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The First Spiritual Exercises: Four Guided Retreats
A radically innovative way to make the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, the classic retreat of Catholic spirituality, this creative and easy-to-use guide presents four retreats on inner peace that are, for the first time, accessible to anyone without getting away from ordinary life or meeting daily with a spiritual director.
For almost five hundred years, the Spiritual Exercises have been available only to priests and religious who could spend thirty days in silence under the guidance of a spiritual director. Now they are available as four retreats on inner peace to people in every stage of spiritual growth. Years of research and testing come together in Michael Hansen, S.J.'s, recreation of the way that St. Ignatius first gave the Exercises as he travelled with four companions, begging in bare feet and dressed in sackcloth.
For almost five hundred years, the Spiritual Exercises have been available only to priests and religious who could spend thirty days in silence under the guidance of a spiritual director. Now they are available as four retreats on inner peace to people in every stage of spiritual growth. Years of research and testing come together in Michael Hansen, S.J.'s, recreation of the way that St. Ignatius first gave the Exercises as he travelled with four companions, begging in bare feet and dressed in sackcloth.
369 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 14, 2020
This book provides a modernised version of St Ignatius’ First Spiritual Exercises, which he recommended as a first step for those wishing to progress in their spiritual life. A person who completed these could go on to make the Full Spiritual Exercises, which are probably better known today.
The First Exercises are presented here in the form of four separate retreats, each to be made in ordinary life over a period of four weeks, so there are sixteen weeks of material here. The Full Spiritual Exercises are traditionally undertaken either as a full-time retreat lasting 30 days, or else in ordinary life spread out over 30 weeks. I have done the 30-week version three times in the past, so in that sense I was doing this out of sequence, but I don’t think that affected my experience too much.
In most weeks of each of the four retreats, Friday is intended as a day off, presumably to allow you to catch up if you have missed a day. Each of the four retreats has a different theme based on four different aspects of inner peace; the idea is to choose the one that is most relevant to you right now. If you want to do more than one, the author suggests leaving a year in between. All the retreats introduce key practices from the Ignatian tradition, with a lot of overlap between the four, so whichever one you choose, you should get a good overview of what Ignatian spirituality is all about. You will also come out with a "Program for Life”, which I think is intended to be what other traditions might call a personal Rule of Life (it is not explained very well in the book). There is also a useful section at the back with suggestions for exercises that can be used outside the retreats.
I chose the retreat called “Inner Peace in Darkness and Light”. I’m not sure I actually feel any more peaceful after completing it, but it did help me to establish a regular habit of contemplative prayer, which I hope to keep up. My main issue with it was that it takes a more psychological, almost New Agey approach than I was hoping for. To take a glaring example, the exercise on reverence focuses entirely on the reverence humans can have for each other or even for themselves; reverence for God gets a single mention in the closing prayer. The Holy Spirit is referred to with feminine pronouns throughout, contrary to official guidance.
In the end, I’m afraid this book mainly convinced me that Ignatian spirituality in its contemporary form, which helped me a great deal in an earlier stage of my life, is not what I need right now. I want to delve more deeply into tradition; this book is more for people who want to go beyond it.
The First Exercises are presented here in the form of four separate retreats, each to be made in ordinary life over a period of four weeks, so there are sixteen weeks of material here. The Full Spiritual Exercises are traditionally undertaken either as a full-time retreat lasting 30 days, or else in ordinary life spread out over 30 weeks. I have done the 30-week version three times in the past, so in that sense I was doing this out of sequence, but I don’t think that affected my experience too much.
In most weeks of each of the four retreats, Friday is intended as a day off, presumably to allow you to catch up if you have missed a day. Each of the four retreats has a different theme based on four different aspects of inner peace; the idea is to choose the one that is most relevant to you right now. If you want to do more than one, the author suggests leaving a year in between. All the retreats introduce key practices from the Ignatian tradition, with a lot of overlap between the four, so whichever one you choose, you should get a good overview of what Ignatian spirituality is all about. You will also come out with a "Program for Life”, which I think is intended to be what other traditions might call a personal Rule of Life (it is not explained very well in the book). There is also a useful section at the back with suggestions for exercises that can be used outside the retreats.
I chose the retreat called “Inner Peace in Darkness and Light”. I’m not sure I actually feel any more peaceful after completing it, but it did help me to establish a regular habit of contemplative prayer, which I hope to keep up. My main issue with it was that it takes a more psychological, almost New Agey approach than I was hoping for. To take a glaring example, the exercise on reverence focuses entirely on the reverence humans can have for each other or even for themselves; reverence for God gets a single mention in the closing prayer. The Holy Spirit is referred to with feminine pronouns throughout, contrary to official guidance.
In the end, I’m afraid this book mainly convinced me that Ignatian spirituality in its contemporary form, which helped me a great deal in an earlier stage of my life, is not what I need right now. I want to delve more deeply into tradition; this book is more for people who want to go beyond it.
September 24, 2013
Just like the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola, this adaptation in modern form and language is not a book to be read. The prayer exercises are meant to be practised and to be experienced. According to the author, you do not need a spiritual director to journey with you when praying the exercises in this book. So this book is good for a retreat in daily life.
November 6, 2025
I went through this book with a small group of women. We would meet monthly to talk about our experiences with the daily prayer exercises. We also kept in touch through a chat where we shared insights and experiences. I highly recommend this prayer guide to anyone really interested in connecting with God in a personal way.
May 24, 2019
ⓒ 2013. This book is just beautiful! Ignatian spirituality for everyone. I couldn't recommend it more highly.
