Episode 13, Part 1 – Embodied Discernment: Noticing What Moves with Becky Eldredge
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What does discernment have to do with the body? In this conversation, Deb Gregory and spiritual director Becky Eldredge explore the affective and holistic wisdom of Ignatian spirituality — a tradition where the whole person prays, listens, and discerns.
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Becky describes how interior movements show up not just in our thoughts but in our emotions, our breath, our posture, and the subtle shifts in energy that surface when we face a decision. Ignatian discernment invites us to pay attention to these movements as real spiritual data: signs of what draws us toward God and what pulls us away.
Favorite lines:
We throw hope around like confetti.
Hope has a name, and his name is Jesus.
Following this thread, Deb and Becky take a deep look at hope as a theological virtue — a God‑given orientation of the heart and a trusted fruit of the Spirit in discernment. Hope isn’t optimism or positivity; it’s the interior movement that buoys us, widens our perspective, and helps us recognize where God is drawing us forward.
Themes
Embodied Discernment — how the body participates in prayer and decision‑making
Interior Movements — noticing emotional, cognitive, and somatic shifts
Ignatian Spirituality — whole‑person wisdom for everyday life
Cura Personalis — care for the whole person in spiritual direction
Consolation & Desolation — affective markers that guide discernment
Hope as a Theological Virtue — more than optimism; a God‑given orientation of the heart
Affective Discernment — reading the signals of breath, posture, and energy
Spiritual Accompaniment — the ministry of noticing what moves within
Resources
Becky’s Books: (https://www.beckyeldredge.com/books/)
Encounter Grace: Moments of Hope, Joy, and Peace
The Inner Chapel:
