The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Illustrated
The founder of the Jesuit order, Ignatius of Loyola, wrote a type of testaments for Catholics: Spiritual Exercises - a collection of Christian prayers and meditations that encourage reflection on God. The book serves as a practical manual: presenting a schedule of prayers, tests of conscience, prayers, and contemplative exercises for 30 days. Today, these practices serve not only Catholics but any person seeking to improve the state of one's spirit. Just as daily exercise improves the body of any person, so the daily spiritual exercises outlined by Ignatius of Loyola provide any dedicated person, whether he claims religion or not, with the tools needed to calm and expand their soul. However, despite their universality, it should be emphasized that Spiritual Exercises are based on Catholic dogma.