A LIBRARIAN’S ORIENTATION
What this book explores
Jesuit priest James Martin introduces Ignatian spirituality through lively stories and practical explanations of desire, prayer, the examen, imaginative contemplation, decision-making, work, friendship, suffering, and finding God in ordinary life. He translates concepts such as consolation, desolation, freedom, and being a contemplative in action for readers without prior Jesuit or Catholic formation, while retaining their explicitly Christian orientation.
EDITORIAL NOTE
Why it’s in the Library
This is one of the most accessible doorways into a disciplined tradition of discernment. It can help travelers treat desire as information, notice the longer fruit of interior movements, and bring reflection into daily choices without turning spirituality into constant intensity. The Library includes it as a broad, friendly orientation that can prepare someone for deeper practice or spiritual direction. Its accessibility does not make Ignatian terms self-interpreting or every exercise suitable for every reader.
Good starting place if…
You want a generous, practice-rich introduction to Ignatian prayer and discernment that remains explicitly Christian while assuming little Catholic knowledge.
Know before you begin…
Martin covers a large tradition conversationally, so the book cannot substitute for the Spiritual Exercises, sustained accompaniment, or scholarship on Ignatius and Jesuit history. Consolation is not simply feeling good and desolation is not simply distress; both require contextual interpretation over time. Imaginative prayer can be difficult for people with trauma or scrupulosity. Spiritual direction is not therapy, and no perceived divine movement should override consent, evidence, safety, or qualified medical, legal, and relational counsel.