The widely popular spiritual exercises of Saint Ignatius are focused on scriptural images.  (Spiritual Exercises).  Although I haven’t practiced the spiritual exercises in many years, I had some early experiences while attending retreats at a Jesuit retreat house, the White House, near St. Louis, MO.  

Under the guidance of the retreat master, I was able to experience my own death in front of a statue of Saint Joseph on the grounds.  At once, I was able to comprehend the “fear” of death, to “see” a vision of my own death, and to pass beyond into a peaceful state that was ‘filled up’ with the grace of God.  

Since that time, I have lost all fear of death and have been able to attend to others in the dying process in a hopeful and prayerful way.  Recently, an acquaintance recounted a similar experience at the White House.

Another time at the same retreat house, I was walking and praying the fourteen “Stations of the Cross” on a hillside overlooking the Mississippi River and suddenly experienced Jesus walking beside me after the fourth or fifth station.  He continued with me throughout the remainder of the stations.  

I recall now, many years later, an enlightenment of the suffering that he went through but not in a sorrowful way.  His presence was full of light and hope and peace that kept me in a state of awe for days afterward.  Even today, the “reality” of having Jesus walking beside me has not diminished.

The use of images can be most helpful especially in the early stages of meditation.  Meditation usually seems to start as an intellectual exercise.  It requires a discipline of mind that can be aided by the use of images or mantra.  

For example, a mantra, such as the name of “Jesus,” can avoid distraction or bring someone back in focus after having been distracted.  In the same way, one can “lose” oneself in an image, first as an observer and, then, as a participant. 

For almost a year, I meditated on the “Christo de Limpias” or “Christ of Tears” – a bust of Christ wearing the crown of thorns.  At first, I simply observed the image in order to concentrate my meditation and to avoid distractions. After several months, a vision occurred and I found myself on the cross, wearing the crown of thorns and entering into the suffering of Christ.  

This vision recurred daily for an extended period of time.  During this period, an awesome wonder and ecstasy took over that made me grateful to be there.  Similarly, in recent years, I have frequently experienced pain in the palms of both hands while meditating which serve to remind me of the wounds of Christ.  

In my experience, in both the uses of mantra and images, what starts as an intellectual discipline becomes a deep-felt prayer as one becomes more and more absorbed in the object of meditation.