I am according to my deepest calling, I pause and ask God for forgiveness. I tried to feel His mercifulness heals me, then make me clean and whole again.
  6. Fifth, I build my intention.. What I have recognized during this prayer is myself and my life. I ask God to show me, in concrete terms, how He wants me to respond to Him or what He wants me to do tomorrow. Importantly, I begged Him to let Him show His call for me to become the person I am tomorrow. I developed the intention to become that kind of person. I can also make some kind of commitment to support that intention. Please help me to make me according to His will.
  7. I ended my Examen.

An example of Examen Conscientiae:

Try to sit down in a relaxed and peaceful manner. For those who are still walking, take a break in a place that makes you comfortable and calm.

  1. Thank God for the things you are grateful
  2. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you look back on the journey of your life during this day
  3. Ask yourself (positive thing):
  • What good things have I experienced today?
  • What good things have I done today?
  • Be grateful for the good things
  1. Ask yourself (Negatives):
  • What are the bad things I experienced today: that bothered me, that frustrated me, that hurt my heart or that made me sad?
  • What are the bad things that You have done.
  1. Tell Allah about your day, for example, ask Allah to help you so that your problem can be resolved properly or ask Allah to forgive you for the bad thoughts, words, and actions that You did today.
  2. What can I do to improve myself for tomorrow.

Thematic Examents:

Theme: Honesty

To start the examen, sit back and relax, breathe regularly, and we make the sign of Christ’s victory, “In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Close your eyes, feel the feelings that arise in your heart… focus on the dominant feeling… feel it and be silent. In this silence, look back at how today I behaved and behaved honestly:

  • Am I honest with myself, with my parents, and with my friends?…
  • Am I honest in doing assignments and honest in doing tests? …
  • Am I being honest not just because of being watched or out of fear of punishment, but because I love honesty and I can’t help but be honest? …
  • Wouldn’t we feel satisfied and valuable if we managed to get good test scores honestly?

Remember and feel it, realize it all as it is.

Let us imitate the attitude of being honest and not looking for the face of Jesus, Master, and our Lord, so that we do not falter, do not just seek safety, but dare to take the right side.

If friends are moved by something that feels meaningful, it is better if it is written in a daily journal so that it becomes a valuable treasure that is not easily forgotten…

Let us end this afternoon’s examen by praying: Lord, teach us to be honest and not look for faces. Teach us to be brave and firm against dishonesty. Amen.

Theme: Students Attitude

To initiate the examen, take a proper sitting posture for prayer, and we make the sign of the victory of Christ, “In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. ” Close your eyes, listen to the voices around you, listen to your own inner voice… and be silent.

In this silence, look back at today’s journey:

  • How do I prepare for today’s study? …
  • How do I follow the teachings of the teachers? …
  • Am I doing assignments or tests honestly and thoroughly? …
  • Am I being proactive and sportsmanship? …
  • Am I sincere in sharing but also willing to be evaluated? …

Take a look at the most memorable experiences and see what they had taught me.

Let us weigh my experience today with the interaction of Jesus the Teacher and the Lord together with His disciples, who guide me gently and strictly.

If friends are moved by something that feels meaningful, it is better if it is written in a daily journal so that it becomes a valuable memory that is not easily forgotten …

Let us end this afternoon’s examen by praying: Lord, cultivate in us the attitude of a student who is ready to learn from happy events or sorrow so that we can be more focused on the perfection of each of us. … (Other prayers). Amen.

Theme: Responsibility for Talents

To start the examen, sit back and relax, breathe regularly, and we make the sign of Christ’s victory, “In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Close your eyes, become aware of the feelings of our body starting from the head, body, feet, and vice versa… Be aware of the dominant feeling, maybe feeling tired or dizzy, .. and be quiet.

In this silence remember again how I made use of the mental power from waking up in the morning until noon this day:

  • Am I enterprising and active or sluggish and lazy? Am I actively using memory or am I just ignorant and glaring? …
  • Am I actively thinking as a student or busy playing like a child? …
  • Have I fulfilled my obligations, namely obliged to respect others, obliged to provide educational contributions, obliged to listen to teachings from the teacher, obliged to make demanding records, obliged to take part in maintaining school facilities and infrastructure, obliged to take part in maintaining the cleanliness of the environment?…
  • On the other hand, have I received the rights I deserve, namely the right to respect, the right to receive satisfying learning services, the right to ask questions, the right to use educational facilities and infrastructure, the right to personal guidance, the right to conducive learning conditions? … Remember and feel, realize it as it really is.

If you are moved by something that feels meaningful, it is better if it is written in a daily journal so that it becomes a valuable personal wealth that is not easily forgotten.

Let us pray: Lord, teach us to understand and fulfill our rights and obligations properly. Teach us to live meaningfully for ourselves and for others in need, for Your glory and for our salvation. Amen.

