Wandering Thru the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius - Session Videos
wspx #1 - The St. Ignatius Story, Part 1
(july 7, 2024) This first session on "wandering thru the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius" is very general in nature covering bits of St. Ignatius's story, a rough outline of the exercises, and our intent of relating the tools and techniques found in the exercises to our work in AA.
wspx #2 - The St. Ignatius Story, Part 2
(july 28, 2024)This session starts our review of Ignatius's personal story as he went from a knight in shining armor to a pilgrim, to the founding of the Jesuits, to being superior general of the society of Jesus in Rome in the 1540's.
wspx #3 - What St. Ignatius was like, and what happened.
(sept 1, 2024) A review of St. Ignatius' early life and what he was like.
What happened, his initial spiritual awakening.
What he decided to do - a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Relating Ignatius' story to bill's story.
Bottoming out. the importance of feelings as gauges of our behaviors.
Faith, hope and love or doubt, despair, and fear?
wspx #4 - What is a spiritual awakening?
(sept 15, 2024) A review of our opening words.
The necessity of a spiritual awakening.
For most of us it's gradual.
3 levels of miracles:
#1 - we're not thinking about drinking (page 85)
#2 - our consciousness of the presence of god is the most important fact of our lives (page 51)
#3 - we feel we are on the broad highway, walking hand in hand with the spirit of the universe. (page 75)
What Carl Jung doesn't know:
#1 - Silkworth defining the physical aspect of our disease (in NYC at the same time Jung is talking to Hazzard) that we process alcohol differently than normal safe drinkers.
#2 - the Oxford groups are bringing people into a spiritual experience through their 6 step program.
finally - Bill Wilson's spiritual experience as detailed in pass it on pages 118-121
wspx #5 - His story #3
(oct 6, 2024) why are we still looking at his story? compare to bill's story.
in aa, we are purposely amateurs. in ignatius' time, they were professionals.
what he was like? "he was free when it came to loving women, gambling, quarreling!"
he's vain, ocd, and probably a sex addict!
he was morally bankrupt! but his willpower to endure pain in the name of vanity, was unsurpassed!
he takes stock (step 4), gets wrapped up in day dreaming...but
"sometimes he stopped to think" (our pause)
he begins to distinguish consolation and desolation by and thru his feelings.
restless irritable discontent - desolation
feeling of faith hope and love - consolation.
he decides to make a pilgrimage to jerusalem.
he throws himself into prayer...
wspx #6 - "the power of primary purpose"
(oct 20, 2024) primary purpose of a meeting - stay sober and help another alcoholic achieve sobriety.
primary purpose of our traditions - live with each other, not destroy ourselves from within, keep money, property, prestige out of the deal.
primary purpose of the steps - come to a spiritual awakening so we can carry a message and practice our principles.
primary purpose of the spiritual exercises - overcome "self", and order our lives that we can make decisions free from "disordered desires".
"principle and foundation" - our primary purpose is to trust, love, and serve our creator, and thereby "save our souls".
we should not want health more than sickness, wealth more than poverty, fame more than disgrace, a long life more than a short one. really? why is my soul here?
wspx #7 "be quick to see where religious people are right."
(oct 27, 2024) from step 11, page 87.
a review of the world's religions.
of all of the books i have read describing spiritual traditions and experiences, nothing has contributed so much to a step 11 prayer practice as this jesuit material.
there are many similarities between aa and the jesuits.
as with most traditions, we, like the jesuits, have a founder, our founders' stories, a book of directions, and a lot of writing by practitioners.
there are a few differences: their focus on jesus, and the good and evil spirits.
we are different in that you have to find your own conception of a power greater than your mind and body to make this cure for alcoholism work.
and our founders had to bottom out on self-reliant drinking. ignatius did not bottom out the same way.
the big book is written as a do-it-yerself manual toward a spiritual experience, (though we are not able to do it by ourselves).
the spiritual exercises are written for the giver (the sponsor) not the maker (the sponsee).
we review again 3 levels of miracles: #1 we don't want to drink and we didn't do that for ourselves (pave 85).
#2 our consciousness of the presence of god is the most important fact of our lives.
#3 we feel as tho we are on the broad highway, walking hand in hand with the spirit of the universe.
wspx #8 - "the moor and the mule"
(nov 3, 2024) a review of what ignatius was like, and what happened, his conversion experiences.
