Ignatian Discernment | Ask Iggy

Summary

In this episode of 'Ask Iggy' from the Jesuit Post, hosts Danny Gustafson and Brian Strassburger delve into the concept of discernment, particularly in making significant life decisions with a spiritual dimension. They clarify that discernment is not about choosing between good and evil, but rather between different good options. The discussion highlights St. Ignatius's teachings on consolation and desolation, emphasizing the importance of recognizing feelings of peace and growth versus emptiness and restlessness when making choices. The episode offers practical advice from Ignatius on discerning the right path, including listing pros and cons, considering advice to others, and reflecting on end-of-life perspectives. It concludes with the reassurance that discernment is about choosing among good options and trusting the process, with God's guidance.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Discernment is the process of making decisions with God's guidance, especially for significant life choices.
• 🙏 It's not about choosing between good and bad, but rather discerning between two good options.
• 🌟 St. Ignatius introduces the concepts of 'consolation' and 'desolation' to understand one's inner feelings during decision-making.
• 😌 Consolation is experienced as a feeling of peace and alignment with faith, hope, and love, indicating a path God might be calling you to.
• 😔 Desolation is characterized by feelings of emptiness, hopelessness, and restlessness, suggesting a path not aligned with God's will.
• 🤔 Discernment should not be rushed; it's important to be in a state of consolation rather than desolation when making decisions.
• 📝 St. Ignatius suggests listing pros and cons, imagining advice to others, and considering end-of-life perspectives to aid in decision-making.
• 🛌 Reflecting on death-bed thoughts can provide clarity by offering a long-term perspective on the significance of current choices.
• 🙏 After making a decision, pray for confirmation and pay attention to feelings of consolation as signs of a good discernment.
• 🌈 Remember, when discerning, you are choosing among good options, so trust the process and know that God is with you throughout.

Q & A

What is discernment as discussed in the video?

Discernment is about decision making that involves bringing God into the picture for higher stakes choices. It's not about choosing between good and bad, but rather discerning between the good and the good.

Why is discernment important according to the video?

Discernment is important because it helps individuals make significant life choices by being attentive to feelings of peace and growth in faith, hope, and love, rather than just making decisions based on surface-level emotions.

What does St. Ignatius mean by 'consolation'?

St. Ignatius refers to 'consolation' as the feeling of peace and being inflamed with love for one's Creator and Lord, which can indicate the option that God is calling an individual to.

How is 'desolation' described in the context of discernment?

In the context of discernment, 'desolation' is described as feeling empty, hopeless, and restless, which is the opposite of consolation and might suggest that an option is not what God has in mind for an individual.

What advice does St. Ignatius give for making tough discernments?

St. Ignatius suggests three techniques for making tough discernments: listing pros and cons, imagining what advice one would give to someone else in the same situation, and considering the decision from the perspective of one's death bed.

Why should one not make big decisions when in a state of desolation?

One should not make big decisions when in a state of desolation because it indicates a feeling of being distant from God, which is not the best time for making significant life choices.

What does the video suggest doing after making a decision through discernment?

After making a decision through discernment, the video suggests praying for confirmation and looking for signs of God's consolation in the ensuing days to ensure the decision is in line with one's spiritual path.

How does the video encourage viewers to approach the discernment process?

The video encourages viewers to trust the discernment process, let go of lingering doubts, and know that God will always be with them, emphasizing that they are discerning among good options.

What is the significance of the phrase 'discerning among goods' mentioned in the video?

The phrase 'discerning among goods' signifies that all options being considered are good, and the discernment process is about finding the best fit for an individual's spiritual journey rather than choosing between right and wrong.

How does the video relate the concept of discernment to everyday life decisions?

The video relates discernment to everyday life decisions by illustrating that it's not about obvious choices between good and bad, but rather about making choices between two good options, such as staying with a pre-med biology major or switching to theology.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Understanding Discernment

The paragraph introduces the concept of discernment in decision-making, emphasizing its spiritual aspect of involving God in significant life choices. It differentiates discernment from simple good vs. bad decisions, focusing on choosing between two good options. The conversation between Danny Gustafson and Brian Strassburger from the Jesuit Post sets the stage for exploring deeper discernment techniques, like paying attention to feelings of consolation and desolation as indicators of God's guidance.

Keywords

💡Discernment

Discernment refers to the process of making decisions by seeking to understand what a more perfect alignment with God's will might look like. In the context of the video, discernment is not merely about choosing between right and wrong, but about choosing between two good options and seeking guidance on which path aligns better with one's spiritual journey. An example from the script is choosing between staying with a pre-med biology major or switching to theology.

💡God

God, in the script, represents the divine presence that individuals seek to align their decisions with. The video suggests that discernment is about bringing God into the decision-making process to help determine the best course of action. The concept is central to the theme as it guides the discussion on how to make decisions that are spiritually informed.

💡Consolation

Consolation, as mentioned by St. Ignatius and discussed in the video, is a feeling of peace and spiritual comfort that indicates alignment with God's will. It is used to describe the positive emotional state one experiences when considering an option that is likely in tune with their spiritual path. For instance, if thinking about staying with a pre-med major brings a sense of peace, it might be a sign of consolation.

💡Desolation

Desolation is the opposite of consolation and refers to feelings of emptiness, hopelessness, or restlessness that may indicate a path not aligned with God's will. In the video, desolation is used to caution against making significant decisions when one is feeling distant from God or spiritually unsettled.

💡Decision Making

Decision making is the act of choosing between options, and in the video, it is portrayed as a process that can be enhanced by spiritual discernment. The video emphasizes that discernment is particularly important for high-stakes choices where the difference between options is not inherently good versus bad, but rather good versus good.

💡Pre-med Biology Major

Pre-med Biology Major is used in the script as an example of a decision point in one's academic and career path. It represents a 'good' choice that might be difficult to decide against another 'good' choice, such as switching to theology. This example illustrates the complexity of discerning between equally positive options.

💡Theology

Theology, as contrasted with pre-med biology in the script, represents a different kind of 'good' choice that one might consider. It is used to illustrate the idea that discernment is about choosing between two positive paths, each with its own merits and spiritual implications.

💡St. Ignatius

St. Ignatius is referenced as a source of wisdom on discernment. His teachings provide a framework for understanding consolation and desolation, and he offers practical advice on how to approach decision making from a spiritual perspective. His suggestions are integral to the video's exploration of discernment.

💡Peace

Peace, as discussed in relation to consolation, is a state of emotional and spiritual calm that can indicate a decision is in line with one's faith and values. The video suggests that feeling at peace with a decision is a positive sign and part of the discernment process.

💡Anxiety

Anxiety is mentioned in the context of desolation and is used to describe a state of unease or worry that might indicate a decision is not in alignment with one's spiritual path. For example, feeling anxious at the thought of being a pre-med major could be a signal to consider other options.

💡Confirmation

Confirmation in the video refers to seeking and recognizing signs from God that a decision made through discernment is correct. It is the final step in the discernment process, where one looks for continued feelings of consolation as reassurance that the choice made is in tune with their spiritual journey.

Highlights

Discernment involves decision making with God's perspective for higher stakes choices.

Discernment is not about choosing between good and bad, but between good and good.

St. Ignatius discusses consolation as a feeling of peace and growth in faith, hope, and love.

Desolation is described as feeling empty, hopeless, and restless, opposite of consolation.

Consolation and desolation are deeper than surface emotions and guide discernment.

St. Ignatius advises not making big decisions when in a state of desolation.

Discernment can be aided by listing pros and cons of each option.

Imagining advice for someone else can clarify one's own decision.

Considering decisions from a deathbed perspective can provide clarity.

Praying for confirmation can help confirm the right discernment.

Discernment is about choosing among good options, so trust the process.

