Ignatian Meditation Communities are small groups that meet weekly to meditate using the spirituality of St Ignatius of Loyola. This form of spirituality is best known for its use of imaginative meditation, in which the participants imagine a scene from a bible story. They engage with the story by taking part as a character or as themselves Through this process, we try to notice how we think and how we feel. The mediation closes by imagining you are talking to Jesus about the experience.

The group then comes together to reflect on the experience of the meditation.

Currently, two groups meet weekly via Zoom (Friday mornings at 10.30am and Wednesday evenings at 8pm). A third group is in the early stages of formation at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster. Jonathan has been collaborating with Take Time which provides fantastic resources for Ignatian meditation groups.

The Ignatian Meditation Communities are the subject of my doctoral research at the University of Roehampton.

Click on the title for an article about Ignatian spirituality and Methodism.

Ignatian Methodism: Tradition, practice and rule of life for a new church community.

Other material will be added as the research progresses.

Rule of Life

The group that meets on a Friday morning also has a Rule of Life which we explore together regularly.

‘The Ancient Treasure of a Rule of Life.

“Rule” comes from the Greek for “trellis.” A trellis is a frame that enables a grapevine to grow upward, becoming more fruitful and productive. In the same way, a Rule of Life is a trellis that helps us abide in Christ and become more fruitful spiritually.

A Rule of Life, very simply, is an intentional, conscious plan to keep God at the center of everything we do. It provides guidelines to help us continually remember God as the Source. Without intentionality, we eventually become unfocused, distracted, and adrift spiritually.’

From Peter Scazzero’s book, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, Nashville: Integrity Publishers, 2006)

Our ‘rule’ or ‘pattern’ of life!

Prayer

Making time for a daily spiritual practice on our own or with others.

Simplicity

De-clutter and direct our time, money and possessions to make space for God and self.

Community

Build community to work together for good. Through supporting each other, building up and affirming  one another.

Presence

Live in the present, knowing that God is with us and cares for us.

Jackie DeBusk/Alamy Stock Photos

Useful practices for daily life:

A daily examen in which we review our day, asking ourselves: When have we moved towards God and when have we moved away from God? Or what bad things happened today, what good things happened today?

Being aware of consolation (moving towards God) and desolation (moving away from God) in the course of our day. This is a ‘felt’ experience which takes practice to discern but can only really be learnt when we start practicing!