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The Ignatian Adventure: Experiencing the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius in Daily Life
There is no better guide than St. Ignatius Loyola if one desires to discover how faith and everyday life can thrive together. In The Ignatian Adventure, Kevin O’Brien, SJ, follows St. Ignatius’s lead and offers today’s time-strapped individual a unique way of “making” the Spiritual Exercises in daily life.
The first part of O’Brien’s book provides helpful background information, including a brief history of St. Ignatius, an explanation of the Spiritual Exercises and their purpose, and a description of different ways to make the Exercises. The book’s core offers 32 weeks of prayer and meditations to draw participants into a deeper encounter with God.
But what truly sets this book apart from other 19th annotations is how O’Brien has woven throughout the chapters his own personal accounts of living out the Exercises in everyday life. Through his deeply moving stories, readers discover how the Exercises intersect with the real world.
The Ignatian Adventure is an ideal resource for spiritual directors, but its user-friendly, down-to-earth style also makes it perfect for any individual seeking a deeper life of prayer.
307 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2011
655 people are currently reading
727 people want to read
About the author
Kevin O'Brien
2 books6 followersKevin O'Brien, SJ
Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
January 26, 2021
St. Ignatius is the founder of the Jesuit movement. He was in a war, got hit by a cannonball, almost died, and then during his recovery decided to go away and live in a cave to meditate about God and prayer (St. Benedict also spent a long time in a cave.... is there something we don’t know about caves?). What he came up with after that period of introspection was the Spiritual Exercises, a very practical and original approach to catholic spirituality.
Although the Spiritual reflections on the life of Christ and his Exercises were intended not to be read but rather prayed for 30 days with the guidance of a spiritual director, St. Ignatius of Loyola realized that not everyone would be able to devote 30 days to nothing but prayer. In the 19th of his introductory annotations, he encouraged making the Exercises in the course of daily life.
Kevin O’Brien, S.J. (a former lawyer) has adapted the Spiritual Exercises, which he calls an adventure, to the everyday life of the 21st-century adventurer.
I've been using this book for my evening prayer for the last 2 years, and I still haven't finished it, because more or less one paragraph is one evening: it includes a suggested Scripture reading, some reflections to make around it, and how to focus your prayer (within St Ignatius's overall structure).
In addition, I've been following the Jesuit's Examen structure for my prayers, and I've found it to have incredible power. For example, starting with giving thanks for all the little things where you have found God during your day can change your mental disposition in an instant. Also, I realize in amazement that I am getting better at identifying "negative thoughts" or whatever else they are called by the Jesuits, when they come in my brain, even at a subconscious level. "Oh shit! Look what I thought in that moment there today! That is wrong, it's a negative thought about myself, and I need to correct it".
Prayer is not easy, it doesn't come out "well" every single time, for anyone, but its potential is almost unimaginable. It gives me incredible strength, because wherever I am mentally, or emotionally, it brings me back to my center, it acts as a powerful internal clean-up and it greatly enhances my awareness, despite my chaotic and busy life.
Also, the more I am brought to some passages of the New Testament, the more I feel like whoever has produced that literature was nothing less than genius. The "Word of God", like St. Ambrogio taught St. Agustin, has many layers of meaning, and sometimes the most important one is the allegorical, the metaphorical one.
Whatever you have faith in, whatever values you choose to follow in your life, the Bible deserves to be read and studied. Catholic theology teaches how to read and interpret the Bible, too. Over time, some truths have become more prominent in the doctrine and some have taken a secondary place. Especially the New Testament is to be seen as the peak, the coronation of all the books of the Bible.
It's such a treasure.
In sum, this is an excellent work for a spiritual retreat to do by yourself. Highly recommended.
—
June 2020 Update : finished it after 4 years : ). I’ll certainly go back to it.
Although the Spiritual reflections on the life of Christ and his Exercises were intended not to be read but rather prayed for 30 days with the guidance of a spiritual director, St. Ignatius of Loyola realized that not everyone would be able to devote 30 days to nothing but prayer. In the 19th of his introductory annotations, he encouraged making the Exercises in the course of daily life.
Kevin O’Brien, S.J. (a former lawyer) has adapted the Spiritual Exercises, which he calls an adventure, to the everyday life of the 21st-century adventurer.
