This book is about discernment. To discern means to look for clues in your innermost experience in order to know what to do or what not to do. More precisely, discernment means paying attention to what is happening in the very depths of your heart. Christians believe that a careful reading of our deepest emotions can reveal what God is inviting us to do. The language that God speaks today is that of human experience.

The book opens with a general overview about the practice of discernment and examines the role of our heart, our intelligence and our will. It then explains how discernment can be practiced in daily life, how discernment can help in making choices, and in knowing whether something is good or bad. Then ten different emotionally charged situations are explored. Finally, the book addresses the question of whether or not discernment is reserved for Christians, and also briefly discusses discernment in a community setting. The book concludes with a reflection on discernment as a way of life.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK
• INTRODUCTION
• I. DISCERNING: A MANUAL
  • 1. First steps
    • a. Forming your sensitivity
    • b. Using your intellect to prepare the ground
    • c. Learning to listen to what goes on in your heart
  • 2. The actual discernment
    • a. Letting go: the challenge of inner availability
    • b. Joy as a compass
    • c. An ongoing process
    • d. Calling on a guide
  • 3. Confirmation of discernment
• II. THE INTERACTION OF THE HEART, INTELLIGENCE AND WILL
  • 1. The heart is the starting point
    • a. What feelings are we talking about?
    • b. Feelings are different from ideals, values and norms
    • c. The level of objective feelings
    • d. Feelings can be ambivalent
  • 2. The role of intelligence
    • a. Becoming aware of inner feelings
    • b. Interpretation of inner feelings
  • 3. The role of willpower
  • 4. Conclusion: Like sailing a boat
• III. PRACTISING DISCERNMENT: DAILY REVIEW WITH THE EXAMEN
  • 1. Giving thanks – thank you
  • 2. Asking for forgiveness – sorry
  • 3. Looking to tomorrow – please
• IV. DISCERNMENT AND MAKING CHOICES
  • 1. The choice that falls from heaven
  • 2. Choosing on the balance of your feelings
  • 3. Choosing on the balance of your reasoning
  • 4. Two more tips: a perfect stranger and a deathbed
• V. DISCERNMENT AND EDUCATION
  • 1. Each path of growth is unique
  • 2. The unique path of growth is linked to the deepest personal desire to grow
  • 3. An authentic path of growth leads to others
• VI. DISCERNING BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG
  • 1. The dynamic of evil
    • a. The path of consistently overestimating yourself
    • b. The path of consistently underestimating yourself
  • 2. The dynamic of good
• VII. DISCERNING IN PARTICULAR SITUATIONS
  • 1. When you are in seventh heaven
  • 2. When you are angry
  • 3. When you are unhappy
  • 4. When you are afraid
  • 5. When you are in crisis
  • 6. When you don’t feel anything
  • 7. When you have a problem
  • 8. When in doubt
  • 9. When there are tensions
  • 10. When disturbing thoughts go through your head
• VIII. DISCERNMENT AND CHRISTIAN FAITH
• IX. COMMUNITY DISCERNMENT
• X. DISCERNMENT AS A WAY OF LIFE
• Afterword