The term “emotional health” used in a church setting may put some folks on their heels.  It can seem a little too modern or seem to put too much emphasis on feelings (can we really trust them?!). However, listening to our emotions is a practice that has been part of Christian spirituality for hundreds of years. One particular saint from the 1600s, Ignatius of Loyola, used the spiritual practice of listening to one’s emotions as part of a daily reflection he called Examen. He would use this outline as a way of reflecting on the previous day, looking for where God was at work. One key element was “paying attention to emotions” as a way of seeing what God might be saying.  There are many variations of the Examen, but it has a rhythm like this:

• Become aware of God’s presence.
• Review the day with gratitude.
• Pay attention to your emotions.
• Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
• Look toward tomorrow.

For the next few weeks, we will look at different aspects of our emotional health, knowing that without a healthy emotional life, it is very difficult to have healthy relationships of any kind – even a healthy relationship with God. If this is new to you, I would invite you to give it a shot – as another tool by which we can “throw off the sin that so easily entangles us” (Hebrews 12) and present our most healthy selves to God and the world.