I've been using this book for my evening prayer for the last 2 years, and I still haven't finished it, because more or less one paragraph is one evening: it includes a suggested Scripture reading, some reflections to make around it, and how to focus your prayer (within St Ignatius's overall structure).
In addition, I've been following the Jesuit's Examen structure for my prayers, and I've found it to have incredible power. For example, starting with giving thanks for all the little things where you have found God during your day can change your mental disposition in an instant. Also, I realize in amazement that I am getting better at identifying "negative thoughts" or whatever else they are called by the Jesuits, when they come in my brain, even at a subconscious level. "Oh shit! Look what I thought in that moment there today! That is wrong, it's a negative thought about myself, and I need to correct it".
Prayer is not easy, it doesn't come out "well" every single time, for anyone, but its potential is almost unimaginable. It gives me incredible strength, because wherever I am mentally, or emotionally, it brings me back to my center, it acts as a powerful internal clean-up and it greatly enhances my awareness, despite my chaotic and busy life.
Also, the more I am brought to some passages of the New Testament, the more I feel like whoever has produced that literature was nothing less than genius. The "Word of God", like St. Ambrogio taught St. Agustin, has many layers of meaning, and sometimes the most important one is the allegorical, the metaphorical one.
Whatever you have faith in, whatever values you choose to follow in your life, the Bible deserves to be read and studied. Catholic theology teaches how to read and interpret the Bible, too. Over time, some truths have become more prominent in the doctrine and some have taken a secondary place. Especially the New Testament is to be seen as the peak, the coronation of all the books of the Bible.
It's such a treasure.
In sum, this is an excellent work for a spiritual retreat to do by yourself. Highly recommended.
—
June 2020 Update : finished it after 4 years : ). I’ll certainly go back to it.
June 6, 2022
I did this with a spiritual direction group over nine months. Absolutely life changing.
June 2, 2022
I read this book over nine months to accompany my 19th annotation retreat with a Loyola Retreat Center, and I was impressed by the thought put into preparing the material and organizing this book. Beginning with anecdotes from the author to ease the reader into this intense retreat, this book is separated into "four weeks," each with a different theme and an Ignatian spiritual exercise for the reader to implement. In between the thought-provoking bible passages, the author weaves in more anecdotes so that we can apply the themes to real life.
After reading this book, I'm walking away with a stronger relationship with God and a stronger desire to pray. I have experienced so much gratitude for what I have, and I want to share the love that I am more aware of now from God with others.
I definitely recommend completing this retreat with a spiritual director so that you can have an accountability partner. I'm looking forward to returning to this book as a resource for prayer. I also recommend pairing this book with Hearts on Fire, edited by Michael Harter, SJ.
After reading this book, I'm walking away with a stronger relationship with God and a stronger desire to pray. I have experienced so much gratitude for what I have, and I want to share the love that I am more aware of now from God with others.
I definitely recommend completing this retreat with a spiritual director so that you can have an accountability partner. I'm looking forward to returning to this book as a resource for prayer. I also recommend pairing this book with Hearts on Fire, edited by Michael Harter, SJ.
Read
May 15, 2021Guide for 8 month retreat-in-daily life, to do with a group or spiritual director. Life changing.
June 6, 2025
Did this with a group of four. A very meaningful nine months.
August 6, 2018
This was the first time I used this resource to accompany someone through the Nineteenth Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises. Aside from two theological errors toward the beginning, this was a really wonderful resource. The retreatant had a beautiful experience and the The Ignatian Adventure made my job as spiritual director very straight forward- listen and pray!
January 8, 2020
This is meant to be a Spiritual journey and should be used /read as a commitment to daily prayer. The Exercises have been described as a school of prayer. It is a good idea to find a spiritual director to take you through this, but could be done on your own.
November 18, 2019
As a spiritual director, this is a book I will recommend to those who are interested in a 19th Annotation retreat.
November 9, 2025
Not that a book could be perfect - but it's difficult to think of a more helpful way to present the insights and experiences involved in the Ignatian exercises.
Normally in the format of a 4 week retreat, this author stretches its content over 32 weeks, allowing the reader to slowly process the steps in "daily life."
From establishing a foundation on God's grace, to imaginatively interacting with Jesus in Gospel stories, to following Christ into death and new life, this book offers a daily progression of exercises to aid personal growth and discernment.
Unlike many more recent works of "spiritual direction," this one is deeply rooted in Scripture, and unapologetically devoted to Christ-following.
