March 18, 2016 - The Garden of the Soul

How is our soul like a garden? How should we care for the garden of our soul? When we feel the presence of God in prayer, what should we do? Dan and Melissa look to the wisdom of the saints as they discuss answers to these questions in today's show.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• The analogy of the soul as a garden.
• How the water of grace differs from the water of the world.
• What can we do to water the garden of our soul?
• When in meditation, if we have an overwhelming movement of the heart towards God, what should we do?
• What is the goal of meditation?
• What should our response be when we experience this movement of the heart towards God?

Resources:

• SpiritualDirection.com - website
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - online
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• EWTN Global Catholic Radio
• Mystical Theology - Catholic Culture link
• Spousal Analogy - Catholic Culture link
• The Autobiography of St Teresa of Avila - Translated by David Lewis
• If You Only Knew...St Teresa & The Waters of Prayer - Two-part post on SpiritualDirection.com by the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles
• Prayer as communion with God - Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) paragraph 2565
• The end (goal) of the divine economy - CCC paragraph 260
• Avila Institute - School of Spiritual Formation - Course descriptions. See "Foundations of Prayer and Union with God"
• Matthew 13:1-9 - The Parable of the Sower
• John 15:1-11 - The Vine and the Branches. "...I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. ..."
• Diary of St Faustina
• 33 Days to Merciful Love - Fr. Michael E. Gaitley, M.I.C. (Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception)
• Spiritual Dictionary Terms used in this show - Definitions from Dan's book Navigating the Interior Life – Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God. Click on the word for the link to the definition.
  • Affective Meditation
  • Rule of Life
  • Consolation
  • Discursive Meditation – Also known as reflective prayer.
  • Infused Contemplation
• Collected Works of St John of the Cross - Translated by Kieran Kavanaugh, O.C.D. (Order of Discalced Carmelites) and Otilio Rodriguez, O.C.D. Contains The Ascent of Mount Carmel (Book 2, Chapter 29 contains guidelines on both infused and practical wisdom: how to discern if these experiences are from God)
• Introduction to the Devout Life - by St. Francis de Sales (see II, 7 on the spiritual bouquet, or nosegay)
• Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
• Consolation and Desolation ... What does it really mean? - SpiritualDirection.com post
• Finding God Through Meditation - St Peter of Alcántara, edited by Dan Burke
• Psalm 63 - "O God, you are my God—it is you I seek! For you my body yearns; for you my soul thirsts, In a land parched, lifeless, and without water. ..."
• Lectio Divina, A Guide: What It Is & How It Helps Prayer Life - Post on SpiritualDirection.com [also can be done as "read, reflect, respond, rest, and resolve" as Dan describes in the show]
• 1 Thessalonians 5:23 - "May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." - USCCB Bible link
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729.