What is Examen?
The Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and discern his direction for us. Unlike a moralistic accounting of sins, the Examen is a prayer that focuses on God’s presence in the real world, inviting practitioners to notice the divine in ordinary experiences—a conversation over lunch, an emotional reaction, a challenge met, or a moment of unexpected grace.
The practice typically follows five movements: becoming aware of God’s presence, reviewing the day with gratitude, paying attention to emotions, choosing one feature of the day to pray with, and looking toward tomorrow. St. Ignatius thought that the Examen was a gift that came directly from God, and that God wanted it to be shared as widely as possible. It takes 10-15 minutes and can be practiced at any time, though most commonly at day’s end.
Origins & Lineage
The examen prayer was developed by Roman Catholic Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556), founder of the Jesuits. Loyola was a Basque soldier in service to Spain when he was wounded at the Battle of Pamplona in 1521. While recovering, he read books on the life of Jesus Christ and the saints and devoted himself to Christ.
The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola (Latin original: Exercitia spiritualia), composed 1522–1524, are a set of Christian meditations, contemplations, and prayers written by Ignatius of Loyola. Divided into four thematic “weeks” of variable length, they are designed to be carried out over a period of 28 to 30 days. The Spiritual Exercises was first published in book form in 1548 under the approval of Pope Paul III.
The Examen appears within this larger work as both a general examination of conscience and a particular examination focused on a specific virtue or fault. However, Ignatius did not invent the practice from whole cloth. The examen, or examination, of conscience is an ancient practice in the church. In fact, even before Christianity, the Pythagoreans and the Stoics promoted a version of the practice. St. Basil of Caesarea, St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, and founders of religious orders generally made the examination of conscience a regular daily exercise of their followers.
What distinguished Ignatius’s approach was his emphasis on discernment of spirits—attending to interior movements, consolations, and desolations—rather than merely cataloging sins against the Ten Commandments.
How It’s Practiced
One of the few rules of prayer that Ignatius made for the Jesuit order was the requirement that Jesuits practice the Examen twice daily—at noon and at the end of the day. It’s a habit that Jesuits, and many other Christians, practice to this day.
The classical five-step structure:
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Become aware of God’s presence. Begin by centering yourself in silence, acknowledging that you are held in God’s attention.
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Review the day with gratitude. Gratitude is the foundation of our relationship with God. Walk through your day in the presence of God and note its joys and delights. Allow both large and small gifts to surface—a kind word, the taste of coffee, a problem solved.
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Pay attention to your emotions. Review the past day’s emotions and desires. What do these “motions of the soul” (as Ignatius called them) tell you about the directions you are being pulled spiritually—toward God or away from God? Notice moments of energy, peace, agitation, or resistance.
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Choose one feature of the day and pray from it. Rather than cataloging everything, linger with a single encounter or event. Bring it into conversation with God—what happened here? Where were you in this?
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Look toward tomorrow. Having reflected on this past day, we then turn to the day yet to come and ask God to show us the potential challenges and opportunities of tomorrow. We ask for insight into what graces we might need to live this next day well; patience, wisdom, fortitude, self-knowledge, peace, optimism.
There are many versions adapted for different circumstances and experiences. There is no set form or “correct” way to pray the Examen, only guidelines for you as you review your day with God. Contemporary adaptations include ecological examens, examens for diversity and inclusion, examens for discernment during decision-making periods, and simplified “highs, lows, and surprises” formats used in faith-sharing groups.
Examen Today
The Examen has experienced a renaissance beyond its Catholic origins. Since the 1980s there has been a growing interest in the Spiritual Exercises among people from other Christian traditions. Protestant communities, mindfulness practitioners interested in reflective spirituality, and secular seekers drawn to gratitude practices have adapted the structure.
People encounter the Examen through:
- Ignatian retreat centers offering eight-day or 30-day silent retreats based on the Spiritual Exercises
- Guided audio recordings (Loyola Press, Hallow app, Pray As You Go)
- Parish programs and spiritual direction within Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, and non-denominational contexts
- Books such as Jim Manney’s A Simple, Life-Changing Prayer and Mark Thibodeaux’s Reimagining the Ignatian Examen
- Mobile apps including Reimagining the Examen and daily Examen features within broader prayer apps
- Adaptations in recovery communities, with 12-step programs finding resonance between the Examen and the practice of daily inventory
The practice fits within the broader revival of contemplative Christianity and intersects with secular interest in mindfulness, gratitude journaling, and reflective practice in professional settings (some leadership development programs teach modified examens for managers).
Common Misconceptions
It’s not an examination of conscience in the traditional sense. The Examen is not the old examination of conscience. Quite the opposite. Many Catholics mistake the Examen for the pre-confession sin inventory they learned in childhood. While Ignatius’s original text used the language of faults and amendment, contemporary Ignatian teachers emphasize that the Examen is primarily about noticing God’s presence, not generating guilt.
It’s not a gratitude journal. While gratitude is foundational, the Examen is a prayer—a two-way conversation with God—not merely positive psychology. The practice includes attention to desolation, difficulty, and movements away from life, not only blessings.
It’s not meant to be rigid. Ignatius always emphasised our freedom, so if you find praying the five-step examen too formal or monotonous, or you struggle to incorporate it into your daily life, experiment with what works best for you. Some practitioners journal, others walk, others pray it aloud. Timing varies—morning, midday, evening, or even hourly during intensive retreats.
It’s not only for Christians. While rooted in Christian language and theology, the structural practice of reflective review, attention to interior movements, and discernment of life-giving versus life-draining patterns has been adapted by practitioners outside Christian contexts.
It doesn’t require getting it “right.” There are no points awarded. Some days surface profound insight; other days the mind wanders. The practice is in the showing up.
How to Begin
Start with 5-10 minutes at the end of your day. Find a quiet spot, take a few deep breaths, and move through the five steps without pressure. If you forget what happened during your day, trust that what needs to surface will surface.
Read a brief guide. Jim Manney’s A Simple, Life-Changing Prayer: Discovering the Power of St. Ignatius Loyola’s Examen (Loyola Press, 2011) is the most accessible contemporary introduction. Mark Thibodeaux’s Reimagining the Ignatian Examen offers 34 creative variations once the basic form becomes familiar.
Use a guided audio recording. IgnatianSpirituality.com (a Loyola Press website) offers free downloadable audio examens in various lengths and themes. The Hallow app includes nightly Examen prayers. Pray As You Go offers 10-minute audio examens.
Find an Ignatian spiritual director. If you’re drawn to deeper discernment work, contact a Jesuit retreat center or search the directory at IgnatianSpirituality.com for trained directors who can guide you through the Spiritual Exercises in daily life (a 9-month adaptation).
Adapt freely. Try the “highs, lows, and surprises” format with a friend or family. Journal your responses. Pray it while walking. The structure serves the encounter, not the other way around.