Normally in the format of a 4 week retreat, this author stretches its content over 32 weeks, allowing the reader to slowly process the steps in "daily life."
From establishing a foundation on God's grace, to imaginatively interacting with Jesus in Gospel stories, to following Christ into death and new life, this book offers a daily progression of exercises to aid personal growth and discernment.
Unlike many more recent works of "spiritual direction," this one is deeply rooted in Scripture, and unapologetically devoted to Christ-following.
March 31, 2023
Read a few books on Ignatian Spirituality - this is definitely a "keeper" - a thorough explanation of the spiritual exercises in a kind of "go at your own pace" method. It incorporates a lot of what I have read in other Ignations sources, and at the same time, explains it from a new perspective. Refreshing and likely worth a reread in the not too distant future.
August 29, 2023
I am not Catholic, but I have a great deal of respect for the Jesuit Spiritual Exercises. I used this book in a class exploring prayer. Kevin O'Bien presents the exercises in a contemporary manner. I come from a Quaker background and coupled this book with George Fox's journal it is interesting to see the similarities in practice.
Read
March 7, 2016I use Kevin O'Brien's book as part of a group that offers the Spiritual Exercises to people through the Center for Ignatian Spirituality at Boston College. It's an accessible, substantial treatment of the Exercises which can also be used by individuals seeking to deepen their prayer life.
January 4, 2018
Very Powerful. Ignatius' "imagining" practices are new and strange to me, but none the less powerful. I think he was quite the genius and I think there is something in here for the future of spirituality.
January 14, 2020
Podría ser mejor
Terminé los ejercicios espirituales guiados por una guía experimentada formada en la tradición Ignaciana pero versada en distintos tipos de espiritualidad, incluyendo la espiritualidad Carmelita y ella me ayudó a sacar lo mejor del libro. Sin embargo, habiendo estudiado los grandes maestros y doctores místicos de la Iglesia, este libro se queda corto en algunas partes y se enfoca mucho en la acción y la justicia social cuando el manuscrito original de San Ignacio buscaba un encuentro íntimo con Dios a través de la oración. Además, el autor cuenta entre los libros recomendados al final autores cuya espiritualidad es “heterodoxa”, es decir, mezclan otras espiritualidades no cristianas con el cristianismo (ej. Joyce Rupp -Nueva Era- y Rolheiser -oración de centramiento, interpretaciones erradas de clásicos del misticismo). Mi recomendación es que aquellos que usen este libro hayan leído por lo menos algo de Sta. Teresa de Jesús y San Juan de la Cruz y obtengan una copia del texto original de los Ejercicios Espirituales de San Ignacio de manera que se pueda ir directamente a la referencia original en el texto de los Ejercicios y entender la intención de San Ignacio cuando los escribió.
Terminé los ejercicios espirituales guiados por una guía experimentada formada en la tradición Ignaciana pero versada en distintos tipos de espiritualidad, incluyendo la espiritualidad Carmelita y ella me ayudó a sacar lo mejor del libro. Sin embargo, habiendo estudiado los grandes maestros y doctores místicos de la Iglesia, este libro se queda corto en algunas partes y se enfoca mucho en la acción y la justicia social cuando el manuscrito original de San Ignacio buscaba un encuentro íntimo con Dios a través de la oración. Además, el autor cuenta entre los libros recomendados al final autores cuya espiritualidad es “heterodoxa”, es decir, mezclan otras espiritualidades no cristianas con el cristianismo (ej. Joyce Rupp -Nueva Era- y Rolheiser -oración de centramiento, interpretaciones erradas de clásicos del misticismo). Mi recomendación es que aquellos que usen este libro hayan leído por lo menos algo de Sta. Teresa de Jesús y San Juan de la Cruz y obtengan una copia del texto original de los Ejercicios Espirituales de San Ignacio de manera que se pueda ir directamente a la referencia original en el texto de los Ejercicios y entender la intención de San Ignacio cuando los escribió.
May 13, 2021
worth it. Find and meet with a spiritual director weekly. Shift your time and deliberately invest in your self each day. My experience: at first, this "crowded out" other activities in my day. After making this "job one" of each day in the morning, the remainder of the day fell into place. Stuff got prioritized. The important stuff always got done by the end of the day. The other BS, not so much. The "tyranny of now" started mitigating. I got up 30 minutes earlier each day - quiet time, I chose to invest and chose this as number one each day. It took about 10 days to smooth out the practice, but things fell into place (for me).
