Discernment Practices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Discernment Practices - Essay Example It is the evolved concept of understanding the truth from the distribution of energy around oneself. In the space of human individuality, there is a massive intake and outflow of energy and the most important concept is to understand this energy and act or react accordingly. It is the spiritual feeling of the inner conscience through which we see the world as we perceive it. The religious input is derived from the fact that religion has played a vital role in shaping the spiritual consciousness of its followers. Discernment can be made in two different ways. The first is self-enlightenment, where the individual attains knowledge of his/her impulses, through this process is able to manage them and take the negativity out of them. Along with this aspect, he also reaches up to the higher level of thinking and living through understanding the flow of energy centred around his/her impulses. The second method is to do theology study and to gain knowledge with respect to religion and its in fluence on the human mind and desires. This method covers the aspect of reading the holy bible as well as other religious texts so as to affirm one’s position with regard to the flow of impulse in the soul. Within the scope of this paper, various concepts will be discussed, compared and contrasted on the basis of a number of aspects. The first is detachment or non attachment towards a religion or a spiritual entity where the subject matter of Ignatian spirituality has been provided focus upon. Similarities between Islam and Christianity on Discernment Practices This paper shall be discussing the similarities and differences in discernment practices between Christianity and Islam. Saint Ignatius of Loyola is extremely influential in the practice of spiritual discernment. According to him, to achieve spiritual peace within oneself, the individual has to confess and open up before a spiritual director He is not allowed to go on his own and do it alone. St. Ignatius had laid down strict guidelines with reference to spiritual attainment of the soul. He had explicitly said that those who are looking for divine intervention with respect to spirituality in their lives must adhere to the rules lay down under Christianity and there shall be no let off from that aspect. The religion preaches that the Spiritual Director shall guide the individual to ultimate spirituality regardless of how his past life has been. He shall help him go through all the different mechanisms and work out the situation in a better way for him. The purpose of the director is to help the individual and take him away from all the negativity and put the positive picture around his heart and soul. The spiritual director takes us away from the bad spirits. He is extremely influential in the way he makes his decisions, and all his decisions are for the betterment of the individual who has approached him with love. The director also tries to make the individual understand that the bad and negativ e spirits can propel us to make quick and fast decisions without thinking much for them which might lead us into troublesome situations. With this regard, the spiritual director brings us to the focus of the good and positive spirits by taking care of each and every emotion of the individual. He listens to the individual with utmost care and tries to analyse objectively his feelings and reflections on the society and his life, with measures to make it a better life worth living. Looking at Islam now, the religion was brought into