that man is to use them as much as they help him on to his end, and ought to rid himself of them so far as they hinder him as to it (SpEx 23)."
Ignatius also asks the one doing The Spiritual Exercises to take time to prepare each prayer time well and to reflect on the prayer after it has been done. He seems to realise that the actual act of communicating is itself not enough. For effective communication to take place many other considerations have to be made: preparation of time, place, method and the evaluation afterwards.
In a number of places, in his letters and in The Spiritual Exercises, Ignatius repeats the necessity for being slow to speak but eager to listen, so that an effective and appropriate response could be made to whatever is at hand. He cautions the director of The Spiritual Exercises, in annotation fifteen, not to influence the directee towards one decision or another, but rather to let God act directly on the directee.
In his letter to the Jesuits attending the council of Trent he says:
'Anyone of ours should be slow to speak... Along with his reticence, he should rely on a readiness to listen, keeping quiet so as to sense and appreciate the positions, emotions and desires of those speaking. Then he will be better able to speak or to keep silent' (Munitiz & Endean 1996: 164).
imagination is key to the The Spiritual Exercises. The narratives call to mind an event and the person doing The Spiritual Exercises is to make a mental representation of this event. This all takes place in the 'inner space'. Physical and social space has been substituted with inner space. Not only is the imagination important for Ignatius but again, we notice, the idea of symbol and the ability to engage in that symbol which in itself gives meaning - like his own pilgrimage to walk where Christ had walked.
Ignatius saw the power of the imagination and wants the one doing the The Spiritual Exercises to be mindful of their capacity to imagine, and he constantly reminds the exercitant to do just that. Ignatius wants the exercitant to use their imagination to imagine the life of Christ, but he also uses the imagination in a creative way himself by setting up two of the key meditations of The Spiritual Exercises in the imagination. These two, the Two Standards and Three Classes of People, not only use the imagination but also teach the exercitant to reflect on and discern the circumstance and context they find themselves in. Beaudoin (2003: 48) points out that we can determine two types of imagination being described by Ignatius. First, Ignatius wants the excercitant' to imagine themselves in a setting conducive to a particular meditation. These 'imagines' he calls 'compositions of place' or 'representations of place'. We can imagine settings such as being present with, for example, Jesus in the temple. We can also imagine abstract and invisible settings such as imaging our soul imprisoned in the body. At other times Ignatius is much more dramatic. In the second week he asks the exercitant to imagine Two Standards or opposing chiefs - Lucifer and Christ. He sets up the two leadership styles against each other (all in the imagination) of the one doing The Spiritual Exercises and tries to draw the exercitant into looking at the source of virtues and vice in their own life, how they come about and how they reveal themselves, and then wants to lead the exercitant to make a choice as to which leader should be followed for their own good and happiness, that is, so that they may do what they were created to do as is found in the Principle and Foundation.
12 Prayer which uses images, thoughts, emotions and sensations to become aware of the presence of God is called 'kataphatic prayer' (the Ignatian tradition). Prayer which is imageless and does not encourage the use of the imagination is called 'apophatic prayer'.
Second Beaudoin (:51) describes how Ignatius uses the imagination in another way:
through conversations. These conversations, called 'colloquies' are also used throughout The Spiritual Exercises. The exercitant imagines that they are talking directly to someone (very often these are biblical figures), sometimes in the biblical sense (as if they were part of the scene being imagined) or sometimes detached from it (applying principles from the text to a life situation of the one praying), but always in a very personal and detached way. Ignatius encourages the exercitant to speak to God, Jesus or the Trinity in a very personal way, as you would to a good friend.13 In the first week Ignatius encourages the exercitant to talk to Jesus hanging on the cross while he is dying. He suggests that you ask Jesus about his life and death on earth; further he encourages the exercitant to ask:
'What have I done for Christ? What am I doing for Christ? What will I do for Christ?' (SpEx 53). Finally he tells the one doing The Spiritual Exercises to gaze on Christ as he dies and involve oneself in the last moments of this dying man's life: 'As I look upon Jesus as he hangs upon the cross, I ponder whatever God may bring to my attention' (SpEx 53).
Ignatius hopes that by the end of The Spiritual Exercises the exercitant will be able, through the imagination, to perceive and experience God better. The continual practice of these imaginative exercises is part of the Ignatian discipline. Ignatius believed that to re- orientate and re-focus people one had to reshape their imagination. The imagination is a very powerful tool in 'getting to the heart'.
Beaudoin (2003: 51) has an interesting insight. He explains how, according to him, the most powerful tool and strategy of the branding economy14 is the imagination. Without
13 In annotation # 11 Ignatius says '...as one friend speaks to another, or a servant to his master: now asking some grace, now blaming oneself for some misdeed, now communicating one's affairs, and asking advice in them' (Fleming 1996: 48).
14 By 'brand' I mean the label or mark on a product which distinguishes it and gives it its own identity.
Beaudoin (2003:4) says: 'By focusing on branding, companies hope to make their logos into a
"personality" - that is, a lifestyle, an image, an identity, or a set of values.' 'Brands should "emote a distinctive persona." This persona will, it is hoped, be taken on with verve by young consumers'. Brands therefore try 'hook' the consumer because of the identity they gain by using the brand. In order to do this branding companies use the imagination. 'If you wear X brand imagine what identity you will have'. They operate not only through the imagination but also by trying to develop an 'in-group' mentality. If you wear X brand you belong to or are associated with Y group and therefore you are considered part of a group, you have an identity.
being able to influence our imaginations the economy cannot shape our perceptions about self, others, relationships, investments, trust and our hope. This influence happens through the means of mass media - radio, television, the internet etc. Beaudoin does not say that the economy (or Ignatius!) controls our imaginations but that they are strongly encouraged by these in specific directions. He says that without the ability to shape our imaginations the economy would fail and branding would buckle, collapse and disintegrate. Beaudoin says:
The branding economy shapes our imaginations with a potential power so formative of identity that it can only be called spiritual (2003: 51).
Social scientist Colin Campbell says that the 'economy is driven by a longing to experience in reality those pleasures created and enjoyed in the imagination' (Beaudoin 2003:52)
For Ignatius the whole person, body and soul, should be drawn into The Spiritual Exercises. He speaks of'spiritual poverty' and 'actual poverty', wanting the exercitant to be imagining living in both of these conditions. He has a holistic approach and realises that in order for people to change their lives and be transformed, the whole person needs to be involved. He sees and uses the imagination as a key tool for this process.