"every sinner has their future, every saint has their past."
in his convalescence from wounding, he finds worldly thoughts make him happy temporarily, but do not last as do the desires to imitate the saints.
he decides to make a pilgrimage to jerusalem.
he encounters a moor with different beliefs regarding mother mary.
he is filled with rage and homicidal thoughts.
tired of the inner conflict between his resentment and his "godly desires",
he lets his mule decide by letting go of the reins and seeing where the mule goes.
he doesn't pursue the moor.
25 years later, his spiritual exercises will include 'rules for discernment' in making decisions.
wspx #9 - from painful scruples to god's "teaching"
(nov 10, 2024) "previously on...": ignatius conversion from knight in shining armor to pilgrim, alone and on foot.
life in manresa, spring of 1522, where he does our steps 4 and 5, and lives a holy life...
he experiences visions that are followed by excruciating attacks of scruples (doubts about everything!)
finally, on the banks of the cardoner, "the eyes of his understanding were opened. and all things seemed new to him. if he were to gather all the helps he received from god and everything he knew, and add them all together, they would not equal what he received on that one occasion."
wspx #10 - the diet of worms, martin luther & st ignatius
(nov 17, 2024) the diet of worms?!?!
st ignatius went thru his inquisitions as well.
comparing and contrasting ignatius and martin luther, who were in the game at the same time: 1522!
the rest of ignatius' story from enlightenment on the banks of the cardoner to the move to rome.
a review of world religions.
ignatius and luther have a huge impact on our world 500 years later...
wspx #11 - our opening words
(nov 17, 2024) a review of our sessions' opening words.
a review of page 55 "actually we were fooling ourselves.
for deep down i every man woman and child is the fundamental nature of god.
it may be obscured by...
Below are the opening words that are read before each session:
Welcome to this session of “Wandering thru the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius”. This is not a meeting of the Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. There is no group conscience, no 7th tradition, no requirement for membership, everybody's welcome. Our primary purpose is to take an in-depth look at the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius in order to deepen and strengthen our own recovery by relating the principles and techniques found in the exercises to our work in Alcoholics Anonymous. We are trying to use the exercises to support our efforts to improve our “conscious contact” and to respond to the 10th step question: “God, how can i best serve thee?”
We will begin this gathering with a moment of silence to reflect on why we are here…
Some Readings Adapted from Various Sources
#1 Your life has been given you mainly for the purpose of training your soul. This life we live is not so much for the body as for the soul. We often choose what best suits the body. God wants us to choose what best serves the soul’s spiritual growth. Accept this belief and a wonderful molding of character takes place. Reject it and god’s purpose for your life is frustrated and your spiritual progress is delayed. Your soul is being trained by the good you choose. Thus, the purpose of your life is being fulfilled. (june 8th - 24 hours a day)
#2 The primary purpose of your life is to trust, love, & serve your creator, and thereby “save” your soul. So it doesn’t matter if you have a long life or a short one, a rich life or a poor one, a healthy life or a sick one, an honored life or a dishonored one. What matters is that you ask god to mold your ideals & help you to live up to them. (annotation #23 - ‘principle and foundation’)
#3 If what we have learned and seen and felt means anything at all, it means that all of us, whatever our race, creed, or color, are the children of a living, loving creator with whom we may form a relationship upon simple and understandable terms as soon as we are willing and honest and open enough to try. (big book page 28)
#4 “If you are as seriously alcoholic as we were, we believe you have but two alternatives (bb page 25) - one is to go on to the bitter-end, blotting out of your consciousness how miserable you really are… (this is desolation - out of sync with god, feelings of doubt, despair, & fear - #317) and the other… to ask your creator each morning in meditation to show you the way of patience, tolerance, kindness, and love (bb page 83) (this is consolation - in sync with god, feelings of faith & hope & love). (“rules for discernment” annotation #316)
#5 “Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God's will for us into all of our activities. ‘How can i best serve thee?’ ‘Thy will (not mine) be done.’ These are thoughts which must go with us constantly. This is the proper use of the will!” (bb page 85)
#6 “Just to the extent that i humbly rely on God, and do as i think God would have me do, will i be enabled to experience spiritual serenity right in the midst of the human calamity.” (pg 68) “Head in the clouds, and feet firmly planted on the ground!” (page 130)
Following these opening words the recorded sessions begin.
Relating the spiritual exercises to our work in alcoholics anonymous…