Which Gallagher book is right for me?
For those who do not know where to start in learning more about the spiritual life and Ignatian spirituality, the following guide may be helpful.
Learning to Pray
An Ignatian Introduction to Prayer
Groups who are looking for practical exercises, including groups without much experience in prayer, will want to acquire An Ignatian Introduction to Prayer: Scriptural Reflections According to the Spiritual Exercises. This book features forty short Ignatian meditations, including scripture passages, meditative keys for entering into the scriptural story, and guided questions for reflection. These exercises are also useful for individual reflection both for experienced persons and beginners. Those already familiar with Ignatian teaching will appreciate the Ignatian structure of the guided questions.
Deepening Prayer
Meditation and Contemplation
Meditation and Contemplation: An Ignatian Guide to Praying with Scripture explains what is unique to each of these two methods of prayer, shows how you can profit from both at different times in your spiritual life, and reveals some of the forgotten elements (such as the preparatory steps and colloquy). An Ignatian Introduction to Prayer serves well as a "workbook" for Meditation and Contemplation.
Facing a crossroads
Discerning the Will of God
Those facing a turning point in life know how difficult it can be to hear God's will amid the noise of other people’s expectations and one's own preferences. St. Ignatius developed a series of reflections to aid those facing major decisions. Discerning the Will of God: An Ignatian Guide to Christian Decision Making is a trustworthy guide for applying Ignatius' reflections to one's own circumstances. This book, which does not require any prior knowledge of Ignatian spirituality, can be used by people of any faith, though some elements will be more directly applicable to Catholic readers.
The Examen Prayer
Individuals find The Examen Prayer: Ignatian Wisdom for Our Lives Today to be an important resource living a more collected life. The examen prayer is a powerful and increasingly popular practice for finding God’s hand in our everyday lives and learning to be receptive to God's blessings. This easy-to-read book uses stories and examples to explain what the examen is, how you can begin to pray it, how you can adapt it to your individual life, and what its benefits for your life can be.
Finding God in all things
The Discernment of Spirits
The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living leads us through Ignatius’s first 14 Rules for discernment, showing both their precise insight into the human soul and their ability to illustrate the real-life struggles of spiritual seekers. With clear examples and illustrative stores, Fr. Gallagher makes it easy to apply the rules to real life situations. . This is a book about living the spiritual life.” Fr. Gallagher also teaches the content of this book in seminars available in audio and EWTN video versions available on this site.
Learning to discern
Spiritual Consolation
In Spiritual Consolation: An Ignatian Guide for the Greater Discernment of Spirits, Fr. Gallagher continues the same experience-based approach to discernment, but focusing on St. Ignatius' second set of Rules for the discernment of spirits. Readers of this book should already understand and know how to apply the content of The Discernment of Spirits. This book serves as an excellent resource for spiritual directors and more experienced seekers.
Growing in discernment
Guiding others
A Handbook for Spiritual Directors
A Handbook for Spiritual Directors: An Ignatian Guide for Accompanying Discernment of God's Will offers step-by-step guidance for spiritual directors in the art of accompanying others in the discernment of God's will. Fr. Gallagher explores the wisdom of St. Ignatius contained in his earlier book, Discerning the Will of God, and gathers new insights, examples and questions for reflection. This book is not only for experienced spiritual directors, but also for pastors, vocation directors, formation personnel, counselors and all who server as spiritual guides.
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