14 Rules for the Discernment of Spirits by St.

Ignatius of Loyola
Podcast: Discernment of Spirits by Fr Timothy Gallagher

1.​ ​In the persons who go from mortal sin to mortal sin, the enemy is commonly used to propose to them
apparent pleasures, making them imagine sensual delights and pleasures in order to hold them more and
make them grow in their vices and sins. In these persons the good spirit uses the opposite method, pricking
them and biting their consciences through the process of reason.

2.​ ​In the persons who are going on intensely cleansing their sins and rising from good to better in the service
of God our Lord, it is the method contrary to that in the first Rule, for then it is the way of the evil spirit to bite,
sadden and put obstacles, disquieting with false reasons, that one may not go on; and it is proper to the good
to give courage and strength, consolations, tears, inspirations and quiet, easing, and putting away all
obstacles, that one may go on in well doing.

3.​ ​Of Spiritual Consolation. I call it consolation when some interior movement in the soul is caused, through
which the soul comes to be inflamed with love of its Creator and Lord; and when it can in consequence love no
created thing on the face of the earth in itself, but in the Creator of them all. Likewise, when it sheds tears that
move to love of its Lord, whether out of sorrow for one’s sins, or for the Passion of Christ our Lord, or because
of other things directly connected with His service and praise. Finally, I call consolation every increase of hope,
faith and charity, and all interior joy which calls and attracts to heavenly things and to the salvation of one’s
soul, quieting it and giving it peace in its Creator and Lord.

4.​ ​Of Spiritual Desolation. I call desolation all the contrary of the third rule, such as darkness of soul,
disturbance in it, movement to things low and earthly, the unquiet of different agitations and temptations,
moving to want of confidence, without hope, without love, when one finds oneself all lazy, tepid, sad, and as if
separated from his Creator and Lord. Because, as consolation is contrary to desolation, in the same way the
thoughts which come from consolation are contrary to the thoughts which come from desolation.

5.​ ​In time of desolation never to make a change; but to be firm and constant in the resolutions and
determination in which one was the day preceding such desolation, or in the determination in which he was in
the preceding consolation. Because, as in consolation it is rather the good spirit who guides and counsels us,
so in desolation it is the bad, with whose counsels we cannot take a course to decide rightly.

6.​ ​Although in desolation we ought not to change our first resolutions, it is very helpful intensely to change
ourselves against the same desolation, as by insisting more on prayer, meditation, on much examination, and
by giving ourselves more scope in some suitable way of doing penance.

7.​ ​Let him who is in desolation consider how the Lord has left him in trial in his natural powers, in order to
resist the different agitations and temptations of the enemy; since he can with the Divine help, which always
remains to him, though he does not clearly perceive it: because the Lord has taken from him his great fervor,
great love and intense grace, leaving him, however, grace enough for eternal salvation.

8.​ ​Let him who is in desolation labor to be in patience, which is contrary to the vexations which come to him:
and let him think that he will soon be consoled, employing against the desolation the devices, as is said in the
sixth Rule.

9.​ ​There are three principal reasons why we find ourselves desolate. The first is, because of our being tepid,
lazy or negligent in our spiritual exercises; and so through our faults, spiritual consolation withdraws from us.
The second, to try us and see how much we are and how much we let ourselves out in His service and praise
without such great pay of consolation and great graces. The third, to give us true acquaintance and knowledge,
that we may interiorly feel that it is not ours to get or keep great devotion, intense love, tears, or any other
spiritual consolation, but that all is the gift and grace of God our Lord, and that we may not build a nest in a
thing not ours, raising our intellect into some pride or vainglory, attributing to us devotion or the other things of
the spiritual consolation.

10.​ ​Let him who is in consolation think how he will be in the desolation which will come after, taking new
strength for then.

