Before you get started:

This will be an eight week journey in prayer. The challenge is to commit to spending 30 to 40 minutes everyday in private, personal prayer. You need an extended period of time to engage the prayer material deeply and savor the readings being offered. If you are not in the habit of praying that long in one sitting, then slowly build up to that time. To help you establish a habit of praying, try it at the same time each day.

Find a regular prayer space: a quiet room in your home with a comfortable chair, even a secluded place outside. It is often helpful to keep the same prayer space throughout the next 8 weeks. Consistency will help you focus and commit. We also need to ensure that this time and space is sacred. Turn your phone on do not disturb, remove any distractions that may break your focus, and quiet yourself.

Each day you will have material to pray over: Scripture passages, Ignatius’s meditations and contemplations, or other exercises. Look over these materials before you formally begin your prayer period—either the evening or morning before. This preparation allows you to sort through any questions or confusion about the prayer material itself, thus removing unnecessary mental clutter from your prayer time. That way you can dive right in when you go to your prayer space.