Conscious Examen (Discerning God's Spirit)

      In this blog, I continue my six session series on prayer that I am doing at Shantz Mennonite Church.   I plan to focus on the Conscious Examen, a prayer developed by St Ignatius Loyola who was a Spanish Catholic priest and theologian.  He founded the religious order of the Society of Jesus in Paris in 1541.  In this prayer, we discern the difference between the dynamics of Spirit/Sacred and the dynamics of Flesh/Sin.

        When people first hear about the conscious examen, they often think it is about examining our conscience, discerning whether some action is good or bad, but the conscious examen has a totally different purpose.  It is about exploring the different dynamics within our soul and discerning whether these spirits have their origins in God or not. 
        Before looking at the spiritual practice of the conscious examen, I want to unpack what it means to do spiritual discernment.  How do we know that a dynamic is an expression of God’s spirit? 
       When I asked the people of Shantz Mennonite Church how they know a dynamic is from God, they came up with the following list:

1. They look to Christian Scripture to see whether a certain behavior or experience is attributed to God’s spirit.   One of the most known scriptures that describes God’s spirit is found in the book of Galatians.  Here, Apostle Paul makes a list of some of the fruits of the Spirit.  They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5: 22-23).   One can find many other examples of God’s spirit in the Bible in the stories of Jesus (healing, truth/insight, strength/anger, compassion, grace, humility, kenotic power (self-surrendering), sense of being God’s beloved, resilience, will, centred/grounded, etc.)
2. They look at the fruits of the experience and if they are positive, then that would suggest that the experience probably has been shaped by God's spirit, that it is part of God's will. 
3. They check with other Christians to see if their truth/experience resonates as truth for their peers.  

        When I went through training as a psychospiritual therapist (2001-2005), I was looking for help around how to connect with God's spirit within  a counselling session.   Surely there must be a way to do this discernment real time so that I can support this God dynamic arising in session.  Or if the dynamic is not connected to God's spirit, then I can become curious about what is causing it.  This information, from my perspective, seems like vital information to have…and so I have been on this journey to discern these spiritual insights. This was a key reason why I became certified as a psychospiritual therapist back in 2001-2006 but I came away from that training disappointed. 
        I remember back then having a time for theological reflection each week in my training, but spiritual discernment was based on the fruits or positive outcomes of our counselling.   However, there were no teachings that helped me discern the dynamics of God's spirit in the present moment as I counselled my clients.   
        Since the Bible is so important within the Christian Church, including my church, in preparation on this series on prayer, I  went looking deeper into what insights the Bible might have around discerning the dynamics found within the human soul. 
​        I discovered that in the New Testament book of Galatians  Apostle Paul categorized these internal dynamics into two groups, the fruits of the Spirit and the works of the Flesh.  When he talks about the works of the Flesh, he lists the following behaviors:  sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, etc. (Gal. 5: 17-21).   Apostle Paul’s list of spiritual fruits is very different.  It includes the list I noted earlier:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5: 22-23).  

        These two lists give us a sense of the difference between the works of the Flesh and the fruits of the Spirit.  However, in Romans 7 and 8, Apostle Paul spells out more clearly the difference between the dynamics of Flesh and the dynamics of Spirit.  Since the conscious examen focuses on the signs or goodness of God’s spirit in our daily life, let me list some of the signs of God’s spirit that Apostle Paul highlights in these chapters in Romans.   The Spirit...

• Does not enslave us or take away our freedom.
• Helps us belong and feel connected to one another.
• Causes us to bear fruit for/of God.
• Causes us to be attracted to the newness of Spirit.
• makes it possible for us to do what we want, to follow our longings.  There is little sense of “shoulding."
• Allows us to feel the desire to do good.
• causes us to delight in the law of God in our inmost self.

 
      Apostle Paul, in helping his readers understand the dynamics of Spirit, often contrasts the fruits of the Spirit with the works of the Flesh.   Let me summarized what Apostle Paul teaches about the Flesh in these two chapters in Romans..  He teaches that...

