Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius [Paperback]

St. Ignatius of Loyola (Author), Anthony Mottola (Translator)

Book Description

Release date: January 7, 1964

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, one of the great masterpieces of the Christian canon, today continues to offer some of the most accessible and insightful guidance for going on retreat -- whether as a part of a group or by oneself. Based on the rich fruit of St. Ignatius' own meditations and practice, this guide for spiritual perfection has been treasured and faithfully used for centuries by members of the saint's Jesuit order and by millions more.

Divided into four weeks of reflections and four key meditations -- on the Kingdom of God, the Two Standards (of Christ and Satan), the Three Classes of Men, and the Three Modes of Humility -- the whole retreat has at its center the emulation of Christ. Retreat masters, retreatants, and readers will benefit particualrly from Anthony Mottola's new translation, which renders the timeless masterpiece into language both accessible and faithful to St. Ignatius' original expression and spirit.

The Exercises have been universally recognized as a brilliant and inspired guide to the development of a deeper Christian spirituality ever since St. Ignatius completed them in 1533. Great saints -- as well as countless religious and lay people -- have been spiritually shaped through their dedicated use. This four-week system of meditation and prayer continues to be the very backbone of Ignatian retreats, where earnest seekers come to examine their lives, contemplate the future, face decisions, and revitalize their souls. Both religious and lay people make Ignatian retreats to renew their Christian dedication and enthusiasm, but even those who cannot make such retreats have profited greatly from a careful reading of the Exercises.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Image; Reissue edition (January 7, 1964)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385024363
• ISBN-13: 978-0385024365
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.6 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #23,601 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

It is impossible to exaggerate the influence of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius since its completion in 1535. In these exercises, as the editor writes, "St. Ignatius' personal insights into ascetical theology found their clearest expression; in them, too, each new generation of Jesuits is formed according to the spirit of St. Ignatius." A man of great practical genius, Ignatius created the book as the basis for retreats given to priests, lay people, and monastics. Organized according to five major themes (Creation, Mankind, The Kingdom of God, Christ, and the Trinity), the exercises are divided into four "weeks" of meditations--although these weeks may last a few days or a few months. The overall goal is to lead the retreatant through a series of meditations on the life of Christ, beginning with reflections on the disorder and chaos of one's own life and progressing to a series of meditations on Christ's life, inviting the retreatant to a knowledge and love of Christ. The third week of exercises focuses on the crucifixion, and the fourth and final week develops meditations on the resurrection, leading ultimately to "the assimilation of the soul to God... so that one lives one's life exclusively for God in joyous service."

This is not so much a book to be read as a path to be entered. Still used around the world (and not just by Jesuits), it remains one of the clearest roads to a deeper spiritual life. --Doug Thorpe

From the Publisher

Written in 1533, this masterpiece by St. Ignatius has long been recognized as a brilliant and inspired guide to the development of a deeper spirituality.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Image; Reissue edition (January 7, 1964)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385024363
• ISBN-13: 978-0385024365
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.6 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #23,601 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

95 of 97 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Spiritual Treasure November 8, 2001

By James Gallen VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

"The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius" is one of the literary treasures of Christendom. Written by St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, in the 16th Century, it presents St. Ignatius' formula for the pursuit of spiritual perfection.

The book itself provides a "guidebook", if you will, for a 30 day Ignatian retreat. St. Ignatius presents meditations for each day of the retreat. The meditations are very brief, leaving broad latitude for the retreat master to direct the retreat along the path most likely to be helpful to the retreatants.

While this book certainly is not a "do it yourself" retreat book, it does provide the reader with an accurate insight into the essence of Ignatian Spirituality. The story of the conversion of St. Ignatius is told in the introductory sections of the book. St. Ignatius was an ambitious young Basque nobleman in the service of the King of Spain when he suffered a severe leg wound at the battle of Pampeluna. While recuperating in Loyola Castle, he read the lives of the saints, a book witch redirected his service from that of the King of Spain to the service of the King of Heaven. As he gradually discerned his calling he unsuccessfully attempted a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, among other pious exercises. He used the method of his discernment process as a guideline for others, whether to discern their proper state in life or to more perfectly orient their lives toward God. The essence of Ignatian spiritually is that all creation is good. It was created by God to lead all people to Him. The duty of every Christian is to use all of creation to give honor and glory of God, and to use it to lead all men to their creator. Just as all creation if fulfilled in God, so to are all people.... The Spiritual Exercises encourage us to always view every potential action in light of how it can give the greatest honor and glory to God. In so doing it provides us with a standard by which to live our lives.