July 15, 2013
The First Spiritual Exercises are a series of retreats designed for people looking to begin Ignatian Spirituality. Each retreat is designed to bring you closer to God and help you discern his will for your life. Each retreat is four weeks and comprises elements of Scripture, prayer, meditation, and contemplation. There are four retreats in all, and they all center around finding Inner Peace. Unlike most retreats, you don't have to perform the first before you can form the second through fourth. They are designed for wherever you are in your life at the moment. Specifically the four retreats are:
1. Inner Peace in Divine Love
2. Inner Peace in Darkness and Light
3. Inner Peace in Friendship with Jesus
4. Inner Peace in the Service of God
Each retreat takes four weeks. Monday through Thursday you spend anywhere from twenty to forty-five minutes praying while reading Scripture and meditating on it. There is also a weekend exercise to perform and receiving the Eucharist on Sunday. I wasn't entirely sure which one to choose, so I picked the logical choice and attempted the first retreat. I'd love to say that my entire life was instantly made better. However, that isn't how retreats work. If you make some steps in the right direction, then it is considered a success.
My favorite part of the retreat was the Program for Life on the last Saturday. In it, you reflect and answer what time you can take to enhance your family life, work life, personal life, prayer life, etc. Once you have finished answering these questions, you have your Program for Life. As the retreat reminds you though, you need to make it practical and sustainable or else you won't follow through with it. Remember, small steps are the key to success.
If the idea of going on a retreat intimidates you, then this is a book for you. If you're looking to learn more about Ignatian Spirituality, then this is a book for you too. I still think you should take the time and go on retreats with other people, even if it makes you uncomfortable. This is advice I am giving to myself as well. However, this a five star book that will get you started and might help you build up some courage and comfort for the group retreat setting. So pick up a copy, and make some steps toward Inner Peace with God.
1. Inner Peace in Divine Love
2. Inner Peace in Darkness and Light
3. Inner Peace in Friendship with Jesus
4. Inner Peace in the Service of God
Each retreat takes four weeks. Monday through Thursday you spend anywhere from twenty to forty-five minutes praying while reading Scripture and meditating on it. There is also a weekend exercise to perform and receiving the Eucharist on Sunday. I wasn't entirely sure which one to choose, so I picked the logical choice and attempted the first retreat. I'd love to say that my entire life was instantly made better. However, that isn't how retreats work. If you make some steps in the right direction, then it is considered a success.
My favorite part of the retreat was the Program for Life on the last Saturday. In it, you reflect and answer what time you can take to enhance your family life, work life, personal life, prayer life, etc. Once you have finished answering these questions, you have your Program for Life. As the retreat reminds you though, you need to make it practical and sustainable or else you won't follow through with it. Remember, small steps are the key to success.
If the idea of going on a retreat intimidates you, then this is a book for you. If you're looking to learn more about Ignatian Spirituality, then this is a book for you too. I still think you should take the time and go on retreats with other people, even if it makes you uncomfortable. This is advice I am giving to myself as well. However, this a five star book that will get you started and might help you build up some courage and comfort for the group retreat setting. So pick up a copy, and make some steps toward Inner Peace with God.
September 26, 2020
I prayed through the four 22 day retreats in this book from May-September. I did the first one, "Inner Peace in Darkness and Light," with a group of 10 people. The way it was led was a bit "clunky" for me. So I decided not to continue to the next one and do the other three on my own. (I was also doing Finding Christ in the World with a group and didn't need two groups over the summer.)
I liked them, but the guidance overall was a bit too restrictive for me ("spend this many minutes on this and that many minutes on that"). Also, what I thought was going to be a great meditation on Creation (which is part of the larger Exercises) turned out to be the author pushing the theory of evolution that was more of a distraction to what could have been a really lovely retreat week. I don't think that needs to be pushed and one can just enjoy the beauty of the Biblical creation story whatever he or she believes.
I think my favorite retreat was the first one: "Inner Peace in Divine Love." Sadly, my group leader didn't start with the first one, and I think she missed out on a better experience for those people who had never experienced the Exercises in their entirety.
Where this book shines is in the Guides and Helps. There are different kinds of Examens (Awareness, Particular, Reconciliation, Healing), and guides to enhancing the Exercises, Twelve Ways of Prayer, and Christian Belief. There is also a section on Spiritual Conversation that was good.
So I will use this as a reference book when I direct others through the Exercises and offer the first retreat to someone who wants a 22-day "taste" of the Spiritual Exercises.
I found my favorite of the four retreats on the website for The First Exercises at:
https://www.fsecloud.life/i-remember-...
I liked them, but the guidance overall was a bit too restrictive for me ("spend this many minutes on this and that many minutes on that"). Also, what I thought was going to be a great meditation on Creation (which is part of the larger Exercises) turned out to be the author pushing the theory of evolution that was more of a distraction to what could have been a really lovely retreat week. I don't think that needs to be pushed and one can just enjoy the beauty of the Biblical creation story whatever he or she believes.
I think my favorite retreat was the first one: "Inner Peace in Divine Love." Sadly, my group leader didn't start with the first one, and I think she missed out on a better experience for those people who had never experienced the Exercises in their entirety.
Where this book shines is in the Guides and Helps. There are different kinds of Examens (Awareness, Particular, Reconciliation, Healing), and guides to enhancing the Exercises, Twelve Ways of Prayer, and Christian Belief. There is also a section on Spiritual Conversation that was good.
So I will use this as a reference book when I direct others through the Exercises and offer the first retreat to someone who wants a 22-day "taste" of the Spiritual Exercises.
I found my favorite of the four retreats on the website for The First Exercises at:
https://www.fsecloud.life/i-remember-...
February 5, 2014
Great for us learners of praying and communicating with our Lord, Jesus. Really easy application.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews