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Ignatian Spirituality

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The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius


The spiritual exercises were developed more than 500 years ago​, but remain surprisingly relevant for anyone who desires a more intimate relationship with God. Holly is a certified Ignatian prayer guide and offers this 30-week program to groups and individuals.  After an initial interview at no cost, guide and seeker will decide when the time is right to begin. The program includes weekly meetings, in person or via Zoom, scripture, Ignatian prayer practices, journaling and an invitation to walk beside Jesus through the stories of his life.
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  • Do you sense the spirit calling you closer?
  • Do you struggle to create a prayer routine?
  • Could you use some time to focus on your relationship with God?
  • Is there a question you want to attend to through prayer, reflection and imagination?
  • If you prefer a one-on-one experience

This might be the retreat for you. 

Fee: $75 per month; the program usually lasts 9 or 10 months depending on the individual. As Ignatius wrote: The exercises are to be adapted to the retreatant and not the other way around.
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For more information, contact Holly here.
Wild Ignatius: Finding God in Nature

God dwells in all creatures; 
In the elements, giving them existence,
 In the plants, giving them growth,
 In the animals conferring on them sensation,
 In humans giving them understanding.
 I ponder how the Divine dwells in me. 
​--Ignatius of Loyola
St. Ignatius knew that God wants a personal relationship with each of us and communicates with each of us continually through the wonder and beauty of creation. This 8-week program, based on the structure of the spiritual exercises, invites us to become more attentive to nature, to learn to notice the ways in which we are connected to and part of creation and to become more aware of the sacred in all things.

The program includes praying with scripture, poetry and nature writings; journaling, experiences in nature (Holly is also a certified master naturalist) and reflection.
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  • If you love nature and often experience God there
  • If you sense a call to oneness with the web of life
  • If you are curious about Ignatian spirituality, but aren't ready to make a 30-week commitment
  • If you are in grief around the state of our beautiful earth
  • If you are exploring new ways to practice your spirituality

This might be the program for you. 
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For more information, contact Holly here. Or join the latest group forming--see below.

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Spring 2023. Wild Ignatius: Finding God in Nature

This small group Ignatian experience will focus on finding, experiencing, and connecting with the sacred in creation. St. Ignatius understood that true relationship arises from the particular. Often an encounter in nature is more than an observation of beauty or a moment of peace—it is an opening into Mystery, a felt experience of connection to the Source of all that is. The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius offer powerful tools for awakening to God's presence in all things; nature offers us a way to encounter God in a particularly intimate way.   

Over 8 weeks, our small group will move through the 4 "weeks" of the Ignatian Exercises, exploring our relationships with an untamed God, the natural world, and our own wild souls in light of God’s unceasing creative love.
  • In “week 1,” we contemplate creation to open our hearts to God’s revelation of love. The practices of gospel contemplation and the eco-awareness examen are introduced as well as an ecological approach to the principle and foundation.
  • In “week 2,” we consider the Incarnation, the birth of Jesus, and God alive in all that is. We begin to consider the beings of creation as kin, beloved of God and with intrinsic value of their own. We wonder how live in communion with nature in order to cooperate with God’s dream for the world.  
  • In “week 3,” our focus shifts and quietens. We mourn the desecration of creation. We ask God for the grace to understand our place in this web of life that also includes violence, sacrifice, and death.
  • Finally, in “week 4,” we move toward wild hope. We engage with the contemplation to love as God loves, seeking the awareness and the will to work alongside God in creation. 

We will meet once a week for 8 Tuesdays for spiritual conversation based on our experiences in prayer and in nature.

When: Tuesday, March 21 at 6:30 pm--the spring equinox--through Tuesday, May 9. Each session will last approximately 90 minutes.
Where:  2000 S. Winton Rd, Building 4, Ste. 200
  
Cost: $225


Questions? Contact Holly.
Register Here
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  • Home
  • What is Spiritual Direction
    • Meet Holly Rockwell
  • Ignatius, Nature & More
    • Eco-spirituality
    • Ignatian Spirituality
    • Retreats & Programs
  • Food for the Journey
  • Blog
  • Find us