In 1521, while recovering from a life-threatening battle wound at his home in Spain, Ignatius began a three-year spiritual journey that changed the direction of his life. Soon he began leading other people along a similar pathway using the insights he gained from his own experience. Eventually, Ignatius gathered these prayers, meditations, reflections, and instructions into a carefully designed framework which he called the “Spiritual Exercises.” They have been in continual use for the last 500 years.

The Transformation Intensive Retreat holds as closely as possible to Ignatius’ original vision. It is a school of prayer, healing, and spiritual renewal, and provides a context for decision making and discernment. It is designed to be highly accessible, especially to Christians from Evangelical faith backgrounds. It also has an Anglican flavor since this is the tradition to which most of our leaders belong. It is a little-known fact that Anglicans have been passionately involved in giving and receiving the Spiritual Exercises for over a hundred years!

Participants are invited to be generous toward God. They commit to pray for 45-90 minutes each day using the prayer exercises are provided, to keep a journal of what happens in those prayer times, and to meet weekly with a listening group of 3-4 people under the guidance of a trained leader. We offer shorter courses and workshops to give you a taste of Ignatian spirituality to help you decide if the longer retreat would be a good fit for you.

For most people, the group experience is equal to or better than the traditional way of doing it with a spiritual director. The group dynamic creates a sense of camaraderie and support, like going on a pilgrimage with a group of friends, rather than by yourself.

Yes! Christians from other faith traditions have been making the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola for a long time. Transformation Intensive is designed to make the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola accessible to those from Anglican and Evangelical backgrounds.