Discernment of Spirits

•Asking what and why about our thoughts and feelings resulting from and leading to our activity in the world.

Discernment of Spirits

Ignatius thoughts and feelings have three different sources:

Discernment of Spirits

Ignatius thoughts and feelings have three different sources:

1. Myself

Discernment of Spirits

Ignatius thoughts and feelings have three different sources:

1. Myself

2. Dark Spirit – temptation or ego.

Discernment of Spirits

Ignatius thoughts and feelings have three different sources:

1. Myself

2. Dark Spirit – temptation or ego.

3. God

Discernment of Spirits

Ignatius thoughts and feelings have three different sources:

1. Myself

2. Dark Spirit – temptation or ego.

3. God

• Sift through to find patterns and vulnerabilities.

Consolation:

What is consolation?

Consolation:•Positive or creative moods, desires

or feelings.

Consolation:•Positive or creative moods, desires

or feelings.

•When in thought, feeling, word or deed, we move closer in relationship to God.

Consolation:•An experience of out inherent

goodness.

Consolation:•An experience of out inherent

goodness.

•This movement has repercussions in our affective life: our conscious feelings, moods, and desires.

Examples of Consolation

•A sense of confidence in God and in the love of God for the world and for me.

Examples of Consolation

•A sense of confidence in God and in the love of God for the world and for me.

•Any experience which leads to a deepening and strengthening of confidence.

Examples of Consolation

•A sense of confidence in God and in the love of God for the world and for me.

•Any experience which leads to a deepening and strengthening of confidence.

•An appreciation of my life and all that it contains as God’s gifts.

Examples of Consolation

•A sense that a person or event in my life is a gift.

Examples of Consolation

•A sense that a person or event in my life is a gift.

•An epiphany.

Examples of Consolation

•A sense that a person or event in my life is a gift.

•An epiphany.

•An event where I “meet” God.

Examples of Consolation

•An attraction to the greater good.

Examples of Consolation

•An attraction to the greater good. •A movement or desire toward God.

Examples of Consolation

•An attraction to the greater good. •A movement or desire toward God. •A sense of being at peace and in

harmony with God, others and myself.

Examples of Consolation•An awareness of one’s inherent

spiritual poverty and natural dependence on God.

Examples of Consolation•An awareness of one’s inherent

spiritual poverty and natural dependence on God.

•An experience of personal freedom and interior liberation.

Examples of Consolation•An awareness of one’s inherent

spiritual poverty and natural dependence on God.

•An experience of personal freedom and interior liberation.

•A desire to love and serve others

for their good rather than your own.

Examples of Consolation

•A longing to be part of the reign of God, whatever the cost to myself.

Examples of Consolation

•A longing to be part of the reign of God, whatever the cost to myself.

•A felt knowledge or intuition of the

presence of God in creation and history.

Painful Consolation:

What is painful consolation?

Painful Consolation:•Feelings of proper shame, guilt,

humiliation, sorrow or confusion.

Painful Consolation:•Feelings of proper shame, guilt,

humiliation, sorrow or confusion.

•Sorrow, anger and fear when we see the injustice all around us.

Painful Consolation:•Feelings of proper shame, guilt,

humiliation, sorrow or confusion.

•Sorrow, anger and fear when we see the injustice all around us.

•Often present in these experiences is an obscure sense of peace, joy and serenity on a deeper level.

False Consolation:

What is False Consolation?

False Consolation:•Feelings of consolation that are not

movements towards God.

False Consolation:•Feelings of consolation that are not

movements towards God. Example: feelings like inner-peace or complacency or relief can be false consolation.

False Consolation:•Feelings of consolation that are not

movements towards God. Example: feelings like inner-peace or complacency or relief can be false consolation.

• In pursuit of the greater good, we find ourselves deceptively drawn to what turns out to be a lesser good.

False Consolation:

Key: When you catch yourself in false consolation, trace back your thoughts, feelings and choices.

Desolation:

What is Desolation?

Desolation:•When in thought, feeling, word or

deed, we turn “away” in relationship to God.

Desolation:•When in thought, feeling, word or

deed, we turn “away” in relationship to God.

•Rather than opening us to God, it seems to set a block between us and God.

Desolation:• When in thought, feeling, word or deed,

we turn “away” in relationship to God.

• Rather than opening us to God, it seems to set a block between us and God.

• Desolation closes us in on ourselves and begins a downward spiral.

Desolation:

•Desolation occurs when we resist the activity of God in our lives.

Desolation:

•Desolation occurs when we resist the activity of God in our lives.

•The tendency of desolation is to hinder the greater good.

Desolation:

•Desolation occurs when we resist the activity of God in our lives.

•The tendency of desolation is to hinder the greater good.

•Desolation has destructive consequences if it is acted upon.

Examples of Desolation

•A sense that one’s life is empty and meaningless.

Examples of Desolation

•A sense that one’s life is empty and meaningless.

•A state of self-disgust or self-hatred.

Examples of Desolation

• A sense that one’s life is empty and meaningless.

• A state of self-disgust or self-hatred. • A weakening or loss of confidence in

God and in God’s love, with a resulting feeling of profound discouragement.

Examples of Desolation•A movement of love or desire which

takes us away from God. A sense of being at odds with God and with oneself.

Examples of Desolation•A movement of love or desire which

takes us away from God. A sense of being at odds with God and with oneself.

•A feeling of the absence of God.

Examples of Desolation• A movement of love or desire which

takes us away from God. A sense of being at odds with God and with oneself.

• A feeling of the absence of God.

• Feeling trapped in a circle of remorse or guilt at one’s own weakness or sinfulness.

Examples of Desolation•An attraction to what is less good.

Examples of Desolation•An attraction to what is less good. •An inability to accept trust in God’s

forgiveness.

Examples of Desolation•An attraction to what is less good. •An inability to accept trust in God’s

forgiveness.

•A reluctance or real unwillingness to love and serve others. An aversion from whatever has to do with the reign of God.

Examples of Desolation•An experience of being not free, of

being paralyzed by fear, anxiety, attachments and addictions.