Wandering Thru the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius - Session Videos
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…
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...
wspx #12 - "relieve me of the bondage of self..."
(dec 22, 2024)
why we have to do what we do.
how st ignatius can help us.
our real problem is our inability to have a working relationship with god.
1. quit playing god.
2. invite god in as director, principle, parent, friend
3. do as directed
match calamity with serenity...
wspx #13 - ignatius' preliminary annotations
(dec 29, 2024)
putting the spiritual exercises into an AA perspective.
why do we do the things we do?
and how can ignatius contribute to our work?
we get sober to get sane.
we get sane so we can improve our relationship with god.
ignatius helps us do that!
annotation #1 - comparing the spiritual exercises to physical exercises
#2 - director... let your directee have their own experience.
#3 - moving from the head to the heart
#4 - the 4 weeks
#5 - directee attitude? honest open and willing
#6 - what if the receiver is not moved?
wspx #14 - the preliminary annotations
(jan 5, 2025)
review of our opening words
preliminary annotations are addressed to the spiritual director, not the person making the exercises
do not over direct
attitudes to seek: honest open willing
this is about the heart more than the head
the weeks
desolation, consolation, and the rules for discernment
wspx #15 - contemplation to attain divine love
(jan 26, 2025)
the exercises have 6 big parts:
preliminary annotations (1 to 22)
1st week - 2nd week - 3rd week - 4th week
supplementary material (238 to 370)
this contemplation (230) to (237) happens at the end of the 4th week, and is the goal of the whole exercises.
compare to our AA process: 1. quit playing god 2. invite god in 3. do as directed (and match calamity with serenity)
(230) - love is expressed more in deeds than words.
(231) - love is about the mutual sharing of everything between friends.
(232) - an attitude of reverence imagining the saints & angels watching and praying for me.
(233) - goal: to appreciate god's blessings so that i can love god more and can serve god more fully.
(234) - appreciate god's blessings, responding thru prayer: "lord, take & receive..."
(235) - see how god dwells in all things.
(236) - see how god works for me thru all created things.
(237) - appreciate god's unceasing gifts as rays from the sun, as waters from a spring.
wspx #16 - rules for discernment (session 1)
(feb 23, 2025)
these sessions are about how to apply these spiritual principles to our work in aa. be quick to see where religious people are right. if lack of power is our dilemma, contempt prior to investigation is our enemy. pause (step 10) - ask & listen (step 11) - do (step 12) quit playing god - invite god in - do as directed.
the spiritual exercises:
preliminary observations (#1 - #22)
1st week (#23 - #90) - our sin (rejection of god's love and direction
2nd week (#91 to #189) know jesus better, so we can love god more, and follow more closely
3rd week (#190 to #217) jesus' passion and crucifixion
4th week (#218to #237) resurrection and renewal, contemplation to attain god's love supplementary material (#238 to #370) (#313 to #336) rules for discernment
wspx #17 - rules for discernment (session 2)
(apr 29, 2025)
rules for discernment, first week, rules 1 thru 6
our real problem is our powerlessness over our own insanity. only real solution is asking god to restore us to sanity by taking us thru steps 4 & 5 where we detail and admit our insanity steps 6 & 7 where we ask for our sanity to be removed according to its usefulness to god and to our fellows steps 8 & 9 where we are restored to sanity thru the changing of our behavior in god guided amends. definitions of desolation and consolation how the human ego/spirit operates how the soul's spirit operates
wspx #18 - rules for discernment - 1st week - rules 1 to 14
(march 15, 2025)
based on mark thibodeaux's "god's voice within" and louis puhl's translation of the rules for discernment (annotations 313 to 327)
review of their importance to our work in aa. escaping from our powerlessness over our human ego's agenda, and growing closer to living to god's purpose for our lives. definitions of consolation and desolation what to do and not to do when in these states how the ego operates the false angel of light
wspx #19 - rules for discernment (2nd week) 1-8
(march 23, 2025)
relating these rules for discernment to step 11
"praying only for knowledge of god's purpose for our lives and the power to carry that out."
how steps 1 thru 5 are our admission of our powerlessness over our insanity.
steps 6 thru 9 are to gain power over our insanity, our restoration to sanity.
and then the real work begins: growing along spiritual lines thru steps 10, 11 & 2 all the time.
second week more subtle than the 1st.
concepts of "consolation without previous cause"
"false consolation"
"difficult consolation"
how the holy spirit is as gentle as a drop of water falling on a sponge, coming home thru an open door.
ego crashes and churns like water on stone with fighting and commotion.
wspx #20 - "god's voice within" #1
(april 13, 2025)
"god's voice within" by mark thibodeaux sj
part 1 the true and false spirits chapter 1 - why read this book?
a brief summary of ignatius' story
uses for 'rules for discernment'
chapter 2 - characteristics of desolation
chapter 3 - characteristics of consolation
wspx #21 - god's voice within #2
(april 20, 2025)
consolation and desolation side by side
1. faith, hope, love vs doubt despair, and fear
2. sensing god's closeness vs isolated loneliness
3. peace and tranquility vs agitation & disquiet
4. great spiritual desires vs boredom and tepidity, anxiety and worry
5. transparency vs secrecy result? true perspective vs doubt and confusion
wspx #22 - 8 responses to desolation
(may 4, 2025)
8 responses to desolation
1 - name it
2 - don't make any big changes
3 - lean on your support network
4 - consider prayer "logistics"
5 - beware the "false angel of light"
6 - be firm with the human ego
7 - be gentle with the soul
8 - build faith that god is restoring you to sanity thru your desolation
wspx #23 "when in consolation"
(june 23, 2025)
4 preparations for 'the ensuing desolation' from chapter 5 of 'god's voice within'
#1 observe the course of thought
#2 attend to vulnerabilities (powerlessness over character defects)
#3 look out for false consolation
#4 seek god's presence in the painful past fred kammer's jesuit vow homily (august 2003)
4 big phases of "recovery"
getting sober
asking to be restored to sanity (thru steps 4 thru 9)
getting 'conscious contact'
improving that conscious contact praying only "god, how can i best serve thee? thy will - not mine - be done."
wspx #24 - purpose driven life introduction
(july 6, 2025)
in the book "purpose driven life" rick warren states 5 purposes in answer to the question "what on earth are you here for?"
purpose #1 - to love god with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul. this is WORSHIP, step 11, prayer and meditation.
purpose #2 - love your neighbor as yourself thru FELLOWSHIP. "personal recovery depends on AA unity!
purpose #3 - DISCIPLESHIP: follow a genuine spiritual path by following another's advice through a process
purpose #4 - MINISTRY: who we serve in answer to the 10th step question "God, how can i best serve thee? thy will not mine be done."
purpose #5 - MISSION: carrying the message only you can carry. "see to it that your relationship with god is right, and great events will come to pass for you and countless others... the Great Fact.