In addition to this general spiritual direction, I found a specific, practical value in this book. Throughout the book, St. Ignatius, in keeping with his view of all creation as reflecting the glory of God, repeatedly encourages us to use our mind's eye to paint the picture of the scenes depicted in the Scripture which we are reading. We should imagine the sights, the sounds, the smells, the inflections in the voices, every detail which will bring us into the world of Scripture. This has been very helpful to me in my roll as Lector at my church. I think of St. Ignatius' admonitions every time I try to bring the sacred readings alive to the congregation.

Perhaps each of you would be touched in ways differently than I, but I feel confident that this book will touch and improve the lives of all who read it and meditate upon it. Read more ›

70 of 79 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Man's purpose in life explained April 11, 1999

By D. M. Childs

Format:Paperback

The classical approach to finding yourself and your God and understanding your relationship with him. For anyone struggling to make major life changing decisions, this is a MUST.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars For the Dedicated May 11, 2007

By J. Miller

Format:Paperback

Ignatius here presents a thirty day retreat for one seeking communion with God through meditation. It presumes a leader coaching participants through the experience.

Three things are immediately notable about the work. First, it is extremely systematic. Ignatius has to a minute detail what subjects the participant is to think about. Secondly, it is remarkably different from Calvin's writings on spiritual growth and development. For all of Calvin's rejection of the Catholic rites and focus on grace, Ignatius here recommends the exact things that Calvin rejects as a means to the same end. Third, it is remarkable how much recommends the examination of conscience as a remedy for sin.

The first week is broken down into a series of five "exercises," or meditations on a set subject, primarily on sin and hell.

The second "week" is a series of twelve days that focus reflections on subject matters of the Scriptures. Here he presents the concept of using the five senses to imagine the situations of Scriptural figures (second week, first day, fifth contemplation). Other scriptural subjects including Jesus' departure from Nazareth, Christ in the desert, the disciples following Christ, the sermon on the mount (although he does not expound upon it), walking on the water, the resurrection of Lazarus, and Palm Sunday.

The third week is all about the Passion of Christ, but is a brief seven pages, with a random excursus on fasting.

The fourth week teaches three kinds of prayer: the prayer through the ten commandments, prayer that focuses on the meaning of every word of the prayer, and rhythmic recitation of the Lord's Prayer or the creed.... The rest of the week is a reflection on the "mysteries" of Jesus' life, which largely seems to be a chronological summary of his life.

What's most fascinating about the book is the rigor applied to the mental life. There is very little to actively "do" on the retreat, but there is so much concentration required that few of us could actually do it. Read more ›

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterful March 2, 2004

By Joel

Format:Paperback

This book is an excellent way to further explore your relationship with God. Ignatius will open your eyes to the realities of what it means to truly meditate. These excercises have been practiced for centuries for a reason. If you get a chance I would recommend going on a weekend retreat at a Jesuit House to further your understanding of the excercises, and further your prayer life.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Rigorous and Beneficial Spiritual Exercises - But Not Meant for All September 21, 2010

By Fr. Charles Erlandson TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola are amazing and deep spiritual exercises that have benefited many over the centuries. They may safely be considered a spiritual classic. There are several ways to approach them. In the first place, you could use them as intended: as a month's worth of meditations and exercises, led by an experienced guide to help one determine one's state in life. As such, they are very rigorous and demanding exercises and not to be entered into lightly. However, this doesn't necessarily preclude the Spiritual Exercises being used in other ways. Some have adapted them in a number of ways and still found them fruitful.

Personally, as an Anglican priest, I have used them in small quantities in my private devotions and found them a benefit to my soul. I believe it's possible for the individual Christian to adapt them to the rule of life to which he has subjected himself and thereby be blessed by the Lord. While intended as a whole course of spiritual exercises for the few, many could potentially benefit from Ignatian examinations of the conscience and meditations on sin, the kingdom of Christ, biblical narratives, the Sermon on the Mount, humility, the Ten Commandments, the senses, etc. Protestants and Evangelicals might find much here to lead them to a deeper examination of themselves and meditations on the Lord and His Word.

While highly recommended, they will be very difficult exercises for most Christians and would not necessarily be well-suited to those unaccustomed to such a degree of meditation.