• The Flesh enslaves us, takes away our free will, so much so that Apostle Paul writes, “I do the very thing I hate and not want to do.” (Rom 7:15)
• There is a law within the dynamics of Sin/Flesh that is at war with the law of God found within our inmost self (Rom 7:22).
• The law of Sin/Flesh creates the feeling of wretchedness…no goodness within us (Rom 7:24).
• When we are enslaved by the law of Sin, our mind is focused on the things of the Flesh and the law of Sin (Rom 8:5).
• This law of Sin causes us to be hostile to God, to not trust God (Rom 8:7).

      Apostle Paul highlights a mysterious conflict around the Law of God.   He argues that the Law of God is holy and good for it shows us what is sin, wrong or bad (Rom 7: 12).  Yet, at the same time, Paul proclaims that this Law cannot save us; it can only promise death (Rom 7:10).  In fact, he writes that the sinful passions of the Flesh are aroused by this Law (Rom 7:5).  It seems that the dynamics of the Flesh take this Law of God and transforms it into a fallen Law, one that feeds the dynamics of the Flesh and Sin.  One sign of this fallen Law is that it is fear-based (Rom 8: 15).  It causes us to fear God and God’s judgement. 

      It is interesting to note that this same issue appears  in the Bible where the author of Genesis describes the fall of humanity.   Here we see the same issue play out with Adam and Eve when they eat the fruit of the forbidden tree, fruit which represent the fallen Knowledge of Good and Evil.  I say fallen Knowledge of Good and Evil for this knowledge was no longer just God's truth, insight or that sense that tells us that this is good and life-giving and that is bad and life-taking. 
      This knowledge of God’s Law had now become a literal fallen law, a law that clearly dictates what is good and evil.  And with this fallen law comes the belief:  if you follow this law, God will bless you;  if you don't, God will punish you.   Following this law is no longer motivated by seeking union and love with God.   People follow this fallen Knowledge of Good and Evil out of fear of God will do if they don't.  Very different then what happens when we eat the fruits that come from the Tree of Life.
      Here, in this early Biblical myth, we see how this law-based knowledge became a curse to Adam and Eve.  This fallen Knowledge of Good and Evil activated another law, the law of sin/flesh which created fear, distrust, shame and pain in their lives and wreaked havoc in their relationships with God, each other, and with nature.  
      Apostle Paul says that when the dynamics of Flesh are activated by this fallen law, the law of sin enslaves us and takes away our free will, so much so that  Apostle Paul writes, when this happens, “I do the very thing I hate and do not want to do” (Rom. 7: 15).  
      Let me go back to the topic at hand, namely, how do we discern what is a dynamic in our soul that has its roots in God’s spirit?  That is the purpose of the Conscious Examen.  So far, I have focused on the Bible.  But any insights the Bible has around discerning the dynamic of God's spirit should also appear in psychology.  
      In 2006, after I had finished my Psychospiritual Therapist training, I went looking for more understanding of how the dynamics of God’s Spirit operated within the human soul.  This is when I discovered the Diamond Approach, a psychospiritual framework that integrates the various mystic traditions of the major religions with the insights of psychology.  It is here I found a deeper and more nuance understanding of Divine Spirit, which I have found helpful in my psychospiritual practice and teaching ministry.   In the last five years, I have found a similar understanding of Divine Spirit present in Internal Family Systems(IFS).
      To help you understand how the Diamond Approach understands the Sacred, I find it helpful to use the metaphor of the Sun. 

