 The real obstacle for most of the way in the spiritual life is precisely spiritual desolation. That is when we get disheartened and discouraged and why bother and it's not going anywhere and you'll never change. And that whole thing, which is spiritual desolation, is the real obstacle. And if we can be discerning, that is, okay, like Ignatius says of himself, his eyes were opened a little once and for the first time he started to notice this.