Review of things to learn

Determining spiritual consolation/desolation and distinguishing them form non-spiritual consolation/desolation.

Spiritual consolation- "When the soul comes to be inflamed with Love of its creator and lord"

"When it sheds tears that move to love of its lord"

All interior Joy that calls and Attracts to Heavenly things.

Non-spiritual consolation- Being with friends, cookies, and created things, not drawing us up into heavenly things. These can be a springboard to spiritual consolation.

Non-spiritual desolation: This can be any disappointment can be mental or psychological, it can be simply being tired or even hunger or malnourishment . These can be places that springboard spiritual desolation.

Spiritual desolation: hopelessness, meaninglessness, sadness, disquiet, darkness of soul-discouragement, disturbance- being upset or disturbed by losing our peace. There can be disquiet from various agitations and Temptations-inability to focus in prayer or interest in spiritual matters.

"Moving to Lack of confidence, without hope and without love."

"Persons in spiritual desolation, on the contrary, feel no attraction to prayer and to God's service but are drawn toward "lower" and more "earthly" things: Material comforts, gratification of the body in various ways, memories of such things from he past, immersion in empty trivia, diversion through the media, the internet, busyness, superficial conversation, and similar occupations." 63

Thoughts: "You think you've grown in love of God: look at you now, unable to pray, thinking that such kinds of thoughts. You've just been fooling yourself... How can God love someone who fails as repeatedly as you do? How can you be so confident that you read well the signs of God's will when you chose his calling?"64

Finding oneself totally slothful, tepid, Sad!

Finaly finding oneself separated from one's Creator and Lord.

God never gives spiritual desolation only consolation, but permits the enemy to give spiritual desolation for lessons and reasons in His loving providence.67

During times of Spiritual desolation one must be faithful to resolutions made during consolation. The enemy rules has sway over one in desolation where God gives consolation. During desolation the enemy will try to dissuade one from fulfilling ones resolutions made in consolation. Do not change your decisions in desolation!

During desolation what one may change is how one reacts to desolation, by stepping up ones devotion to God to reject times of desolation.

All of this is from Fr. Timothy Gallagher's book "The Discernment of Spirits, an Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living."