This episode of the Transformation Intensive Podcast delves into 'Week 25: Responding to the Love of Christ' from the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. As we approach the conclusion of our Ignatian Journey, Ned Arnold introduces a method of for reflecting on the interior movements of the soul and comments on the process of discernment and decision making. Valerie McIntyre introduces the prayer exercises for the upcoming week then leads a guided contemplation inspired by John 10:1-11.

More information at transformationintensive.org.

Music by Austin Sebek, "Something"

This episode of the Transformation Intensive Podcast, delves into 'Week 24: Nourishment for Mission' from the spiritual exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. The episode begins with a reflection on embracing the joy of Christ's resurrection and extends into practical advice for preparing to share one's transformative experiences from the Transformation Intensive (TI) journey. It emphasizes the importance of remembering through physical objects and invites listeners to find a personal symbol that marks their spiritual journey. A guided contemplation on Jesus' invitation to breakfast, as depicted in John 21, helps followers connect deeply with Jesus. Finally, the Valerie McIntyre discuss the sustenance Jesus provides before sending his disciples on their mission, encouraging listeners to reflect on their own nourishment and preparation for mission. The episode concludes with guidance on prayer exercises and a closing prayer.

00:00 Introduction to the Transformation Intensive Podcast

00:35 Week 24: Nourishment for Mission

01:14 Reflecting on Personal Experiences

02:14 Preparing to Share Your Journey

05:07 The Importance of Remembrance

08:58 Contemplation: Breakfast with Jesus

17:21 Nourishment for Mission: Deeper Insights

23:13 Guidance for the Upcoming Week

26:50 Closing Prayer and Blessing

More information at transformationintensive.org.

Music by Austin Sebek, "Something"

In this episode of the Transformation Intensive Podcast, Ned Arnold guides listeners through Week 23, 'Entering the Joy of Christ,' as part of the nine-month spiritual exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. The podcast aims to inspire and instruct participants using weekly prayer guides from the transformation intensive notebook. Ned reviews the previous movements, focusing on God's love, Christ's mission, and Jesus' passion, leading to the current theme of resurrection joy. Anne Gemmel leads an imaginative contemplation of John 20. Valerie McIntyre highlights the crucial role of joy in fulfilling our missions and deepening our relationship with God.

00:00 Introduction to Transformation Intensive

01:41 Entering the Joy of Christ

03:16 Reflecting on the Resurrection

05:37 Spiritual Nosegay: A Practice of Grace

09:02 Imaginative Contemplation of John 20

20:24 Seeking the Grace of Joy

31:37 Practical Suggestions for Prayer

More information at transformationintensive.org.

Music by Austin Sebek, "Something"

In this episode of the Transformation Intensive Podcast, listeners are invited into Week 22, focusing on the theme 'Jesus dies for us.' The podcast delves into Rule 14 from Ignatius, likening the enemy to a military commander examining our vulnerabilities. It encourages introspection on personal weaknesses and reflects on virtues and vices. The episode explores protective measures against spiritual attacks and the importance of reliance on Jesus for salvation. It guides listeners through the emotional landscape of Jesus' crucifixion and provides practical prayer exercises, emphasizing staying present with Jesus during His suffering. The episode concludes with a guided meditation on the crucifixion and reflections to contemplate Jesus' passion and death.

00:00 Introduction to Transformation Intensive

00:31 Week 22: Jesus Dies for Us

01:48 Understanding Our Vulnerabilities

02:44 Virtues and Vices

06:35 Protecting Ourselves from Sin

13:12 Encountering Jesus at the Crucifixion

20:41 Prayer Exercises for the Week

28:40 Guided Contemplation of the Crucifixion

Music by Austin Sebek, "Something"

In this episode of the Transformation Intensive Podcast, Anne Gammel welcomes listeners to the 21st week of the Ignatian spiritual exercises, focusing on staying with Jesus during Lent. She shares personal reflections on God's grace, the power of carrying a solidarity stone, and insights into recognizing Jesus in his 'distressing disguise.' The episode also delves into Ignatius' Rule 13, highlighting the importance of bringing struggles into the light to avoid the enemy's deceptive tactics. The discussion includes practical advice on deepening one's connection with Jesus through his Passion, as well as encountering God through the distress of others. Finally, Megan and Tim Davis share their experiences hosting refugee families, shedding light on the profound impact of such acts of love and service. The episode concludes with a prayer written by Peter Faber, reflecting on finding blessings through Jesus' trials.

00:00 Introduction to Transformation Intensive

01:03 Solidarity Stones and Personal Reflections

02:17 Jesus in His Distressing Disguise

03:57 Rule 13: The Enemy's Tactics

09:37 Union with God Through Suffering

10:58 Revealing Jesus Through Human Weakness

22:00 Personal Stories of Refugee Support

27:39 Tim and Megan's Reflections on Service

37:57 Closing Prayer and Final Thoughts

Music by Austin Sebek, "Something"

This episode of the Transformation Intensive podcast, Tim Gemmell, introduces 'Week 20: Jesus Begins His Passion.' The focus is on the third movement of the Ignatian exercises, where participants seek union with Christ in His passion and aim to understand Jesus' human suffering. Tim shares personal reflections on enduring hardships with divine grace and emphasizes waiting for God's grace during times of pain. The episode explores Ignatius' rules of discernment, particularly rules 12 to 14, which deal with resisting Satan's attacks. Advice is given on fighting spiritual battles, utilizing God's truth, renouncing Satan’s lies, and fasting. Valerie discusses the concept of Union with God and what it means in the Spiritual Exercises The episode concludes with instructions for the week's prayer exercises and a Collect for Monday of Holy Week.

