Sevenhill Retreat Centre, South Australia

Pause. Breathe. Pray. A Gentle Invitation for October

Dear ,

October is traditionally the month of Mary and the prayer of the Holy Rosary. St Ignatius had a great love for Mary and he incorporated a more contemplative way of praying the Rosary into the Spiritual Exercises Retreat.   

This ancient way of praying is now found to align with modern psychology, as studies reveal meditation, breathing and slow, contemplative prayer, have the power to activate the vagus nerve, reducing stress and anxiety, resulting in a sense of calm, well-being, and renewal. The gentle repetition of the prayers of the Rosary, helps grow an inner peace and stability, a place of healing and hope in a world often driven by frenetic activity.

This month we feature IM25 Ignatian Earthing Part Two with four new Ignatian prayer practices including the breath prayer. 

We share reflections from three retreatants who have experienced the full Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life. Each reflection is a sacred and unique experience of journeying, grace and deeper connection. Also in this Jubilee Year of Hope, we invite you to pray a Spiritual Exercise Awakening Hope.

My Journey of the Spiritual Exercises

The full Spiritual Exercises drew me into a long, slow conversation with God. Over many weeks of prayer and Examen, I discovered that the God of Love walks at an unhurried pace, inviting me to listen, to rest, and to notice Grace unfolding in the ordinary.

Don Jones reflects on his experience of the making the full Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius.

The Graces of the Spiritual Exercises

The pervasive undercurrent of sadness was running dry and being replaced by a sense of quiet joy. The deeply ingrained pattern of ‘having to do it all on my own’ was being replaced by a deep letting go. Tension turned to tenderness, the perception of hardship turned to an awareness of abundance, twisting myself into who I thought I needed to be turned into walking with authenticity and trust. 

Annette Herd shares the graces she received from making the full Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life.

To sit and share with Jesus like I would my best friend

Making the Exercises gave me a safe non-judgemental environment to share and explore my feelings, beliefs, values and doubts. I thought I had a good relationship with Jesus, but the Exercises encouraged me to go deeper into that relationship, and this gave me new insights and inspiration.

Diane reflects on her experience of receiving the Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life.

IM25 Ignatian Earthing TWO – Online in November

See with new eyes, pray with your whole body, and let God in nature speak to your soul. Experience and learn four Ignatian prayer forms – in the four ecologies of Mountains, Desert, Ocean, and City.

Whether you are seeking a deeper spiritual life, a connection to the Earth, or simply space to pause and listen, IM25 offers a path – grounded in Ignatian prayer and animated by our living world. In a time when both the soul and the Earth cry out for healing.

Join us every Tuesday in November 2025

November 4^th, 11^th, 18^th, and 25^th

Online at 6.30-8.30 pm AEDT

$90 for all four sessions

$25 for a single session