What should I do? What is my next right step? What is God calling me to? Does God even have a plan for me? How do I know what to do?
These are the questions that live deep in our hearts – questions of purpose, direction, and calling. They often arise during times of transition, doubt, or simply longing for clarity. You may be asking them right now. Or perhaps you’re walking with someone who is asking these questions. These aren’t just passing thoughts. They are invitations to pause, to listen, and to discern.
Discernment is the on-going process of seeking God’s will in our everyday lives. It’s how we align our hearts with God’s dreams for us. It’s how we find peace in our decisions and courage in our actions.
While discernment isn’t always easy, it is essential. It grounds us. It guides us. It frees us to boldly follow Christ.
If you, or someone you accompany, are feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, or unclear about the next step, you are not alone. The desire for clarity and purpose is real. But there is hope.
St Ignatius of Loyola offers us a timeless path.
The 500-year-old spiritual wisdom of St. Ignatius stands the test of time as a pathway to God. The Holy Spirit inspired a way of prayer and discernment that continues to guide people today. Ignatian spirituality is not abstract or distant. It is rooted in daily life—accessible, practical, and deeply transformative. This ancient wisdom invites us to become compassionate listeners, to act boldly with courage and clarity, to hold the sorrows of the world with God, to walk in freedom and peace, and to be hope-bearers in the world.
The Holy Spirit is stirring again.
We are being invited urgently to draw near to God to encounter Jesus in a deeply personal way, and to listen for the Holy Spirit’s quiet, persistent whisper in our hearts and in the world around us.
This path is available to every single one of us. It is real. And it is for you.
The path of Ignatian prayer & discernment is not meant to walk alone. St. Ignatius anchored his wisdom in the need for a guide to help us into deeper waters of faith.
Building on insights from over twenty years of experience as an Ignatian-trained spiritual director, teacher, and retreat facilitator and the work of her two award-winning books, Becky Eldredge has a profound knowledge of scripture, the Catholic faith, and the Ignatian path of prayer and discernment. Becky lives, leads, and thrives in the deep waters – and she is eager to accompany you beyond the shallows and onto a path that leads to greater hope. It is a path you can walk, you can lead from, and you can also offer to those you are called to serve.
Becky Eldredge has not only a profound knowledge of of the Ignatian path of prayer and discernment, but also actively lives these principles every single day as a guide in all areas of her life. Her practice as a spiritual director and retreat facilitator gives her the opportunity to teach others to pray, listen, and discern daily.
Let her deeply lived personal experience and years of professional ministry leadership accompany you as you seek clarity, peace, and purpose through Ignatian discernment. With wisdom, compassion and a grounded presence, Becky offers a trusted path for those longing to recognize God's voice and to take courageous steps forward.
Fundamentals of Ignatian Discernment
Series Descriptions
Going Past the Shallows: The Fundamentals of Ignatian Discernment includes a total of nine hours of direct virtual learning from Ignatian author, spiritual director, and teacher, Becky Eldredge – that is six 90-minute sessions. Her expert guidance will lead you past a foundational knowledge of Ignatian spirituality to advance deeper into Ignatian discernment; not just to guide your own heart, but to equip you to guide others you encounter in ministry.
All sessions will be delivered live via Zoom and the full recordings will be available within 24 hours for all who are unable to attend live.
Session I: January 21, 2026, 12:30-2:00pm Central Standard Time
Prayer: The Heart of Discernment
Prayer helps us to know God, so we can love God, and be filled with the desire to follow God. This session gives a deeper understanding of how prayer is the heart and foundation of discernment. Leave with greater knowledge of the key components and tools of Ignatian prayer that enable us to bring our deep questions to God, listen, and know the path forward, and with resources to look more closely at the life of Jesus through the Gospels.
Session II: February 11, 2026, 12:30-2:00pm Central Standard Time
The Grace I Seek: Discernment and our Deep Desires
This session examines the importance of the desires of our heart in discernment and how our desires are used by both the Holy Spirit and the false spirit. Receive resources and wisdom to help you name the grace you seek, to name the desires of your heart, and to understand how desires play a key role in knowing God’s dream for our lives.
Session III: March 4, 2026, 12:30-2:00pm Central Standard Time
Inner Freedom: The First Principle and Foundation and the Disposition
St. Ignatius of Loyola begins his work, the Spiritual Exercises, with this First Principle and Foundation. It defines what St. Ignatius sees as the purpose to life itself. It offers us God’s vision for our life. This session is a deep look at the First Principle and Foundation and the key disposition that we want and choose what God desires for our lives. Leave with tools to notice disordered attachments and recognize the cycle of spiritual freedom in our lives and in others.
