Tracking our Moods, Kingdoms Within, and Everything in Between

The human condition is hardwired with an array of emotional capabilities—from the highs of joy, to the lows of doubt, and everything in between.

Even if you’re not outwardly-expressive with your emotions, it doesn’t mean you don’t feel the tidal waves of “feels” crashing into your internal shores.

Some people let their emotions all hang out. Some keep them all locked in. But either way, life’s rollercoaster of emotions can be one of our greatest teachers, offering valuable and insightful information to the internal workings of the soul.

St. Ignatius of Loyola—theologian, priest, and founder of the Society of Jesus—encouraged his companions to notice their inner worlds by tracking their moods.

Ignatius taught that in listening to one’s life, one could discover what moods were offering consolation, and what moods were ushering in desolation.

Margaret Silf’s book, Inner Compass, describes consolation as “being on solid ground,” and desolation as “being at odds with yourself.”

In paying attention to these deeper movements of the heart, Ignatian believed that we can grow into greater recognition of when we’re “living true,” (on solid ground, and in places of consolation), or when we’re living out “inner turmoil,” (at odds with ourselves, and in places of desolation).

Further, Ignatian taught that when we learn to distinguish these interior movements, we can discover and decipher what feelings lead us toward God’s Kingdom at work within, and what feelings lead us to serve our own kingdoms at work within.

As you sit with the prompts in today’s intermission, and as we continue exploring the soul work of listening this month, I invite you to spend time sitting with the Ignatian practice below: A Review of Consciousness.

By practicing this prayer practice of review, and by allowing God to lead and guide you by way of your reactions and responses to life, you’ll deepen your understanding of where your true consolation lies, and where your deepest unease sits.

-With Joy

Spiritual Director
Co-Founder & Content Director
cindy@joyover.com

Pause for Thought

Pause for Practice

1. Find a place of quietness. Breathe. Be.

2. Reflect back over the last 24 hours. Allow one dominant mood to surface to your remembrance.

3. Consider if what surfaced brought you feelings of “living true” and “solid ground,” or if it stirred up “inner turmoil” and feelings of “being at odds with yourself.” Whichever emotion surfaces, see step 4 or 5 accordingly.

4. Consolation: Sit with your “solid ground” moment. What was the trigger for those feelings? What were you doing at the time? Who were you with? Consider where the point of stillness and peace were located? Does it remind you of other similar moments in life? Where is its real source, and what new growth does it lead you to? See step 6.

5. Desolation: Ask God, in prayer, to lead you to the real root of your desolation and your feelings of “at odds.” If you felt a surge of rage, or a wave of fear, or feelings of apprehension, what prompted it? Consider what the sore spot is about? Does it remind you of other times when the same sore spot has been touched on? Can you put a name to it and own it? See step 6.

6. Talk to God about whatever surfaced during this time of review. Hold space to honor that emotion and what insight it provided.

Pause for Examination

• ^[1] Bless the Space Between Us by John O’Donohue, p.4.
• ^[2] Adapted for brevity. Inner Compass by Margaret Silf, p.79-81
• The story behind this month’s theme — the soul work of listening by Dustin Heigh.

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• Click here for previous month’s art offerings

P.S. Every mood matters, even the weird ones 😂.

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