Yearly Examen
Before the year begins, use the prayer of examen to review the last year and ask God to reveal invitations for growth and intention in the new year. Use the journal page in your planner to make notes and write out your thoughts and prayers. Then use the rubric on the facing page to indicate what you are noticing about the past year (the “reflect” column) and what, with God’s help, you will do in the new year (the “reset” column) in the seven key areas of life. Throughout the year, come back to these pages to mark triumphs, indicate challenges, or write down your progress.
—Jenn Giles Kemper
Below, you'll find an ever-growing collection of resources to help you deepen your understanding of the practice of a yearly examen. Some of them were created by members of the Sacred Ordinary Days community of kindreds, and the list has been—and will continue to be—curated by our kindreds. Share your own recommendations for additional resources in the Sacred Ordinary Days Facebook group to have them added here.
The Examen Prayer: Ignatian Wisdom for Our Lives Today by Timothy M. Gallagher, OMV
Living Your Best Year Ever by Darren Hardy
Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want by Michael Hyatt
A Simple, Life-Changing Prayer: Discovering the Power of St. Ignatius Loyola's Examen by Jim Manney
Reimagining the Ignatian Examen: Fresh Ways to Pray from Your Day by Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ
How Is Your Soul? A Personal Study for Spiritual Renewal with Devotional, Daily Examen, and Yearly Examen Tools by Vineyard Resources
Sacred Story: An Ignatian Examen for the Third Millennium by William M. Watson, SJ
No. 6: The Examen (Extended Edition) by A New Liturgy
S1 | Webinar : Daily Spiritual Practices, the Examen + Retreat with Jenn Giles Kemper and Lacy Clark Ellman as an extension of the Sacred Ordinary Days podcast
A Year Without Resolutions by Nicole T. Walters at Christianity Today
Annual Spiritual Checkup 2016 by The C. S. Lewis Institute
Capturing the Memories and Lessons of Your Family's Year by Bill Eyster at FamilyLife
How to Conduct Your Own Annual Review by Chris Guillebeau
Tending the Holy Thursdays—The Spiritual Practice of Reflection—The Yearly Examen by Jean Wise at Healthy Spirituality
Examen Prayer for the Year by Vinita Hampton Wright at Ignatian Spirituality
A Reflective Review of the Past Year: An Ignatian Annual Examen by Debra Mooney, PhD, at JesuitResource.org
Year in Review—A Yearly Examen by Michelle Piccolo at The Joyful Celibate
Creating Your Life Plan with Donald Miller
A New Year's Examen by Douglas B. Skinner at Soundings
* Some links are affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra to use them, but they support our work in gathering and sharing resources like these with you.
| WEEKLY EXAMEN > |