      Like the dynamics of the Sacred, the impact of the Sun is felt all the time.   The fact that the Sun is always shining means that the impact of the Sun is unconditional, just like the love of the Sacred.   The love and the presence of Sacred is unconditional, always present, always responding to our human experiences, just as the Bible teaches. 
      The Sun is always shining, and its shine provides us light and warmth on our planet Earth which make life possible.   However, we also know that certain factors affect how we experience this light and heat.   We know that clouds and even the Earth itself  (daytime and nighttime) can block the sun’s light and warmth which causes us to have darker and cooler times.  We know also that the changing distance between the Sun and the Earth affects the level we experience the light and heat of the Sun causing many places on Earth to experience the seasons of spring, summer, fall, and winter.
      The Diamond Approach teaches that the dynamics of the Divine operate in a similar way.   The Diamond Approach sees the Divine as the True Nature of Reality before this nature becomes distorted.  When there are no obstacles blocking or distorting the dynamics of True Nature, then we experience the Sacred/Reality in certain ways.   Let me summarize how the Diamond Approach describes each quality of True Nature when it is experienced in a pure way.
      The first characteristic of True Nature is awareness.  We are aware of our surroundings and as this awareness deepens, we become more aware of our internal dynamics of our soul.   As this self-awareness deepens further into the experience of the Present Moment, we feel a sense of Presence arise.   These experiences of Presence are described in many different ways:  sense of Being, Essence, sense of oneness, oneness with God, abiding in Christ, God’s presence, True Nature, etc.  I am sure other religions would have other words for this deep sense of awareness and presence.
      The second characteristic of True Nature is the experience of oneness and unity.   When we are touching deeply into this place of Being or Presence, the boundaries between us and other begin to fade including the boundary between us and God.  We are able to hold our experience of life, others, and ourselves together as one whole experience holding both good and negative elements.  We are able to see others as human, seeing both the good and no-so-good qualities within them without judging people into either good or bad categories.  We are also able to see ourselves in the same gracious way when in this place of Being… not as perfectly good or hopelessly bad.   And this non-dualistic way of seeing carries over in how we see and experience God.   God is not seen as just good and holy and we, human, are seen as fallen or sinful, but rather the mystery of goodness and fallenness is held within the experience of God, ourselves, others, and life.  
      The third characteristic of True Nature is that  of  dynamism, change and transformation.  When we are touching into this deeper awareness, we notice that the field of reality (thoughts, emotions, sensations, behaviors, outside physical reality, etc.) is changing all the time.  It is not static.  As we notice this pattern, we see that this change is creative, that there is an unfolding process happening that has a direction to it, an  “optimizing force within the dynamic of Being"   that moves toward more truth, wholeness, fullness and integration (Almaas, Spacecruiser Inquiry, p. 35) .
      The fourth characteristic of True Nature involves openness/spaciousness.  When we are in this place of Presence, we are open to every possibility that can arise.  As a result, the field of Being is spacious, totally free, mysterious, light, no sense of boundary, no sense of resistance to whatever comes, no aspect of judgement in the field. Everything can manifest as needed, including pain and distress for this reveals that something that is not life-giving is happening, and thus needs to be understood and addressed. 
      The last characteristic of True Nature includes knowingness.  As we become aware and present to our experience of Reality, the ability to discriminate arises that allows us to know and understand what we are noticing.  We are able to find words that capture what we are experiencing.

      Due to this knowingness element of the soul, we are able discern certain qualities or fruits of the Spirit that arise when certain conditions are experienced in our soul or life.  Let me list the key qualities of Essence that the Diamond Approach highlights.

1.  Compassion:  This quality arises in response to pain/suffering.  This energy has a tender, soft, vulnerable, sad-like feel to it. 
2.  Strength:   This quality arises when truth is needed to be spoken (injustice has happened, a boundary crossed,  a “no” that needs to be honour, etc.).  The energy has a strength, possible anger-like feel to it.
3.  Joy:   This quality arises in response to wonder, gratitude, beauty, desire to play or be humorous, etc.  This energy has a light, playful, freedom feel to it.  
4.  Will:   This quality arises when determination/resilience is needed when the going gets tough.   This energy has a grounded, supported, rooted sense to it.  
5.  Love:   This quality manifests as a field of nonjudgementalism that is always present, unconditional.  It has an open, curious, connection feel to it that is mixed with feelings of grace.  
6.  Power:  This quality expresses as the power to be your authentic self.  When we are in touch with this selfless power, God is able to eexpress their God’s authentic self through us in our world.  This Power is not an overpowering power that seeks to make God’s will/nature happen; that is fallen power.   This quality co-exists with the quality of peacefulness.  This energy arises strongly in response to survival issues with a hatred edge and a self control aspect to it. 

      When I began using Internal Family System (IFS) 4 years ago, I discovered that its notion of Self energy (IFS word for Spirit) manifests in certain ways, what IFS calls the 8 C’s and the 5 P’s.

