Four Spiritual Exercises from the Bible for your Mental Health. TYPES OF SPIRITUAL EXERCISES ‘Prayer has a form, a sound and a physical reality. The Principle and Foundation of the Exercises states that people are “created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord . The Spiritual Exercises, which he began writing as early as the 1520’s but revised throughout his life, served as a guide to the spiritual life of the Jesuit order. The Spiritual Exercises begin with what Ignatius calls his Principle and Foundation which states that our purpose in life is to be with God forever, living with profound gratitude for the gifts of God and holding ourselves in balance so as not to displace God with any one of his gifts. General in things spiritual at Rome, and Our beloved son Aegidius Foscararius, Master of Our Sacred Palace, have found that these Exercises are full of piety and holiness and that they are and will be extremely useful and salutary for the spiritual profit of the faithful. In particular, there are some spiritual exercises that if done regularly, can improve Mental Health. The series is based on materials written by Brian Grogan, SJ, of the Irish Jesuits. The fourth presentation in The Ignatian Way series gives an overview of the Spiritual Exercises. The series is based on materials written by Brian Grogan, SJ, of the Irish Jesuits. While the book supports some experience of the Exercises -- a 30-day retreat, an 8 … and it is for the human person that the other things on the face of the earth are created as helps to the pursuit of this end.” ... on a theme, more and more is integrated around this theme. There is also an 18 th annotation retreat, which allows the most flexibility and can abbreviate the experience into themes or major meditations from the Exercises. In other words, the exercises embody the characteristic themes of Ignatian spirituality. They are organized into four sections or "weeks." The Exercises are divided into four "weeks" of varying length with four major themes: sin and God's mercy, episodes in the life of Jesus, the passion of Jesus, and the resurrection of Jesus together with a contemplation on God's love. Before the four weeks, however, are disposition days, which prepare a retreatant to enter … These are steps along the path of spiritual freedom and collaboration with God’s activity in the world. They are organized into four sections or "weeks." Spiritual Exercises. Ignatius gave the church the Spiritual Exercises as a testament to God’s gentle, persistent laboring in his life. It is by following the four weeks, and by utilizing such discernment, that a person can better realize God's will for his or her own life. The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, (composed from 1522-1524) are a set of religious practices involving Christian meditations, prayers and mental exercises, divided into four thematic 'weeks' of variable length, designed to be carried out over a period of 28 to 30 days.