Session IV: March 25, 2026, 12:30-2:00pm Central Daylight Time
Discerning the Movement of the Spirits: Consolation & Desolation
Let’s take a deep dive into the movements of the spirits and develop a fuller understanding of the terms consolation and desolation. Leaning into the resources of repetition and review, you’ll leave with tools to tune your ear and hearts to the markers of consolation and desolation within yourself and within others.
Session V: April 15, 2026, 12:30-2:00pm Central Daylight Time
An Open Path: Four Steps of Discernment
Though we may wish that discernment happens once and then is done, the truth is that discernment is an ongoing cycle with many questions being held at varying places along the path. This session explores passive and active discernment and dives into the four tangible steps of active discernment that we can follow and offer to others.
Session VI: May 6, 2026, 12:30-2:00pm Central Daylight Time
Aligning Our Heart with God’s: Three Modes of Discernment
There are times when clarity of our next right step may seem obvious. Then there are times when we need to rely on the movement of our hearts or times when the gift of our intellect needs to be used. The session explores St Ignatius’ three modes of discernment and
how discernment paths open for each way.
You’ll discover:
- The support of the tried-and-true path of Ignatian discernment.
- The value of accompaniment as you walk the path of lifelong discernment.
- The ability to discern spirits well that leads to greater freedom, hope, purpose, clarity, and meaning.
- Renewed hope.
- God’s voice and call.
- More meaning.
- Deeper understanding of a path of discernment that you can also offer to others.
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A way forward that invites us to hear God's voice above the noise of our world.
What's Included:
- Six live 90-minute sessions via zoom with Becky Eldredge
- Access to video recordings of the monthly sessions
- Gathering with other deep-water seekers and ministry leaders
-
Downloadable workbook with reproducible resources to use for yourself and those you accompany
Cost:
Don’t miss this opportunity to work with Becky Eldredge in a small group setting. Register now for the Spring 2026 offering of this virtual class for $350.
Course Curriculum
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this series for?
It is for volunteer or paid ministry leaders who lead ministries in parishes, schools, dioceses and other organizations. It is for lay leaders, religious sisters, deacons, and clergy. It is for those involved in ministries such as adult faith formation, young adult ministry, youth ministry, campus ministry, children's ministry, RCIA, marriage preparation. It is for spiritual directors, retreat facilitators, pastoral care ministers, directors of religious education along with parents, catechists, teachers, bible study leaders, or leader of women's or men's groups. It is for all who want to walk the Ignatian path with a trained guide and who are called to accompany others in their faith. It for those desiring to say "yes" to God's call into deeper waters of faith.
When are the classes held?
Going Past the Shallows runs from January through May, with live virtual meetings via Zoom on January 21, February 11, March 4, March 25, April 15, & May 6. The recordings of each meeting will be posted within 24 hours if you cannot attend live.
All meetings are held from 12:30 pm -2 pm Central Time. The January, February and first March session will be 12:30 pm - 2 pm Central Standard Time. The second March through May sessions will be 12:30 pm-2 pm Central Daylight Time.
How is this different from other offerings Becky has done in the past?
Going Past the Shallows is not a retreat, but rather a live virtual class where Becky is teaching from her expertise. It will include prayer and wisdom drawn from her twenty-five years of ministry rooted in Ignatian spirituality. The goal is for you to leave with greater knowledge and the tools to journey on the Ignatian path of prayer & discernment for yourself so that you can lead others on this path to God.
Do I have to attend all the sessions?
Going Past the Shallows is a six-class series. When you register, you are able to attend all six sessions and get access to every recording. Attendance is not necessary, but highly recommended in order to learn from the community gathered together. The recording will be available if you are not able to attend live. Access to the recordings and materials will be available through the end of July.
What if the cost is too much?
Just like all of Becky's offerings, we do not want the financial aspect to keep you from attending. If you want to attend and your budget does not allow for it at this moment, please email us at [email protected]. We will provide a coupon code with an option to pay what you can.
How can I access the classes and materials? Is there an app?
The classes will be delivered via Zoom and accessible via the Zoom app. The course platform, which holds all of the details and materials, is Teachable.
If possible, please opt into emails from Teachable so that we can send updates and notify you that new content is available.
You can access the course through logging into Teachable.com on a computer or laptop. There is also a free Teachable iOS app for Apple devices. Note that through the app, you may not have access to the community wall and may have limited access to the handouts. If you having trouble downloading the handouts, please reach out to us at [email protected].