The 8 C’s of IFS Self energy include the following: 

• Calmness:   A sense of internal peace and serenity. It is the ability to stay grounded and focused even when dealing with times of anxiety, anger, or overwhelmness.
• Clarity:   The ability to see situations and people objectively without the distortion of past traumas or extreme emotions.
• Curiosity:   A genuine interest in understanding both internal dynamics within oneself and external dynamics of life rather than judging or suppressing them.
• Compassion:   Feeling an open-heartedness toward yourself and others. It is the desire to help yourself and others heal.
• Confidence:   A trust in your own ability to handle internal and external situations.
• Courage:  The strength to face difficult emotions that may be intimidating. It involves taking risks to protect yourself and others  in the world.
• Creativity:  The ability to find new ways of addressing your issues or issues in the world. When you aren't stuck in rigid patterns, you can imagine fresh solutions to old problems.
• Connectedness: The feeling of being linked to all parts of yourself, to other people, and to the world at large. It is the antithesis of isolation

©2026 Gord Alton (Gemini AI assisted in the compilation of these IFS 8 C’s)
 
The Self energy discovered in IFS also include the followings 5 P':

• Presence:  This is the state of being fully "in the room" with your experience. You aren't distracted by other thoughts or hijacked by other emotions. It feels like a focused, mindful witness.
• Patience:   It often takes time to work through the issues that life brings to us.  Patience is the ability to wait for change to happen without rushing the process.
• Persistence:   Persistence is the commitment to stay with an issue even when it is difficult or resistant to change.
• Perspective:  The ability to see the "big picture." Perspective allows you to recognize that our extreme behavior (like an addiction or an outburst) is actually a misguided attempt by a part of us to help cope with pain, rather than a fundamental flaw in your character.
• Playfulness:   A lightheartedness that can help de-escalate both intense internal and external situations.  Playfulness can help parts  of us relax and foster a sense of joy and creativity in the healing process.

©2026 Gord Alton (Gemini AI assisted in the compilation of these IFS 5 P’s)

​      With all of these insights from the Diamond Approach and IFS, many which confirm teachings in the Bible,  we now have knowledge that allows to see the dynamics of Spirit emerging within our life experience in the present moment.  Furthermore, IFS has brought a new perspective to see the Flesh/Sin dynamics within our human soul.   Normally, these Flesh dynamics are judged as “bad” and we believe that they should not be present within our soul. 

      IFS takes a very different approach for it teaches that there are “no bad parts” within our soul.   What IFS has discovered is that that these “sinful” parts are providing an important protective role within our soul. 
       Many sinful parts are called Protectors in IFS for they provide the important role  of protecting our soul from experiencing the often-overwhelming feelings of our Exiles, the parts within our soul that hold our traumatic memories and attachment wounds from our past.     Some protectors are Manager parts for their purpose is to manage our life so that our Exiles are not activated by certain settings we find ourselves in, certain people we meet, or things we say or do.   However, when our Manager parts fail to manage our lives well enough and our soul becomes overwhelmed by our painful Exiles, then our reactive Firefighter parts come to the rescue to distract us away from this extreme pain.  Unfortunately, these Firefighter behaviors are also problematic (addictions, cutting, rage, suicide ideation, sexual acting out, etc.).  Many of the sinful behaviors Paul include in his list of Flesh dynamics are IFS firefighters whose goal is to help us cope with the intense pain of our Exile parts.  
       When we understand Apostle Paul’s Flesh dynamics as IFS parts, and realize the important helpful coping roles they play in our  life, we realize that there are “no bad parts”.   Rather, our sinful issues are actual IFS parts that need help from God’s Spirit to help heal the pain within our soul. 
        Seeing how God’s spirit manifests within our soul, and how our Flesh parts need healing from God’s spirit, we can now appreciate how the spiritual practice of the Conscious Examen can help deepen our experience of God’s spirit and heal our soul.  
       It is important to realize that the Conscious Examen is not about measuring how good or bad we were today.  Instead, we are exploring the different spirits/dynamics that have been active in our soul today with a special focus on noticing the dynamics that arise from God, and inviting healing when we notice a sinful dynamic active in our daily conscious examen. 
       What follows is a step by step slideshow that leads you through the Conscious Examen.  In the first slide, you have the option to click on the link that will take you to a video where I lead you through the conscious examen.   Otherwise, you can go the Conscious Examen slide by slide at your own pace through following the instructions on each screen.   

Gord Alton MDiv RP Supervisior-Educator (CASC)