Theme: Thank you for…

I started examen as usual. Spontaneously, I opened up a conversation with God about different things, people, and experiences that make me feel so grateful. I said to Him, “Lord, thank you for…” and I gave my mind the freedom to wander from one gift to another in my life, without driving here or there with my consciousness. I watched what my heart and soul were telling God right now. After that, I wrote down a few things to make it a precious memory for me. Then I closed this Examen with Our Father’s prayer.

Theme: I’m sorry for…

I started examen as usual. Then, I told God things, people, and experiences that made me feel bad, guilty, bad. I said to Him, “Lord, forgive me for …” and let myself continue. I listened carefully to what my heart and soul was telling God right now. After that, I wrote down a few things to make it a precious memory for me. Then I closed this Examen with Our Father’s prayer.

Theme: Help me with…

I started my examen as usual. With God I talked about things, people, and experiences I would encounter in the future where I needed God’s help. I also talked with God about things, people, and experiences where at this time I needed His help. While thinking about this day and the future, I prayed, “Lord, help me with …” and let myself continue. I noticed what my heart and soul was saying to God right now. After that, I wrote down a few things to make it a precious memory for me. Then I closed this Examen with Our Father’s prayer.

The Traditional Examen Prayer

  1. I get into a comfortable position. I let my muscles relax and mind quiet down. I take a deep breath and ask God to make his presence known around and in me. I feel this presence and soak in it.
  2. I ask God to reveal all the gifts and graces he has given me today, from the big ones (life, safety, love) to the small ones (a good night’s sleep, a phone call from a friend, a compliment). I thank to God for each of the gifts.
  3. I ask God to fill me with his merciful love. I ask God to be the leader of this prayer time, rather than obsessing over myself or the day.
  4. Going hour by hour, I review my day. In my imagination, I relive each significant moment of my day. I linger in the important moments and pass quickly over the less relevant ones.
  5. I continue thanking God for the gins I find in my day. I pause at any of the difricult moments of my day. I pay attention to any missed opportunities, when I could have acted in a certain way but didn’t. When I find moments in which I was not the person I was called to be, I ask God forgiveness. I try to sense his healing mercy wash over me.
  6. I ask God to show me concretely, how he wants me to respond or what he wants me to do tomorrow. I ask God to show me what kind of person he is calling me to be tomorrow. I resolve to be that person and ask God for His help.
  7. I ask myself if there are any last words I wish to say to the Lord.
  8. I close with one or two of the following gestures: I make the sign of the cross, bow, or say an Our Father.

The Examen: Habits

  1. I begin in my usual way.
  2. I spend a few moments in gratitude, thanking God for one or two of the blessings, big and small, that I’ve received today: the good mood I woke up in, a kind word from a friend, my undeserved good health, an easy commute to work, another day with my wonderful spouse.
  3. Looking over my day, I ask God to show me a few of my habits. I try to see my one thought or action today that is actually typical of the way I think or act. For example, I may find myself saying to Christ, “Lord, looking over my day, I see that I am in the habit of . . .”
  • criticizing and nitpicking my friends, faculty and staffs, teachers.
  • staying focused on my work, once I’ve had a strong cup of coffee
  • putting myself down for the smallest things
  • wasting time on the Internet
  • greeting people warmly when they walk in the door
  1. It’s usually easier to see my unhealthy habits than to see the healthy ones. When I do find an unhealthy habit, I speak with God about it. Perhaps I’ll  ask God for forgiveness, or for healing, and for ideas about how to break the habit.
  2. But I don’t want to settle for simply looking at my bad habits. I won’t rest until I find a couple of good habits in my day today. When I do find them, I will give thanks and praise. I speak to God about why I’m so grateful for this good habit.
  3. I now look to tomorrow. What bad habit do I want to break? What good habit do I want to cultivate? What graces will I ask God for in order to help me break these particular bad habits and grow these particular good habits? I speak with God about this.
  4. I end in my usual way.

The Examen: Most Important Moments

  1. I begin in my usual way.
  2. I spend a few moments in gratitude, thanking God for one or two of the blessings, big and small, that I’ve received today.
  3. I ask God to show me the most important moment of this day—the moment that had the biggest impact on me or on others, whether that impact be physical, spiritual, or emotional. Why was it so important? How was I feeling, deep down? Were there any negative thoughts or emotions that I did not admit to having (for example, fear of rejection)? Was I spiritually free or unfree in that most important moment? What were the consequences of that moment? As appropriate, I give thanks, I ask for forgiveness, I ask for healing.
  4. If I wish and have the time to do so, I can return to my review of the day, asking God to show me another important moment of the day. I talk with God, using the same questions above. Again, I give thanks, ask for forgiveness, ask for healing.
  5. Now, I look to tomorrow. Specifically, what do I think will be my most important moment tomorrow? What are my great desires for that moment? I allow my great desires to well up within me. I place these desires in God’s hands and ask God to make them holy. I ask God to show me what grace or virtue I need to be the person I want to be at that moment. I ask for that grace or virtue.
  6. What other important moments may I experience tomorrow? I talk with God, using the reflection questions above.
  7. If I feel called to do so, I make a concrete resolution to be the kind of person I feel called to be.
  8. I end in my usual way.