Over four weeks in daily life – for groups or individuals, at your location or online

The First Spiritual Exercises (FSE) combines the two ministries of spiritual conversation and spiritual exercises, akin to the form of the spiritual exercises given most frequently by Ignatius and the early Jesuits to anyone of good will.

About The First Spiritual Exercises

The First Spiritual Exercises help a person ask for and receive inner peace. This inner peace is utterly unmistakable. I feel the love of God so overwhelmingly unconditional, so gently intimate, that I am left with a deep-seated peace that will survive all sorts of trials, selfishness and loss.

The FSE is a four-week retreat in daily life, with a choice of four retreats. It involves a commitment to daily prayer from Monday to Thursday and a Sunday exercise. Retreatants usually meet weekly during the retreat and share their experience in spiritual conversation facilitated by trained guides. The FSE can always be adapted to the particular needs and circumstances of those making the retreat.

We can connect you with local spiritual conversation guides who give the FSE to parishes, pastoral teams, prayer groups, teaching staff, ecumenical groups and individuals. We work in collaboration with Spiritual Directors, Christian Life Community (CLC) and other Ignatian partners.

Praying an FSE retreat can bring us swiftly back into relationship with a personal God and the meaning and direction of our life journey. It slows us down, to reground us in what matters.

The FSE offers life through listening and conversation. A single story from another can change us for life. Such stories reach deep and catch us up, to transform and nourish. And our life stories carry life for others. The FSE is full of deep stories – our stories, the story of the universe, of people in great need, of intimacy with Jesus.

If you would like to experience an FSE retreat in your parish, your group or personally, please contact us at 1300 EXAMEN (1300 392 636) or info@jisa.org.au