Today's prayer is by Ignatius of Loyola, who I was 1st introduced in 'God of Surprises' by Gerard W. Hughes - one of The best books I've read on authentic lived Faith. 
One of the things I like about Loyola's understanding of guidance and being in agreement with God is how he learned to pay close attention to his feelings - not always something that's 'allowed' or given much credence or attention in some churches. But by them he was able to better discern that which had more value in being lived out, or which needed to be relinquished, or changed. With the right kind of attention, feelings are in great part our natural-given Sat-Nav; over-riding them; dismissing them; distrusting them can get us well & truly lost, but it's as well to be cautious in how we let them guide us, as they too can lead us astray. He found a way, through his own experience, to discern their influence - how to 'read' them. 
He learned, while bedridden for months with a battle injury to his leg, whiling away time reading the only two forms of literature available in the convent where he recuperated: tales and legends of mighty warriors and knights, which led to dreaming of fighting mightier battles, even more valiantly; and religious texts about the trials and triumphs of saints, after which he'd imagine fielding more severe temptations achieving greater victories. Both fantasies were exhilarating, but the after-effects of the former faded quickly, while saintly exploits proved more edifying and enlivening.
He developed a whole series of exercises and means of discernment, and in looking for material to share here, I came across some nifty resources on how to anchor an authentic 'spirituality' in our every day lives, through what he calls an 'examen' - If only we learned something like this in school, how different our lives would be: more anchored, more meaningful; more (self)aware, more considered, and considerate; but, it's never too late to adopt good practices!
Great for kids - excellent for adults.
A handy tool.
As always, I love any insights on the practice of prayer:
Ever the need to make Faith practical, and evident, not just a form of wishing and waiting! Pro-active not passive. Prayer as a kind of board meeting - getting the right aims and determining which steps would best serve that purpose. Being in right relationship.
Prayer provides us with the ability to troubleshoot, and is the ultimate resource when things appear to go wrong, or prove difficult to handle.
Prepared to suffer for his God, and unafraid to do so; prepared to exceed his own expectations (O ye of little faith) trusting in God's power & grace.
I found the quote about Ignatian indifference quite intriguing - taking acceptance of all things to the max, in the spirit of Romans 8 v.28: 'And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.' (NIV)
I'm pleased to have been given this reminder to make use of the 'examen' as a daily spiritual practice, and be made aware of his other quotes and prayers, which are all the more valuable during this time of 'lockdown' and strangeness which the world is experiencing now.
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