11.​ ​Let him who is consoled see to humbling himself and lowering himself as much as he can, thinking how
little he is able for in the time of desolation without such grace or consolation. On the contrary, let him who is in
desolation think that he can do much with the grace sufficient to resist all his enemies, taking strength in his
Creator and Lord.

12.​ ​The enemy acts like a woman, in being weak against vigor and strong of will. Because, as it is the way of
the woman when she is quarreling with some man to lose heart, taking flight when the man shows her much
courage: and on the contrary, if the man, losing heart, begins to fly, the wrath, revenge, and ferocity of the
woman is very great, and so without bounds; in the same manner, it is the way of the enemy to weaken and
lose heart, his temptations taking flight, when the person who is exercising himself in spiritual things opposes a
bold front against the temptations of the enemy, doing diametrically the opposite. And on the contrary, if the
person who is exercising himself commences to have fear and lose heart in suffering the temptations, there is
no beast so wild on the face of the earth as the enemy of human nature in following out his damnable intention
with so great malice.

13.​ ​Likewise, he acts as a licentious lover in wanting to be secret and not revealed. For, as the licentious man
who, speaking for an evil purpose, solicits a daughter of a good father or a wife of a good husband, wants his
words and persuasions to be secret, and the contrary displeases him much, when the daughter reveals to her
father or the wife to her husband his licentious words and depraved intention, because he easily gathers that
he will not be able to succeed with the undertaking begun: in the same way, when the enemy of human nature
brings his wiles and persuasions to the just soul, he wants and desires that they be received and kept in
secret; but when one reveals them to his good Confessor or to another spiritual person that knows his deceits
and evil ends, it is very grievous to him, because he gathers, from his manifest deceits being discovered, that
he will not be able to succeed with his wickedness begun.

14.​ ​Likewise, he behaves as a chief bent on conquering and robbing what he desires: for, as a captain and
chief of the army, pitching his camp, and looking at the forces or defenses of a stronghold, attacks it on the
weakest side, in like manner the enemy of human nature, roaming about, looks in turn at all our virtues,
theological, cardinal and moral; and where he finds us weakest and most in need for our eternal salvation,
there he attacks us and aims at taking us.
Notes:
● Consolation- soul feels light and happy. Have the desire to pray
○ Good spirit - angels/ Holy Spirit/ power we receive though Baptism/ everything in our hearts that
will lead us to good. They’ll
● Desolation- Hopeless. Why am I doing this? God wants us to be free and growing during this time.
● God permits desolation but never gives it to you
● Discernment- stirring of hearts and thoughts. Interior experience
● Be aware, understand, take action
● Enemy has been destroyed & love always wins
● Discernment of spirits - How to know what should be accepted and is from God and what should be
rejected from Devil
○ What is from God? Feel great energy
● St Ignatious of Loyola
○ Spanish priest from 1500s
○ Co founded Jesuits
○ Payed attention to ups and downs he was feeling and formulated into words
○ Wild past got into fights
○ Broken leg - cared more about beauty
○ While healing, sister in law gives him Lives of the Saints
○ Happy heart when thinking about saints & dry heart when thinking about wordly things

● Conclusion- it’s better to live these rules poorly than not following them at all.
● St Theresa of Avila. Having a growing life of prayer is only one thing- fidelity. Just never stop

First Rule:
● Summary: ​Devil will want you to keep your eyes on all the wordly pleasures. Good spirit will make you
feel guilty
● St Augustine
○ Lived life of promiscuity (fathered child out of wedlock) but something in him was restless
○ Friends showed him St Anthony of Desert who decided to sell everything and serve poor

Second Rule:
● When you’re trying to be good, devil will try to sadden you and put obstacles
● Bite - makes you lose your peace
● Sadness- there are healthy sadness like death that comes from love. But devils sadness is about
vocations, relationship with God etc
● Obstacles- you decide to pray but then devil tells you why bother? You don’t even go to mass. It’s not
gonna last anyway
● Disquietning with false reasons - come back from retreat and you’re happy but then suddenly sad for no
reason. “Maybe you lied bc you’re not capable of being open”

