The Stages of the Spiritual Life

Introduction

PRAYER

Outline

• 1. The intellectual stuff—don’t be threatened—just to show anyone who is well read that I am acknowledging the literature.

• 2. The definitions—so we can speak the same language

• 3. The MEAT• 4. Questions? Write them down. Session at

the end.

Question:

If you could see and get to know the perfect person, the person who has “arrived” and they were still on earth, please describe what you would be seeing.

Goals and Objectives

• At the end of the talk, participants will:– Have a better understanding of Applied Theology

(Spirituality that practically relates to our lives)– Glimpse the scope of information on Christian

spiritual growth.– Understand the next steps toward creating a

lifestyle conducive to their own spiritual growth. – Be able to state incentives to the pursuit of that

lifestyle.

What are the Stages

• People tend to grow through different levels as they go through life.

• Each level includes certainneedstasksattitudes accomplishments

Does Everyone Go Through the Same Stages?

• Basically yes—as there are certain tasks to accomplish

• Differences depend on the following:– Personality– Thought processes– Environment– Incentives– Religion– More

What the Study of Spiritual Stages is NOT

• Meant to embarrass those at a lower level• Meant to judge others so we can look down at

them from our lofty height• Meant to so humiliate us that we give up on

spirituality all togetherRemember: Only God is the judge. He knows all our circumstances all the influences on our lives. He loves us!!!

So what am I getting out of it?• Your spirituality is the most important aspect of your life.• You will feel more fullness and joy as your spirituality grows.• You will have more knowledge to find the helps you need in your

spiritual walk today• You will understand where the next step is, what you need to go

there, and when you are ready for it.• You will be better able to avoid temptations and see them for

what they are.• You will be able to grow closer to Jesus and understand your faith

more completely.• You will be better able to get along with others and understand

where they are in their spiritual lives.

It’s about Jesus

“God wants us to meditate on the beauty of Jesus as we set the intention of our heart to obey. Then He Himself will work in us until we attain to maturity in due time.” Mike Bickle

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” Philippians 1:6

Why is the study of stages important?

• To understand others in order to relate to others better.• To be able to provide spiritual nourishment to

those at different states.• To know myself better• To understand the world and other religions• To understand and be able to avoid dangers

and pitfalls of each level.

Why study the Spiritual Stages (Continued)

• To challenge yourself to get closer to God.• To realize the time is short and there is a long

way to go.• God loves us and cares for us so much that He

really should be loved enough in return, for us to take Him seriously and return His love.

• To take God’s salvation, which offers us a remedy for the curses of the fall.

God Takes Delight in Us, His Home

• What do you do in a home?• “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my

Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. John 14:23”

• The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. John 14:16-18Romans 8:9, 2 Tim. 1:14

The Roadmap

Navigation is a lot easier when you have some help.

Disclaimer

• Everyone is not the same—but surprisingly get more different spiritually as one progresses

• It is impossible to state every nuance of every stage

• There is still so much to learn that only God has a real grasp of the topic.

• We are looking through a pinhole in a sheet of paper.

God Won’t Divulge Everything

• God has millions of surprises waiting for you.• Many will be yours and His alone.• Divulging too much would be like telling a

young lady what gift her lover has bought for her birthday.

• God has gifts along the way waiting for those who seek Him.

Who Has Researched Stages?

• Abraham Maslow Paper: A Theory of Human Motivation—Heirarchy of Needs

• Erik Homburger Erikson (1902-1994)-- Stages of Human Development

• James Fowler— Emory University--The Spiritual Stages

• M. Scott Peck— The Different Drum, Further Along the Road Less Traveled

• Numerous less well known authors

Ericson• 1. Infancy: Birth to 18 Months -- Ego Development Outcome: Trust vs. Mistrust• Basic strength: Drive and Hope• 2. Early Childhood: 18 Months to 3 Years --Ego Development Outcome: Autonomy vs.

Shame Basic Strengths: Self-control, Courage, and Will• 3. Play Age: 3 to 5 Years--Ego Development Outcome: Initiative vs. Guilt• Basic Strength: Purpose• 4. School Age: 6 to 12 Years --Ego Development Outcome: Industry vs. Inferiority• Basic Strengths: Method and Competence• 5. Adolescence: 12 to 18 Years --Ego Development Outcome: Identity vs. Role Confusion• Basic Strengths: Devotion and Fidelity • 6. Young adulthood: 18 to 35 -- Ego Development Outcome: Intimacy and Solidarity vs.

Isolation -- Basic Strengths: Affiliation and Love• 7. Middle Adulthood: 35 to 55 or 65 -- Ego Development Outcome: Generativity vs. Self

absorption or Stagnation -- Basic Strengths: Production and Care• 8. Late Adulthood: 55 or 65 to Death -- Ego Development Outcome: Integrity vs. Despair• Basic Strengths: Wisdom

Maslov’s Heirarchy of Needs

Any Catholic Authors?

