I remember being loved

Spiritual Exercise 1

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 passionate love.

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

Desire
I desire to feel the love in my life.

Prayer
Using my imagination, I remember an experience of being really loved.

I go back in time to recreate 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.

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 loved. Do I feel any different than the first time I came here? I remain 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.