God's presence is assured throughout the discernment process.

The importance of discernment in making significant life choices.

The role of feelings in the discernment process, beyond just happiness or sadness.

Techniques for making tough discernments, including listing pros and cons and imagining advice to others.

The value of considering long-term perspectives when making decisions.

Transcripts

Dang!

This test is hard!

What is the answer to this one?

Seems like he knows.

Maybe I could just look at what he's writing.

This seems like something to discern.

Hi, I'm Danny Gustafson

I'm Brian Strassburger and we're with the Jesuit Post.

Today on Ask Iggy, we're talking about discernment.

Discernment has to do with decision making

But it goes beyond every little decision in our day to day life.

This is about bringing God into the picture

For higher stakes choices.

And discernment is not about trying to choose between

The good and the bad

That should be obvious, choose the good!

So if your options are to cheat or not to cheat, Brian,

Don't cheat!

Discernment is really about how do we choose between

The good and the good.

Okay, so it's less

Should I peek at the answers on the test of the person sitting next to me

And more, should I stay with my pre-med biology major

Or switch to theology?

That's a great example, because the truth is

Those are both good choices.

And the answer won't be the same for everyone.

I hear that St. Ignatius talks about consolation and desolation

What is that all about?

(Something brilliant)

Huh? I didn't catch that.

He said,

I call consolation when some interior movement in the soul

Is caused, through which the soul come to be inflamed

With love of it's Creator and Lord.

Wait, what does that mean?

What Ignatius is saying here is that,

When we're discerning we need to be attentive to feelings of

Peace and the things that help us grow in faith, hope, and love.

Do you know that feeling you get of peace

When you make a really good decision?

This is what it's like to be in consolation.

Gotcha, so what about desolation then?

Well, Ignatius says,

It's when you feel empty, hopeless, and restless.

Basically, it's the exact opposite of what you feel

When you're in consolation.

So if you're thinking about being a pre-med major

And you start to get stressed and anxious just at the thought of it,

Be attentive to that feeling.

Alright, I think I've got it now.

You're saying that when I'm happy that means I'm in consolation

And when I'm sad that means I'm in desolation.

Right? No, not exactly.

Consolation and desolation are deeper

Than surface level emotions.

What it means is that, if you're feeling consoled

That is probably the option that God is calling you to

And if thinking of another option leaves you in desolation

That's probably not what God has in mind for you.

Okay, so consolation is not the feeling I get

When Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" comes on the radio?

Iggy also reminds us to pay attention to the state

We're in when we're making a discernement.

He said that when you're in desolation

Don't make any big decisions.

That is to say, if you're feeling distant from God

That is not the best time to be picking a major or changing jobs.

That makes sense.

This reminds me of the suggestions that Ignatius gives

For making a tough discernment.

Because many times when we're making a decision

We keep going back and forth between two good options.

We can feel excited about both

But we know that we can't do them both.

Exactly! Ignatius offers three very concrete ways

To help you reach a decision.

First, you can list the pros and cons of each option.

As you're making the list, you might become clear that

You feel more drawn to one of the options.

Another technique is to imagine what advice you would give

To someone else making the same decision.

It's often easier to tell someone else what to do

Than to make a decision for yourself.

The last technique will sound a little grim.

Ignatius tells us to consider our decision from the perspective

We'll have on our death bed.

Which decision will you wish you had made?

We've got to think about dying just to make a discernment?

That's not really the point.

The idea is to benefit from the perspective you'll have

When looking back in time as opposed to looking ahead

To the uncertainty of the future.

Once you've gone through the process and

Discerned your decision,

It's a great idea to pray for confirmation.

If you feel God's consolation in the ensuing days

That's a sure sign of a good discernment.

And remember, you're discerning among goods.

There is no wrong choice here. You're working with good options.

So trust your discernment process, let go of any lingering doubts,

And know that God will always be with you.

Thanks for watching this episode of "Ask Iggy."

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