• How many stages are there?• St. Theresa of Avila:—The Interior Castle—7

Mansions• St. John of the Cross-The Ascent of Mount

Carmel—3 stages• St. Ignatius Loyola— The Spiritual Exercises —4

weeks• St. Francis of Assisi—You can almost miss them!

No Books—Two rules, one burned.

Private Research

• Conducted hundreds, even thousands of interviews for at least 30 years—jail inmates, hospice, children, and other ordinary folks.

• Interviewed many religions, even wiccan, athiest, etc., and of course Catholic, Christian.

• Listened to personal testimonies, insights, and sharing.

• Observed the lives and stories of the mundane and the spiritually serious.

Definitions

• Body and Soul or • Body, Soul and Spirit?• Why define terms?

Examples of others who have defined these terms in different ways

Terms can be defined in many ways (because spirituality is not so much outwardly defined as is the Trinity or the Virgin Birth.

Take notice of the definition of the terms of the spiritual authors you read.

To make this simple….

• The Body is physical—if you are sick and go to the doctor, he treats the body.

• The Soul or Psyche we will define as Emotions, Imagination, Thoughts, Memory that are real but we cannot touch or cannot see them. When our soul or psyche is sick we go to a Psychologist.

• The Spirit we will define as that part that contacts and contains God. God fills our spirit and His life spreads through our mind, psyche, and to the body. You go to your spiritual director for spiritual health.

Quotes

• The Bible uses the terms Body, Soul and Spirit in the way defined in the last slide.

• Quotes from authors during this talk may use soul and spirit in the traditional way: Soul = Psyche and Spirit

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow (body), and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.1 Thessalonians 5:22-24

We are Connected

• We may have a three part definition, but our soul affects our body• Some say 90% of diseases are psychosomatic

• Our spiritual state affects our soul and our body. – It affects our mood as well as our actions.Example: A person apart from God (spirit) feels

rotten about themselves (soul) so they strike out at others (body).

Spiritual Stages— Spiritual Descriptors

These are the topics we will use to describe each stage. Are they the same or different for each?

RELIGION

1. Who is God?2. What are the Scriptures used for?3. What is sin (or wrong or evil)?4a. Do you go to church, synagogue, etc.?4b. How often? What church? Why?5. Does religion cause wars?6. Which religion or set of beliefs is right?

Inner Descriptors

7. Meaning—What makes you go on living?8. Purpose—What do you want from your life?9. Pet Peeves—What are some of your pet

peeves?10. Personal suffering—How do you feel about

discomfort, pain or suffering?Extra: Parenting—what are some of your views?

Relational Descriptors

11. Who should respond in a crisis?12. Do you vote? If not why not, and if so, how do you

decide how to cast your vote?13. If a law made you uncomfortable would you still obey it?14. Where do our rights come from?15. What do you think of homosexual marriage?16. If someone did something that didn’t hurt anyone, and

the next day did the same thing, but it did hurt someone, would the first action be right and the second one wrong?

Spirituality Is Like Birds

Spirituality Is Like Getting Water

• St. Teresa of Avila gives us this comparison.

Spirituality Is Like Driving a Car

Spirituality is Like a Castle

“I thought of the soul as resembling a castle, formed of a single diamond or a very transparent crystal, and containing many rooms.... If we reflect, sisters, we shall see that the soul of the just man is but a paradise, in which, God tells us, He takes His delight. What, do you imagine, must that dwelling be in which a King so mighty, so wise, and so pure, containing in Himself all good, can delight to rest? Nothing can be compared to the great beauty and capabilities of a soul; however keen our intellects may be, they are as unable to comprehend them as to comprehend God….”

Stage 1--Hatchling

Stage 1 includes outside St. Teresa’s mansion, and her first mansion.

You are not considered to have started according to St. Ignatius, or St. John of the Cross until Stage 3.

Since most people, including church goers, are in stages 1 or 2, we should examine these stages closely as they are foundational.

St. Teresa Says…..• Certain books on prayer that you have read advise the soul to enter into

itself, and this is what I mean. I was recently told by a great theologian that souls without prayer are like bodies, palsied and lame, having hands and feet they cannot use. Just so, there are souls so infirm and accustomed to think of nothing but earthly matters, that there seems no cure for them. It appears impossible for them to retire into their own hearts; accustomed as they are to be with the reptiles and other creatures which live outside the castle, they have come at last to imitate their habits. Though these souls are by their nature so richly endowed, capable of communion even with God Himself, yet their case seems hopeless. Unless they endeavour to understand and remedy their most miserable plight, their minds will become, as it were, bereft of movement, just as Lot’s wife became a pillar of salt for looking backwards in disobedience to God’s command.

Raisin Look Alike

Many people have told me when they first found their spirit it was shriveled like a raisin or prune from not being used or nourished.

Baby Bird

Everybody’s Doing it

Thirsty

NoNourishmentFor yourSpirit orSoul

Sickness of Body

The Hatchling

• No hair• Not fully developed• Sleeps and Eats• Needs Care• Vulnerable

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN