In the following pages, lists of negative and positive feelings, and false and true images of God and self are given. The feelings and images mentioned are common enough, but they are no more than illustrations selected from the much more varied experiences of actual individuals.[1]

1.    Negative feelings are experienced by everyone

It is important to notice your “black” feelings. It is alright and not a sin to experience negative feelings.

2.    Patterns of negative feelings may suggest themes for prayer

If you have a recurrent set of negative feelings (that is, a persistent return of the same kind of feelings), this might indicate the graces you need from God and what theme, what Scripture passages, might be useful for you to pray over.

3.    False images of God are linked to negative feelings

Traditionally Jews and Christians have warned against the worship of idols. Idols are false images of God. But here the phrase refers to imaginative forms at work within your own soul, rather than in the outside world. We are not usually conscious in a direct way of the false images that influence us. But our negative feelings in religious matters may lead us to new discoveries, to clarify what we have only vaguely sensed, about the way the divine mystery in our lives is subjectively “shaped” and narrowed by false images. If progress is made in recognizing a false image of God, the power of that false image begins to weaken. It may not disappear altogether until it is replaced by a better image.

4.    False images of self are usually linked to false images of God

Our relationship with divine mystery tends to be an interpersonal polarity, and corresponding to a false image of God at the upper end of the pole, we will usually find a false image of one’s self at the lower end. For example, if you feel God is like a “cold father”, you may feel yourself to be a “neglected child”. Such false self-images need to be identified in all their particularity in order to get free of any self-pity, anger, or bitterness that holds them in place. They are not always easy to dislodge — they often have been “in possession” of your soul for too long a time.

5.    True images of God are given in the Eight Themes

It is not enough to clean out false images from your spiritual cupboard. The beautiful and true images of God revealed to us in Scripture need to be recognized, brought gladly into our hearts, and given the place of honor in the heights of our spirit. You cannot do without images — those subjective structures of the human imagination that mediate and enable experiences of the divine mystery. But in Jesus Christ, the Divine Word, all the self-revealing acts of God were taken up and brought to their fullest symbolic power. Jesus is God’s self-image. God’s self-image is inexhaustible because God exceeds the limits of human receptivity. In the whole Bible, therefore, but especially in the Gospels, true images of God are expressed and given to us in a rich variety of situations, actions, and interpersonal exchanges. Pray with Scripture passages that bring true images of God into your deepest soul, and you will find healing and growth.

6.    True images of self may also need attention

As prayer with the “Eight Themes” proceeds, you may discover which false images afflict and inhibit you. It is hoped that God will provide you with new self-images which may replace any old ones which have come to light and have begun to wither. Sometimes we have to “bend the iron the wrong way” by strongly emphasizing the true self-image: “I am a chosen person.” “I am a beloved disciple of Jesus.” “I am a beautiful holy being”.

7.    Your true images of God and self may be associated with your Name of Grace

If you are making headway with true images of God and of self, you will usually begin to experience positive feelings more often. The lists of feelings and images given in the two models are merely examples of what you might experience. In practice, you will probably have diverse images of God and self. Maybe your true images of God and self will give you a sense of your unique Name of Grace.

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[1] John Wickham, SJ “Appendix A: Eight Themes for Prayer with Scripture” in Prayer Companions^’ Handbook. Ignatian Centre Publications, Montreal, Quebec Canada Third Edition, 1991, p. 200ff.

