St. Ignatius of Loyola developed a method for an individual to seek God in a focused, contemplative, and humble environment. In the same manner one would perform exercises to strengthen the body or to strengthen the mind, St. Ignatius developed exercises to strengthen the soul. Hence, from this inspiration came forth the Spiritual Exercises. The exercises of the spiritual faculties were designed to enable one to find God in all things and to examine one's spiritual life to assure that is in conformity with the will of God and to attain the end for which man was created.

There are several sections to the Spiritual Exercises. The first section contemplates upon what St. Ignatius calls "The Principle and Foundation," and its focus is on the ultimate purpose of life and God's creation. Through this careful contemplation, one realizes that the goal of each soul is to live a life of love with God forever, and everything that surrounds a person should be used for the greater glory of God. A careful meditation about sin and its dire consequences are also included in this first section.

The following sections guide the participant to be rational in making future decisions and seeing if the outcome will lead them closer to God. During this time, personal circumstances that have occurred in life, future endeavors, and any other troubling spiritual issues can be explored and evaluated as to whether they will ultimately lead the participant to God or away from Him. Discernment of spirit is a critical component during the following sections as it provides needed inspiration and illumination for dealing with the ongoing struggles of good and evil within ourselves and the world around us. Through the grace of discernment, the participant receives strength to make choices that will lead to eternal life. As St. Ignatius says, one should "allow the Creator to deal immediately with the creature, and the creature with its Creator and Lord." This immediate action of God on the individual is the fundamental premise of the Exercises.

The final section of the Spiritual Exercises is the Contemplation to Attain Love. It consists of a final transition synthesizing the whole experience of the participant in a vision and daily way of life to live a life for Christ.