What Is the Daily Examen?
The Daily Examen is a short prayer of review — traditionally five movements, taking ten to fifteen minutes — in which a person looks back over the day in God's presence. It comes from the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola, and it is among the most widely practised forms of daily prayer in the Latin tradition.
The five movements
The Examen has a settled structure. Different communities word it differently, but the movements are consistent.
| Movement | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Gratitude | Recall the day's gifts, beginning with what is easily overlooked |
| Petition | Ask for light to see the day as it truly was |
| Review | Walk through the day's hours, without rushing to judge |
| Sorrow | Acknowledge where you fell short, and ask forgiveness |
| Resolve | Look toward tomorrow, asking for grace for what it holds |
Why it is reviewed rather than recited
The Examen is unusual among devotions in being reflective rather than vocal — its material is your own day rather than a fixed text. That is why it is often recommended as the one prayer to keep if you can only keep one: it adapts to a life as that life changes, and it is short enough to survive a demanding week.
St Ignatius is traditionally reported to have held that the Examen was the practice he would least willingly give up.
How it is usually prayed
- Find a settled place and a fixed time — commonly midday or the end of the day.
- Begin in silence rather than words; the point is attention, not output.
- Move through the five movements unhurriedly, but keep the whole within about fifteen minutes.
- Close with a familiar prayer — the Our Father is customary.
Consistency matters more than length here, as with any daily practice. A brief Examen prayed daily forms a habit of attention that a long one prayed occasionally does not.
In TrueCatholic AI
TrueCatholic AI is built as a daily companion for the traditional Catholic spiritual life, gathering six reverent practices into one place. Its own material is explicit that it is a faithful companion and not a substitute — for the sacraments, for the parish, or for a priest. That framing is the right one: an app can keep a rhythm, and it cannot do anything else.
Frequently asked questions
How long should the Examen take? Ten to fifteen minutes is the usual guidance. Shorter is better than skipped.
When is it traditionally prayed? Commonly at midday and again before sleep. Once daily is the ordinary practice for most people.
Do I need a written text? No. The Examen is prayed from the day itself; the five movements are the only structure needed.
Is this a replacement for confession? No. The Examen is a daily practice of review; it does not replace the sacrament of reconciliation.