TABLE 1: False Images of God and Self

NEGATIVE FEELINGS	FALSE IMAGES OF SELF	FALSE IMAGES OF GOD	PRAYER THEMES
DISTRUST weak hope, despair	Neglected child unwanted, uncared for	Cold, aloof Father, uninterested, uncaring	God provides for me
SELF-HATRED   worthless “no good”	Flawed Being   an accident, a mistake	Insane Inventor,   mad scientist, makes evil things	God chose to make me
FAILURE useless to try fatalism	Incapable Person weak or battered child	Relentless Judge demanding very high standards	God loves to gift me
GUILT defensiveness resentment	Criminal prisoner in a dungeon	Angry Policeman anxious to arrest and condemn	God desires to forgive me
DEADNESS blocked feelings emptiness	Dull Subject zombie lifeless	Life-draining Boss Bluebeard Dracula	Jesus is my personal saviour
STAGNATION no forward movement, boredom	Forgotten Slave   going through empty motions	Cruel Taskmaster   requires endless duties	Jesus calls me beyond all things
MISUNDERSTAND-ING self-doubt, lack of meaning	Used Person   unlistened to, disregarded	Cold-Hearted Manager exploits and manipulates others	Jesus makes me His disciple
ISOLATION not needed, unwanted by peers	Rejected Person unconnected, unfulfilled	Distant Tyrant Big Brother, suspicious of love	Jesus joins me to His Body

TABLE 2: True Images of God and Self

PRAYER THEMES	TRUE IMAGES OF GOD	TRUE IMAGES OF SELF	POSITIVE FEELINGS
God provides for me	Father Who Cares	Treasured Child surrounded with concern	CONFIDENCE, SECURITY, felt deep down
God, Chooses to make me	Loving Maker	Beautiful, Holy Being, goodness in depths of soul	AWE AND DELIGHT for all that exists
God loves to gift me	Giver of Gifts	Gifted Person filled with Potential	HOPEFULNESS powers will develop more and more
God desires to forgive me	Merciful Lord	Forgiven Sinner graced with pardon	PEACE ever-renewed forgiveness
Jesus is my personal saviour	Personal Saviour	Receiver of Divine Life new powers of soul	SENSE OF FREEDOM expanding life
Jesus calls me beyond all things	The One Who Calls	Chosen Person, hearer of God’s call	JOYFULNESS saying “Yes” generously
Jesus makes me his disciple	Intimate Lord	Beloved Disciple Jesus shares Himself	NEARNESS OF DIVINE LOVE appreciation of beauty
Jesus joins me to His Body	The Head of the Body	One who belongs; participant in community	HAPPINESS forgetting self in others

TABLE 3: Prayer themes, graces and scripture readings

PRAYER THEMES	GRACE TO BE PRAYED FOR	SCRIPTURE READINGS
1.  God provides      for me	A deeper trust in the Father’s care for me	Lk. 11: 1-11   Jesus’ teaching on prayer Is. 41: 8-14    Do not be afraid Mt. 10: 28-31  Do not be afraid
2.  God chooses      to make me	A stronger “Yes” to my own existence	Is. 45: 9-13    Does a clay pot argue? Eph. 2: 4-10   We are God’s handiwork Jn 1: 1-18      In the beginning was the Word
3.  God gives      Himself to me	The power to rejoice in my personal union with Him	Lk. 1: 46-55    My soul glorifies the Lord Rm. 8: 26-39   We do not know what to pray Ps. 34: 1-10    He delivered me
4.  God desires      to forgive me	A deeper sense of His mercy for me	Lk. 15: 11-32  Prodigal Son Lk. 7: 36-50   The sinful woman Lk. 19: 1-10    Zacchaeus the tax collector
5.  Jesus desires      to save me	To allow Him to act freely in me	Jn. 10: 7-18    I am the Good Shepherd Gal. 2: 19-21   I live no longer but Christ lives 2 Cor. 4: 7-11  Treasure in jars of clay
6.  Jesus calls      me beyond myself	To respond with generosity to His call	Jn. 1: 35-51    Jesus calls his disciples Mt. 4: 18-22   Jesus calls his disciples 1 Sam. 3:1-14 The Lord calls Samuel
7.  Jesus makes me his intimate disciple	A deeper personal knowledge and love of Jesus	Jn. 13: 1-17    Jesus washes the disciples’ feet Mt. 11: 25-30  The Father revealed in the Son Lk. 6:27-38    Love for enemies
8.  Jesus unites  me to His Body	To grow in my ability to share with and receive from others	Phil. 2: 1-8    Becoming obedient unto death Rom. 12: 3-13  We, though many, form one body Jn. 15: 12-17   Love one another as I love you