Life involves plenty of decision-making: some minor and some life-changing. If we are on a spiritual path, important decisions can become part of our journey of discovery and growth. It’s a process known as discernment.
One description of this process is The Way of Discernment: Spiritual Practices for Decision Making by Elizabeth Liebert.
Liebert writes from a strong Biblical foundation and thorough knowledge of contemplative traditions. But she approaches her topic with a contemporary understanding of life and spirituality:
This understanding begins with the universe as a whole: it is open, flexible, and evolving. On our human level, we experience the boundaries that we call the laws of nature. But when we look either more macroscopically or microscopically, we begin to see the universe is dynamic and ever-changing. … we can expect that God, too, is dynamic, ever-changing, continuously creating – not simply repeating what has already been created. …(and) we are able to participate, with God, in the creation of our future.[i]
In the past, some religious practices were dominated by the question, “Am I good enough?” A more interesting quesiton is: “How can I personally access divine guidance in a way that will deepen my relationship with its source, helping me to navigate my own life while benefitting the world around me?”
Awareness Examen: She first encourages us to find a regular time to reflect on where we notice God’s presence in our day. Some people do this by journaling before going to sleep at night, others by taking time early in the morning to review the prior day. Where did you see signs of grace, blessing, and insight? Like bird watchers who become skilled observers over time, we are more likely to recognize such traces if we practice recognizing them.
Use an Important Decision You Are Facing: Are you facing an important decision about your relationships, responsibilities, or life direction? Write down a simple summary of the decision you want help with. Begin to think carefully about it and open yourself to the Spirit’s guidance. Don’t be in a hurry – the process of finding an answer will take time.
She offers seven different ways we can gather clues.
Memory’s Guidance: Think back to a time in your life when you faced a difficult decision and found a satisfying outcome. How did that happen? Where did you find guidance? What role did other people play? What lessons can you draw from such times?
Intuition: Intuitions come in moments when we seem to suddenly know something through a sudden awareness, idea, or sense of direction. It may appear when we are taking a shower, falling asleep, or waking up. It can come when we are on a walk, doing dishes or gardening. Intuitions may not give us the final answer but can offer important hints.
Body Awareness: Our body can give us clues to our deepest awareness. When we think of a possible direction, does our body tense up or relax? What other physical sensations do we discover when we consider alternatives?
Imagination’s Insight: If we are facing two possible directions in our life, we can use imagination to look at each one separately. If I go Way #1, what might happen, immediately and as time goes on? Imagine that option for several days. Then do the same for Way #2. What do we learn from comparing these two directions? We can also be open to dreams, seeing if they offer clues. We can imagine taking our question to a trusted friend (past or present) for advice; who might that be, and what would they say? Or think about being at the end of your life looking back on this moment of decision –what path would you wish you had taken?
Reason: A common way to approach a decision is to logically think through what we might do and what the consequences might be. We can make a list of pros and cons and compare the lists. (But don’t assume if one side has more items, that’s the one we should choose – it could be the shorter list has more significant points.) Is there someone we know who has a lot of common sense that we can talk to?
Feelings: Modern psychology understands emotions are not “just” feelings which count less than logical ideas. Feelings can reveal deep inner truths. When we reflect on different options, what feelings arise? (Write them down). What does such an emotional inventory tell us?
Nature We can go outdoors on a walk or hike and see if some aspect of nature “speaks to us.” One method is to find an appealing spot to sit quietly for a while. Once we’ve settled in, we then pose the question we are facing. We don’t expect anything immediately. But in time, we might see or hear something that seems to offer us insight. A majestic tree might help us believe that we, too, can survive tough times; an emerging sprout might help us recognize something new wants to grow within us.
If we try any or all of these exercises, we may gradually come to a sense of what direction to pursue. She encourages us to then take a few days and live with this possibility. Does it seem right? Will it help us live more authentically grounded in our core spiritual values?
What I have always liked about Liebert’s work is how she encourages us to be open to guidance, insight, and inspiration from many different senses and ways of knowing. Beyond our digital distractions and limited habits of awareness, our bodies, minds, and hearts can open us to the living, creative, divine Spirit within us and around us. It is there to guide us and bless us. It is up to us seek it.
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[i] The Way of Discernment: Spiritual Practices for Decision Making by Elizabeth Liebert, pg. 17
Image: “Fields,” Camille Pissaro, 1877
Steve Jacobsen, Ed.D 