Discern & Decide

Navigating Life's Choices - An Ignatian Video Guide

What is Discern & Decide?

Discern & Decide is a 12-part video series on spiritual discernment, rooted in the Ignatian tradition. Each short episode invites reflection on how God is present and active in our daily choices. A Companion Study Guide book expands on the video material offering space for journaling, prayer and reflection.

For Groups or Individuals

Designed for individual or group/class use, Discern & Decide helps people from all ages and walks of life deepen their trust in God’s guidance. Whether you are active in your faith or spiritual but not religious there is something for you. The series also aims to equip pastors and spiritual companions with the tools to guide others in following God’s guidance in the decisions they will make.

Four Gifted Story Tellers

Fr. Michael Sparough, SJ, ValLimar Jansen, Betsey Beckman, Fr. Radmar Jao, SJ

Watch the Series Trailer

Questions?

Please reach out to Teresa Larson at teresa@htoh.us or by phone at 877-208-4875

Watch an Invitation from Fr. Michael

FAQ’s Discern and Decide

1. What is the series about?
Discern & Decide is a 12-part video series on the principles of decision-making formulated by St. Ignatius of Loyola. The series provides a guide or a methodology for how to make good decisions, not just in a secular framework, but rather, by actively seeking the will of God.  The goal of the series is to help you in how you approach making life’s big decisions and/or in the daily choices you make. 
2. Who is the series for (age, faith practice, life situation)?
The series is for all adult age groups, whether you are a young adult, a thirty-something, of middle age, or in your retirement years.  Ignatian discernment is a life-long practice.  Regardless of age, we all face decisions regarding relationships, how we spend our time, and what we choose to do or not do which impacts on our physical, emotional, and most importantly, our spiritual health. Throughout the series, we provide a range of real-life situational examples to make the series relevant to whatever stage of life you are at. 

The foundation of the series is based on St Ignatius Loyola and Catholic teaching. That said, the material is presented in an approachable, conversational, and illustrative way regardless of your faith practice. Whether you are devout in your faith practice, spiritual but not religious, or even struggling with your faith, the series is relatable and relevant to all.

3. How long is the series?
The series has a lot of content but moves fast with each episode 15-20 minutes in length.  Many of the episodes have embedded reflection questions to facilitate your personal engagement in the series. Further, a companion Study Guide can be accessed which expands on the video material offering additional case examples, reflection questions, prayers and space for journaling.

For those who choose to actively engage with series, each episode will take about 1 hour: 15-20 minutes of viewing and another 30minutes or more of reflection and meditative prayer, either on your own or in a group. For some, they may want to go through the series one episode at a time, perhaps on a daily or weekly basis, at a measured, methodical pace, taking a day or more between each episode to allow more reflection and time to complete the series.  While others may choose to go through the series at a more accelerated pace by completing a couple episodes at a time in one sitting.  The episodes are generally grouped into pairs with Episodes 1 and 2 related, 3 and 4 related, 5 and 6 related etc. which facilitates this more accelerated approach.

4. What is in the episodes or say some more on how the episodes are organized
  • Episodes 1 and 2 provide Ignatian background and Principles
  • Episodes 3 and 4 cover the Examen, a meditative prayer approach to discerning
  • Episodes 5 and 6 provide Ignatian guidelines for discerning and deciding
  • Episodes 7 and 8 delve into how to listen or hear God’s voice versus other distracting voices
  • Episodes 9 and10 explore tools of imagination for decision-making 
  • Episodes11 and 12 outline methods for evaluating a decision and episode 12 concludes with a capstone summary of the series
5. What is “discern” or “discernment?
In the Ignatian tradition, the term discernment refers to a prayerful and reflective process of making decisions that align one’s life with God’s will. To discern means to sift through, separate or distinguish – in other words, to recognize what leads a person closer to God (called consolation) and what leads away from God (called desolation).  For St Ignatius, discernment is not simply about making choices between good and bad; rather, it’s about choosing, with God’s grace, between two goods – identifying which choice best serves love, faith and the greater glory of God and which decision leads ultimately to your true purpose and the ultimate source of happiness. 
6. Who is St. Ignatius?
St. Ignatius  Loyola (1491–1556) was a Spanish soldier-turned-mystic who founded the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), one of the most influential religious orders in the Catholic Church. After being wounded in battle, Ignatius underwent a profound spiritual conversion that led him to dedicate his life to God. He authored The Spiritual Exercises, a structured guide for prayer, reflection, and discernment that remains central to Jesuit spirituality today. Ignatius emphasized finding God in all things, making thoughtful decisions guided by the Holy Spirit, and living a life of service, education, and faith. His legacy continues to shape Catholic education, spirituality, and social engagement worldwide.
7. Can I do this series on my own or will I be part of an online group?
You can engage and complete the series entirely on your own. If you would like to participate with a group, please let us know your interest and we will do our best to connect you with another group or perhaps help you organize a group of your own.
8. I have a prayer group; how do I get started and sign up my group?
Groups of all sizes are invited to go through the series together. For groups of 24 or less, we invited you to register individually. If you are a group of 25 or more, you have an option to sign up a group under a package which provides workbooks and other materials for your group with a single donation. 

Series Registration

Thanks to the generosity of several major donors, Heart to Heart was able to produce the series and bring it to life as you see here. We do however have several donation tiers we invite you to consider:

Individuals & Small Groups (24 people or less)

$25 – Lifetime access to the videos, plus a PDF of the Companion Study Guide ($4.95 value)

$60 – Lifetime access to the videos, a PDF & Physical copy of the Companion Study Guide ($24.95 value which includes shipping)

$100 – Lifetime access to the videos, a PDF & Physical copy of the Companion Study Guide, plus a Phsyical copy of Fr. Michael’s book What’s Your Decision? ($39.95 value which includes shipping), plus a special bonus: 1 year enrollment as a Heart to Heart Pacemaker which will include access to our premium digital content.

Individuals & Small Group Registration
If you are not able to make a donation or would like to view the videos before donating, Sign Up Here for Free 30-Day Access.

Institutions or Groups of 25 (or more)

For parishes, schools, retreat centers and groups of 25 people or more, we request a minimum $925 donation which includes 25 physical copies of the Companion Study Guide book at a discounted rate of $11.95. If you need additional copies beyond the included 25, more may be requested in groups of 5 at the same discounted rate.

Large Group Registration

Facilitating the Series

We are developing a Leader’s Guide PDF to help those who are leading a group through the series. We welcome any feedback and plan to update this Leader’s Guide as more people use the series. A sample of chapter 1 is available now.
Download the Leader's Guide Sample Chapter