May is Mental Health Awareness Month, an initiative that was first started over 60 years ago by Mental Health America. We’re sharing suggestions for different kinds of prayer that can support a strong spiritual practice and a healthy mental state.
(See our other posts on Mental Health & Lectio Divina and Mental Health & Praying with Saints.)
The Examen is a type of prayer in which we are invited to reflect on our day and identify moments, places, people, and experiences in which we experienced God. We also spend time thinking about tomorrow and where the Spirit may be leading us. It was described by St. Ignatius of Loyola in his Spiritual Exercises and is practiced by many Christians today.
St. Ignatius believed that the Examen was a gift from God to be shared as widely as possible. In fact, he believed so strongly in its impact on our lives that in founding the Jesuits, he made praying the Examen a daily requirement for the entire order.
He may have been on to something. In addition to helping us feel close to God and finding God in all things in our lives, a daily habit of reflection can be incredibly powerful in strengthening our mental health. In particular, several studies have linked a practice of gratitude, a key part of the Examen, with improved mental health.
Our daily lives are full of ups and downs, and by reflecting on the moments as a whole, we are able to contextualize challenges and setbacks within the broader context of our lives and God’s presence. Practicing the Examen daily helps us to identify both the good and the bad. It then helps us to release ourselves from guilt, shame, or sorrow, and look forward to what is coming.
You can find the Examen in the “Dailies” section on Hallow.
Steps to the Examen
Prayer
Entering into prayer, we invite God into our daily lives.
Thanksgiving
In starting each Examen with thanksgiving, we remind ourselves that God desires the best for us.
Reviewing
In reviewing our day, we practice reflection and notice the Spirit’s presence where we otherwise may have missed it.
Responding
By responding to God, we grow closer to God in a deeply personal way.
Looking Forward
Looking forward, we remind ourselves that tomorrow is a new day, and God is with us, always.
The Examen can be adapted in many ways to help us reflect on our lives within our worldly context. For example, try an Examen focused on Life After COVID-19 and where the Spirit is leading us from here. Or perhaps you’d like to try the Examen as a family – try adapting the prayer for Children and Teens.
Whatever you may be going through, doing an Examen can help you see God’s presence in your life. Practicing the Examen daily is an incredibly grounding habit that helps to build a solid foundation of strong mental health through prayer.
Note: While prayer is an important part of strong mental health, it is not a standalone solution to severe mental illness such as depression, addiction, severe anxiety, etc. If you are experiencing any of these, we urge you to reach out to a mental health professional in your area.