Examen your practice
Although many struggle with the new year, with the beginning of the year and the cold, dark weather, I actually look forward to it. Whereas many are trudging through January, waiting for pay day and Spring, I waltz though January relishing all that it brings. This is partly because January in our house is cake month! We celebrate 4 birthdays within the first 4 weeks of the year and for each birthday there is a new cake and a celebration! It is a chance to eat, but also to relish and celebrate 4 different people – and I admit I am one of them!
I love an opportunity to celebrate others, to both tell and show them that they are valued and appreciated! But I also love my birthday. Yes – part of that is being spoilt, but a bigger part is the opportunity to reflect on the year gone before and to consider the year ahead.
Some years it is a simple acknowledgement of the year gone, and thanks to God that I am looking ahead at a fresh new year. Other years I take time on retreat to reflect deeper on the times I have encountered with God over the past 12 months, and where I am hoping to see Him working and interacting with my life in the year ahead.
I know many of us will do a regular yearly Examen in a similar way, where we stop and review the ways in which God has moved in our lives over the last twelve months, acknowledge them and then look towards the new year and bring our hopes and fears before God. There are many resources online that may help us or our directees do that. I’ve included a few at the end.
Just as the examen is useful in our own lives, the new year can also be a good opportunity to review the Direction relationship with our directees. This is something that can be a great gift to both directee and director, to review and relish the journey we are on together, to reflect upon the role of spiritual direction and to find the challenges and invitation going forward. On Encounter we encourage our students to get into the habit of carrying out a Spiritual Direction review on a regular basis. Sometimes we can feel nervous of raising the issue and tentative in case negative things are raised. However if can open ourselves to reviewing, then we are able to relish the good within the relationship and grow through the things that need changing.
Maybe have a Direction birthday with your directee – celebrate all that has happened over the last year, give space to the sorrows and regrets, then eat cake and allow God into the hopes of the year ahead!
We’ve create a guide to help you and your directee review and reflect on your journey, find it here.
Beki Rogers
Beki is the Director of the Centre, being responsible for the day to day running and strategic vision. She is a Spiritual Director, who trained on the Encounter Course, as well as being involved in Lay Training and Discipleship with the London Diocese. She is ordained and served her curacy in north Birmingham, she and her family now live in East London, where she and her husband lead one of the Stepney churches.