00:00 Introduction to Transformation Intensive

00:34 Entering the Third Movement: Jesus Begins His Passion

01:39 Personal Reflections and Encouragement

03:50 Ignatius's Rules of Discernment

06:14 Pushing Back Against Satan

09:12 Lenten Reflections and Spiritual Practices

19:26 Union with God: Purgation, Illumination, and Union

28:15 Prayer Exercises for the Week

30:57 Conclusion and Final Prayer

Music by Austin Sebek, "Something"

In this episode of the Transformation Intensive podcast, we dive into 'Week 19: The Grace to See.' Ned Arnold, emphasizes the need for the grace to understand both our own blindness and the message of Jesus. The episode explores the parallels between the disciples' spiritual blindness and our Lenten journey, providing insightful reflections from Henri Nouwen and practical advice on deepening prayer. The 'Tip of the Week' encourages listeners to ask for spiritual guidance, drawing from Mark 9 and the importance of a support network. A poignant story about Val's silent retreat illustrates the 11th Rule of Discernment, emphasizing gratitude and humility in spiritual journeys. The episode concludes with a detailed preview of the week's prayer exercises, focusing on Jesus and the disciples' journey from Caesarea Philippi to Jerusalem, including a guided contemplation of the Anointing at Bethany from Mark's Gospel.

00:00 Introduction to Transformation Intensive

00:33 Grace to See: Understanding Spiritual Blindness

04:11 The Importance of Asking for Help

06:24 Relying on Your Support Network

07:44 The Gift of Consolation and Desolation

09:58 Personal Story: Silent Retreat Experience

13:30 Preview of Week 19: The Grace to See

22:23 Contemplation Exercise: The Anointing at Bethany

37:30 Closing Prayer and Reflection

Music by Austin Sebek, "Something"

This episode of the Transformation Intensive podcast, Tim Gemmell, introduces 'Week 18: Jesus, Water, Light, and Life.' Tim explores the importance of recognizing God's stirrings and making connections in spiritual life, illustrated by a 'connect the dot' challenge. The episode delves into Rule 10 of the Ignatian Rules of Discernment, cherishing consolation. Valerie McIntyre previews the upcoming week of prayer and touches on visualizing versus imaginative prayer and how to immerse oneself in gospel stories. The episode concludes with a guided prayer on three segments from the Gospel of John and an encouragement to document and reflect on spiritual experiences.

00:00 Introduction to Transformation Intensive

00:35 Week 18: Jesus, Water, Light, and Life

01:09 Connecting the Dots: Spiritual Insights

06:19 Rule of Discernment: Cherishing Consolation

11:25 Imaginative Prayer vs. Visualization

17:28 Parallel Processing in Prayer

20:25 Guided Prayer Experience

32:26 Conclusion and Reflection

Music by Austin Sebek, "Something"

This episode of the Transformation Intensive podcast delves into 'Week 17: Jesus Heals.' Sandy Sticha introduces the Sacred Heart of Jesus, exploring its historical significance and spiritual depth. She shares personal reflections from her journal about experiencing the Sacred Heart. The episode also covers Ignatius' Rule of Discernment, specifically Rule 9, which involves exploring causes of spiritual desolation. A guided meditation on Mark 5:24-34 focuses on the healing of a woman with a bleeding issue, encouraging listeners to engage deeply with Jesus’ healing power. Concluding the episode, Val highlights the significance of attuning to Jesus' emotions and offers insights on the week’s prayer exercises based on gospel healing stories. Practical advice on preparing for prayer and being open to new revelations is also provided.

00:00 Introduction to Transformation Intensive

00:38 Exploring the Sacred Heart of Jesus

01:30 Historical Context and Significance

03:21 Personal Reflections and Journal Entries

05:23 Practical Applications in Prayer

07:23 Ignatius Rules of Discernment

08:44 Causes and Solutions for Desolation

13:20 Guided Contemplation

25:03 Preview of Week 17, Engaging with Gospel Stories

38:29 Conclusion and Final Prayer

Music by Austin Sebek, "Something"

This episode of the Transformation Intensive podcast introduces 'Week 16: Invitation to Follow Jesus.' Tim Gemmell presents the graces to seek—knowing Jesus intimately, loving Him more intensely, and following Him more closely. He shares personal reflections on the Tip of the Week: God may surprise you! The episode explores Ignatius' Eight Rule of Discernment, emphasizing patience during desolation, and provides practical advice on enduring spiritual storms. A guided meditation on John 1:35-39 prompts listeners to envision themselves following Jesus. Val discusses friendship with Jesus, depicting it as a call to Jesus’ inner circle and a call to biblical sainthood. She concludes with an overview of the upcoming week’s prayer exercises and an encouragement to integrate daily life with spiritual practices.

00:00 Introduction to Transformation Intensive

00:37 Week 16: Invitation to Follow Jesus

01:19 God's Surprises in Spiritual Exercises

03:11 Breaking Out of the Box

04:13 Rule of Discernment: Patience in Desolation

08:59 Guided Meditation: Come and See

20:26 Friendship with Jesus: Inner Circle and Sainthood

27:29 Prayer Exercises and Daily Examen

30:13 Closing Prayer and Final Thoughts

Music by Austin Sebek, "Something"