Episode 12 – Rule 7 – The Second Week Rules for the Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide to a Greater Discernment of Spirits with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Fr. Gallagher provides teaching of Rule 7, which describes the classic discernment imagery of a drop of water on a sponge and the contrast of a drop of water hitting a stone regarding the good spirit’s workings and that of the enemy.

Seventh Rule.

The seventh: In those who proceed from good to better, the good angel touches such a soul sweetly, lightly and gently, as a drop of water that enters a sponge; and the bad touches it sharply and with noise and disquiet, as when the drop of water falls on a stone; and in those who proceed from bad to worse the above-said spirits touch in a contrary way; the cause of which is that the disposition of the soul is contrary or similar to the said angels; for when it is contrary, they enter with clamor and sensible disturbances, perceptibly; and when it is similar, they enter with silence, as in their own house through an open door. (335)

Through a series of compelling conference talks, Fr. Gallagher carefully breaks open St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Second Week Rules for Greater Discernment.  This set of 8 “rules” (or guidelines) helps us to discern whether a seemingly good, noble, holy idea or feeling, often understood as a “spiritual consolation,” could be a working of the enemy intending to lead us astray. He shows how all of us can learn to listen to and follow God’s gentle leading in our daily lives.

For other episodes in this series, visit The Second Week Rules for the Discernment Spirits with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – DH Page.

You can find the book here.

Also, here are the 2 handouts mentioned by Fr. Gallagher in Talk 2:

Guidance for a Greater Discernment of Spirits with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

For the  PDF document:  

Handout Number 1 – The Text of the 8 Rules of the Second Week

https://www.discerninghearts.com/Gallagher/The_Text_of_the_Rules.pdf

Handout Number 2 – Examples – Discernment of Spirits – 2nd Week rules

https://www.discerninghearts.com/Gallagher/EXAMPLES-DISCERNMENT_OF_SPIRITS-SECOND_WEEK_RULES.pdf

 

For more from Fr. Gallagher on Discerning Hearts:

The Discernment of Spirits: The First Week Rules /w Fr. Timothy Gallagher, OMV

The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Examen Prayer with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions with Fr. Timothy Gallager