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Ignatian Daily Examen (5 steps)

A traditional daily practice of prayerful review. This page is reference-only: it does not judge, diagnose, or tell you what to do.

The five steps
  1. 1) Give thanks
    Begin with gratitude for specific gifts, people, and moments from today.
  2. 2) Ask for light
    Ask the Holy Spirit to show you your day honestly and gently, without fear or self-deception.
  3. 3) Review the day
    Walk through the day’s moments. Notice where you felt drawn toward love, and where you fell short.
  4. 4) Ask for forgiveness and healing
    Name what you regret with humility. Receive God’s mercy, and ask for help to grow.
  5. 5) Look toward tomorrow
    Choose one concrete intention for tomorrow. Ask for the grace to live it with peace and charity.
Source

Source reference: Loyola Press (Jim Manney / Fr. Dennis Hamm / Fr. Timothy Gallagher / Fr. Joseph A. Tetlow, SJ / Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ). This is a short, practical summary—not a verbatim excerpt.

Open the Loyola Press reference page

Not a substitute for Confession. Not spiritual direction. No moral judgment.
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