Third Rule:
● Summary: Consolation is when your soul is filled with love for God. You shed tears bc you are moved
by Gods love
● Raissa Maritain - french catholic philosopher. Teachers taught life had no meaning. Found St thomas
aquinas. In church spent 3 hours in prayer but she was overwhelemed with great love and started
crying
 ● Gift of tears - help you receive consolation
● Non spiritual consolations are good too- being with friends appreciating nature. Also gifts from God but
don’t base disernement on it
○ St therese- sees baby chicks under moms wings and enjoys non spritual consolation. But then
started crying bc God reminded her how He takes care of her

Fourth Rule
● Desolation - don’t feel God’s closeness
● Moving to new town and you love God but suddenly you feel abandoned by God
● Pay attention to non spiritual needs in your life. Maybe you need to sleep or go on walk
● You can’t pray so pick up phone and waste time. Get pulled towards earlthy things

Fifth Rule
● Don’t make changes during desolation
● In consolatoin good spirit guides us but in desolation its the bad spirit so don’t listen.
● Maybe you were going to a bible study or prayer group but you don’t feel like it anymore bc you got a
phone call that made you upset.
● Already missed one day why bother with the rest

Sixth Rule
● When in desolation, pray more & do more penances
● Jesus tells us to carry our cross but there’s always an Easter Sunday. Always called to resist desolation
● Petition - ask God to be with you. Feel your heart lift
● Meditation - pick your fav bible verse and read it
● Examination - why did you feel bad and watch tv for 2 hours. Whats bothering you? Ask God to help
you find it
● Penance - wait 10 minutes before opening fridge. Smile at people who are being mean

Seventh Rule
● Realize this is a trial God is allowing to happen.
● Grow by resisting the temptation
● God ALWAYS gives you enough grace to get through desolation
Eighth Rule
- Be patient even though it’s hard
- Remember that consolation will come soon
- Think about the times you were happy

Ninth Rule
- Lazy - you think you deserve it but God loves you more than yourself
- Will you come back to God even if you go though hard times?
- No one is a servant of God until they overcome temptation and tribulation. Temptation overcome is a ring with which
the Lord espouses the soul of his servant to himself - St Francis

- When you’re always in consolation we feel like “I’ve reached something/ I know how to pray”

-In desolation we realize we need God so roots us in humility

The more you grow in discernment, the humbler you become bc you need the Lord

The Tenth Rule:

● Joseph in 7 years of plenty stores up grain he’ll need which is crucial for famine
● During consolation- drink it in and ask God for help during desolation

The Eleventh Rule:

- Be humble during consolation

- Peter denying Jesus- peters strength wasn’t enough during tough time. What if peter said Lord help me get through
the time of denial instead of saying he’ll never deny Jesus? Would Peter have to deal with the sorrow later? God
gives grace to humble

HOW DEVIL WORKS IN TEMPTATIONS

The Twelve Rule:

- The enemy is weak when faced with strength

- When we are willing to be strong (pray even when you don’t want to) , then the enemy will loose heart and flee bc
you’re doing opposite of what he says
- Like a snowball that’s getting bigger. Stop it before it gets too big or it will smoosh you
- How does Jesus respond to temptations? Immediately responds with Bible verses and it’s over
-

The thirteenth rule

- Have a point person to contact

14th Rule

- Identify the areas in our lives where we have wounds . only Jesus can hel us
- Saint Matt Talbit - Irish man who had a heat attack and died. No one know about him. Became alcoholic. When they
found him, body had acts of penance. Begged friends for money bc he needed alcohol. Went home and told his mom
he would quit. And he struggled. Knew he couldn’t be near pubs. Woke up early and went to church every single day.
Only prayed- Lord in your mercy give me the gift of prayer. Meals were simple- just a poor laborer. Found chains on
his body - represented how he was mother Marys slave