S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 5 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 9 3 3 undergone a religious conversion. It can be a very strong delight certainly is, is often experienced by people who have eventually lose its appeal. Such an intense emotion, which such delight is coupled with the feeling of happiness, it will delight enkindled by faith or positive religious experience. If This natural faculty of our psyche also concerns the joy and tive event no longer fascinates us. positive emotions fade away and the initial strong and posi- itive event are always stronger than the real ones. With time, anticipated emotions brought about by some important pos- our utopias “work” only in our minds, never in a real life. our not be permanent either (Šatura 2006, 27). In other words, just as the emotional intensity of our mental experience can- enjoyment and delight thus becomes impossible to attain, to the pleasant and joy-evoking ones. A constant feeling of ed now. We adapt not only to unpleasant situations, but also find out that what initially made us happy is taken for grant- make us happy. After some time, however, we would probably what we yearn for at this very moment, it would most likely well when pleasant emotions are concerned. If we could get (even the extremely challenging) situations. It works just as che which is responsible for our coping with challenging our way through it. It is an adaptation mechanismof our psy- after some time and we get used to it and learn to navigate distress, and insecurity. This initial experience might change unsafe or worrying, perhaps we will be scared, experience find ourselves in a situation or an environment that is new, tain faculties that enable it to process external stimuli. If we should not be overrated. our psyche is equipped with cer- Surely, joy is a very pleasant and rewarding emotion, but it to this joy. emotional level too, for living with God must essentially lead us to be brave to establish our relationship with God on an es, place emphasis on joy (1 Thessalonians 5: 16) and invite charisma-oriented movements within the Christian church- Recent decades have witnessed that many, predominantly 5 Conclusion ty; hence, he came to be called “of the Cross”. John’s spirituality can rightly be called the Paschal spirituali- lighted by Ignatius of Loyola (Trajtelová 2011, 188–189), contemplative in action and active in contemplation, as high- embraced by our own efforts alone. A mystic thus becomes es us that the gift (of God) cannot be obtained, grasped or in the dark night. The faculty linked with indifference teachreceptive attitude. According to John, this faculty come to us active is the effort to equip oneself for an adoption of this RADoVAn ŠoLTÉS opportunity to attain this freedom. staying bound by our inclinations that in reality rob us of the lead to our interior freedom. otherwise, we run the risk of ing for the true relationship with God. This will essentially equipped enough to discern whether we are indeed search- tance should be the goal we all strive for. only then are we remember, however, is that the key criterion for their accep- positive emotions in our spiritual lives. What is there to John and Ignatius both believed that there is a place for consolation (Ignatius of Loyola 1968, 336). against making decisions under the influence of such false the consolation presenting itself on the emotional level and attitude towards different forms of consolation, especially appointed. Ignatius of Loyola warned against the uncritical criterion for assessing its quality, we could eventually be dis- the experiential aspect of our spiritual life became a main our spiritual life only on “having some favors” from it and if Emotions may be just its accompanying element. If we based marily about experiencing freedom and not about emotions. leads to a deeper union with God. Spiritual delight is pri- spiritual transformation and embarking on a journey that absence of emotional delight can indicate a beginning of towards emotional delight. John of the Cross thinks that tion requires, in a certain context, an attitude of indifference spiritual life. Just the contrary; immersion into contempla- For this reason, mystics do not seek emotional delight in spiritual expectations (Zawada 1999, 23). ing our own image of God based on our psychological and overestimated. otherwise, we might fall into a trap of creat- The role of emotions in relation to praying should not be spiritual life, and the relationship with God, is the true one. comes our goal, or the criterion determining whether our (Zaviš 2012, 81). The problem arises when such delight be- control, embrace the most intense emotions during a prayer themselves in situations over which they have no or minimal For instance, people experiencing hardship or those finding on emotional level, becomes the impetus for our motivation. are often intertwined. So, what appeals to us and touches us motivation for them. After all, our motivations and emotions
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