Inner Peace in Divine Love Retreat

 

Week One – Remembering Love

Ex 2 – I remember being loved and grateful

 

Preparation
I take a relaxed position with a straight back, my body poised for prayer. I make a gesture of reverence and humility. I read the prayer text about steadfast love.

Opening Prayer
I ask for the grace to direct my whole self toward God.

Desire  
I desire to feel loved and grateful.

Prayer 
I remember an experience of being loved and feeling grateful.

I go back in time to re-create this experience as best I can with the details of place, weather, conversation, actions, and people. I relive the experience with all my senses—I touch, smell, hear, and feel being so loved and grateful.

I remain in this place for a few minutes.

Now, eyes still closed, I come back into the room where I am now. I remember the details of place here. How do I feel? I remain here for a few minutes.

I return again to the place where I was loved. I relive being grateful. Do I feel any different than the first time I came here? I remain here for a few minutes.

I come back into the room where I am now. How do I feel? Different? Now I move back and forth between both places, spending a minute or so in each.

I note any change of feelings. I do this for five minutes.

Conversation 
I end my prayer in a short conversation with God, talking as to a friend, about what I have just experienced. Our Father.

Prayer Text

 

Because your steadfast love is better than life,

my lips will praise you.

So I will bless you as long as I live;

I will lift up my hands and call on your name.

My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,

and my mouth praises you with joyful lips.

(Ps 63:3–5)

 


Time: 25 Minutes
Preparation: 5 minutes. Opening Prayer: 1 minute. Desire: 1 minute. Prayer: 15 minutes. Conversation: 3 minutes. Listening Book: 10 minutes.


 

 

For greater guidance, depth and practical use of this exercise and retreat, source the First Spiritual Exercises here.

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