Learning to Listen
(Embracing Examen as Spiritual Practice)
**The following is a piece I wrote a few years ago that was first published as a spiritual care resource for our hospital system.
When my kids were younger every Friday was pizza and movie night in our house. We did it up right! Homemade dough, and LOTS of cheese. There was little variety in what type of movie we watched. Usually, it involved talking cars or toys or trolls or animals. Sometimes they would sing and dance too. Who knew candlesticks and rusty tow trucks were such talented performers? As our Friday night tradition continued, something interesting happened. During every movie, my son would recognize the voice of one of the characters and proclaim, “Hey! That’s the same voice as so-and-so from that other movie we watched.” I’d pull out my phone and access the Internet Movie Database and sure enough, he was right. He had an uncanny ability to recognize voices and know exactly where he had heard them before.
I’d love to become as familiar with the voice of Jesus as my son is with voice actors from animated movies!
I’d love to be able to hear and recognize the voice of Jesus more readily, but sometimes I have a hard time hearing above all the noise. And there is a LOT of noise!
Work is challenging.
I see and accompany people in trauma and death daily.
My family has our own struggles and I want to be present with them.
I have good friends who are going through difficult times.
It feels like people are still as politically divided as they have ever been.
My dogs bark at everything that moves and need more attention than I can often give.
Facebook.
As I said, there is a LOT of noise!
With all that noise, caring for my spiritual health and listening well to the voice of Jesus (who speaks life and love!) can be difficult. So what can I do?
Some people treat faith practices and spiritual disciplines like physical exercise. They take a posture of, “No pain, no gain!” They grit their teeth and tough it out because they know it is something they SHOULD do. But sometimes it feels like this is more harmful than helpful. Spiritual practices end up just being one more thing to add to already full plates.
What if it could be different? What if our practice of prayer could actually lighten our load, rather than adding to it?
In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.”
So what might a restful spiritual practice look like? Here’s one practice that I’ve found that is both restful and helpful.
The Daily Examen
Examen is a method of prayerful reflection that was developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola over 400 years ago, and people of different faith traditions have been practicing versions of it ever since. It is typically done at the end of the day as a way of noticing and reflecting on God’s presence with you in the events of the day. It also helps prepare by looking forward in hope to another day in God’s presence tomorrow.
It’s a simple practice that anyone can do. Just set aside 5-15 minutes to be still and quiet. For some people, it also helps to journal their reflections. That’s what I do. Whatever you choose, just keep it simple. Remember, this isn’t meant to be a burden.
Here is an adapted version of the five-step Daily Examen that I like to practice. Maybe it could be helpful for you too.
Become aware of God’s presence. (It helps to be still, close your eyes and take deep breaths.)
Think about what happened today … the good things and the bad.
How did you feel?
Pick one thing that happened today and pray about it.
What do you hope for tomorrow?
As I practice the Examen, I feel like much of the noise around me is silenced. I hear the voice of Jesus, and I recognize it! I find a growing awareness of God’s presence with me, even on tough days. The Examen serves as a reminder of the communion I have with God. It feels like a way to embrace the invitation Jesus makes in that same passage from Matthew 11.
Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. -- Matthew 11:29-30 (MSG)