April 24, 2019
Thirty Days Took Me Two Years!
It was very slow getting started. Like my daily meditation that was not so daily. I started out using Google Keep to type my response and gave that up for a nice small leather bound journal. Writing was cumbersome at first, but who cares. No one reads it .. I didn't and neither my Spiritual Director. Then the exercise came to put my self in the scene and the words took off. What would once have been a short page was now several pages. The story started at that point and I was with Jesus from then on. The end.
It was very slow getting started. Like my daily meditation that was not so daily. I started out using Google Keep to type my response and gave that up for a nice small leather bound journal. Writing was cumbersome at first, but who cares. No one reads it .. I didn't and neither my Spiritual Director. Then the exercise came to put my self in the scene and the words took off. What would once have been a short page was now several pages. The story started at that point and I was with Jesus from then on. The end.
September 20, 2019
Good guide for the spiritual exercises
There are many "modern" versions of the exercises but in the updating it's easy to lose the power of the original. Fr O'Brien has done a good job of bridging the gap between the Ignatius original and our modern sensibilities. But this comes at a certain cost, and Fr doesn't present a broadly Catholic view of what constitutes serving the poor, but avoids in his examples works of mercy that would offend those with a leftist outlook. Perhaps this was to make the book appeal to non~Catholics in the mainline Protestant community.
There are many "modern" versions of the exercises but in the updating it's easy to lose the power of the original. Fr O'Brien has done a good job of bridging the gap between the Ignatius original and our modern sensibilities. But this comes at a certain cost, and Fr doesn't present a broadly Catholic view of what constitutes serving the poor, but avoids in his examples works of mercy that would offend those with a leftist outlook. Perhaps this was to make the book appeal to non~Catholics in the mainline Protestant community.
September 18, 2025
I spent the greater part of 2025 reading this book slowly. It is very detailed and prescriptive, so definitely not for everyone. I was curious about the spiritual practices of Ignatian priests, and what a retreat guided by St. Ignatius's personal faith and philosophy around prayer and spirituality. I think those of us who have grown up and are still a part of evangelical protestant churches can learn a lot from some of rhythms and practices that are implemented in liturgical traditions. I am glad I read this, but it was an undertaking!
December 3, 2023
This was an excellent introduction to the Spiritual Exercises. While obviously aimed towards a Catholic audience, it was still approachable for me as a Protesant, and I lenjoyed getting to read about Rev O'Brien's personal experiences amongst the daily devotionals. I learned many new ways of praying that have helped me grow in my prayer practices and that I will continue to use throught my lifetime!
February 25, 2019
Life changing. Going through the spiritual exercises deepened my relationship with Christ and guided me through answering some of the big questions, like:
What is God's desire for me and our world?
How can I better love and serve God and others?
and
How is God inviting me to a more meaningful and joyful life?
What is God's desire for me and our world?
How can I better love and serve God and others?
and
How is God inviting me to a more meaningful and joyful life?
June 5, 2019
Excellent
This is best read with a guide companion or in a prayer group over 32 weeks as prescribed
It is easy to follow and enriched with the author’s own life experiences as a disciple of Jesus under the umbrella of St Ignatius
I have recommended this to over 20 people who have their own copies now
It’s that good
This is best read with a guide companion or in a prayer group over 32 weeks as prescribed
It is easy to follow and enriched with the author’s own life experiences as a disciple of Jesus under the umbrella of St Ignatius
I have recommended this to over 20 people who have their own copies now
It’s that good
July 28, 2025
For 5 years I have been doing the Spiritual Exercises using this book as a framework. It is set up to do them in 32 weeks but instead of doing each exercise for one day I spent a week with each one. It has been an excellent prayer guide and I will miss it when I finish in 3 or 4 days. Well worth doing.
March 27, 2024
I did these exercises with my spiritual director and it was a really amazing journey for me. I highly recommend for anyone who wants to do the exercises in a modern light, and at your own pace during daily life.
May 4, 2020
Buen libro para poder hacer meditación todos los días de la semana
May 29, 2020
Wonderful.
February 16, 2021
Life-changing
March 17, 2023
Not what I expected.
March 15, 2024
I did this as a spiritual direction practice with a group & a spiritual director during COVID, SO I had the luxury of time. It was wonderful & life changing.
May 13, 2024
Life changing
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews