One’s inner spiritual life is very personal and a difficult journey. The journey requires courage for self -examination and for certain types of discipline which include certain forms of letting go. There are also many questions, doubts, impulses pros and cons, so that if left entirely to oneself, one often experiences a schizophrenic type of process which can end up anywhere. One looks for help to churches, study groups, seminaries, lectures, classes in religious education, priests, ministers of the cloth etc. My own experience has included all these avenues. One’s spiritual search requires an exposure of one’s inner self that is not easy to share with others, however this is not usually the reason that designated religious persons, do not, or not able to, help others on the path, it is usually because that person has not walked the walk him/herself. It is not because they do not have aspirations for a religious or spiritual life, but without their personal experience, are unable to share the depths of pains or agony the other presents. So the fact often becomes too painfully apparent that the help sought for does not readily exist. Morton Kelsey’s book is exactly about this concern. He has delivered lectures on this issue and developed programs to help many groups, churches, colleges, spiritual or religious programs, individuals, etc., to meet this need.

THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

What is a spiritual journey without a direct experience with God? How is that possible? And how can there be some consistent basis for that in one’s life? Without all of that, there is no meaning to a spiritual search or journey, is there?

There is often doubts and questions within oneself about one’s search, an awareness of one’s inadequacies, a reluctance to share with others, and at the same time a compulsion to do so. I think this reluctance to share with others is because of a paradox, i.e., that when one shares what one actually knows, (even if that includes an understanding of not knowing) there is also a sense of awkwardness because it is more obvious that that knowledge was given; the knowledge is both from oneself, the divine self, and not from oneself, the greater Divine, the One we are searching for! It is like giving what is both one’s own and what is not one’s own! So this awareness is part of the experience of a genuine search and is the essence of humility.

To be able to look at the greed, selfishness and evil impulses within oneself is so at variance with how one would want to think of oneself, is bad enough; to have spiritual aspirations and find that one is then more aware of the imperfections in oneself is difficult. There often develops an understanding of the larger forces of Good and Evil. Besides this, how do we address the concept of a God of Love when evils such as, hunger, catastrophes, wars, illness, the loss of loved ones, etc., happen in the world?

How far should we go with a personal involvement to help our "brothers and sisters"? Do we give everything we own to feed the hungry, who may not do even what they can for themselves, do we keep everything we have? There is the same question regarding psychological or spiritual help or involvement. When we have insufficient knowledge in this area, our help could be harmful. On the other hand it is often through our efforts and mistakes we painfully learn.

Morton understood, from having had the experience of friends who had helped him in his spiritually dark times, the need to go on a spiritual journey with other’s, which included sharing his own doubts, failures, joys, dark nights, etc., and found that it was likewise a necessary and essential help to give to others, in his role as a priest of the Church. Not to be there to completely empathize and to help with hope and a directional light would be only to function as a "will-o-the-wisp" priest!

So in a way no-one should be permitted to be in a spiritual directional position, without being on their own spiritual path. On the other hand this is impossible to monitor. Individuals when sincere with their own questions and search will usually find and be drawn to someone who can help. So perhaps it will only be when there are enough angels on the head of a pin that situations will significantly change! This also seems to be a law of the universe!

Helping others requires an understanding of how guidance can be given, or can be presented as a plan, which can help others substantially in avoiding pitfalls and providing a framework for their own. It is a responsibility that needs to be taken seriously and requires a commitment. It also involves an art, of being attuned oneself, to the process. The following chapters will describe and include that art.

SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE AND THE WESTERN WORLD

Meditation can be described as a place where it is more possible to have a direct experience of spiritual reality. There are millions of people all over the world, but especially here in the West, who are joining groups, learning to meditate. This can be described as: The Meditation Boom! This boom has included a vast increase in books sold on meditation, drug usage for spiritual experience, writings on near-death experiences, increase in numbers of people who described mystical experiences., etc.

The failure of the Churches has in fact been underscored by their lagging behind such interests, and therefore an increasing incapacity to meet the need of those spiritually interested. Such churches have become more like a "dead" organization, and have been guilty of being more interested in maintaining a "status-quo." Becoming aware of the spirit of their people, current trends, or even in investigating such practices that existed in the historical context of Christianity is not undertaken. In fact "non-Christians" have become more living practitioners of Christianity by their healing and more spiritual practices of living, than many "christians," who abhor them! The Churches limited view of Christianity with regard to mystical experiences, can be traced historically to the influence of Aristotle and Thomas Hobbes (who even denied the existence of spiritual reality), and others. It is interesting to note, however, if one is interested, the clear implications of the gifts of the Spirit for practicing Christians and their miraculous implications, which are found in more than fifty percent of the verses in the New Testament. A virtual homage to our capacity for denial!

It is also some kind of poetic justice to realize that our honored "logical" and "scientific" communities as well as the established Church, missed the newest findings in quantum physics, i.e., the predictably unpredictable, as a way to understand the universe. Concepts we scorned as unintelligent, which were incorporated in many of the eastern teachings and philosophies. It is these understandings, that are now being received into our culture, which Morton refers to as The rich Traditions of the East. According to Jung, we need a similar understanding of the richness, symbolism’s and incomprehensible mystical mysteries of the psyche, as exists for physics. It is also difficult for both East and West to understand each other’s world views, because of their different cultural traditions, so in order to help each other to communicate or transmit these ideas, we need to be very careful with translations of the different philosophies. For example in Buddhism and Hinduism, the physical world is viewed as an illusion, the eternal only is real, ultimate prayer is imageless, and detachment is one’s goal, non interference with another’s karma etc., which is quite opposite to ours.

The classical western view of reality : the main two views are that, either the physical world is real and the soul is an illusion or conversely either the soul is real and the physical world is an illusion. A third view is that both are real, as described by Plato, Jesus, Origen and many others. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries this third view was lost, and the twentieth developed a progressive dissatisfaction for materialism. Christian mysticism which recognizes both worlds, emphasizes love as being of central importance, as do the Sufis and Hasidism, and affirm that our spirituality needs to include a healthy psychological development In this respect it is very difficult to develop in such a way alone, it seems necessary to have others around us to help us to be honest. We need each other as friends, guides, and teachers.

The Contribution of Western Spirituality, underlies the importance of the following: Meditative practice; The realization that we each have a purpose and a Divine value; That God is in everything, thus everything we do, we do to God; That beyond death is but a continuation of our growth and experiences; The importance of psychological and spiritual maturity, etc. The efforts that are required for such transformations and the need to help each other, are both important. The purpose of this book is to outline some specific direction to help us in this all important task.

WHAT IS MATURE CHRISTIANITY ?

But first we need to address these three questions. What place are we coming from? What would we go to and become like? And how? Morton says that we are often more clear about the direction of what we wish to become, as a full fledged Christian, and offers part of the poem from St. John of the Cross, "The Dark Night." I would question that many of us do have a clear picture of what we wish to become as Christians, certainly not usually as passionately as St. John! But this is just the point, we lack role models, and are full of inability’s as to how to straddle the gap of materialism with spirituality. I do not think we know ourselves enough to even know "from what" to the unclear "to what". However Morton says we severely lack the "how" to get to the "to what." It is very probable that a lot of light would be shed on the "from what" and the "to what" by discussing "the how" anyway!

For "the how," Morton feels that five elements are important: Firstly, the wealth of knowledge that exists, which has been accumulated in institutions and passed down by tradition. The kind of danger in discarding this and relying on personal intuition, is how a tragedy like Jonestown in Guyana happens. At the same time we have to be careful not to shun others who are not part of the same tradition, or experience, as oneself. Here is where "maturity" is implicated!

Secondly, some direct mystical experiences with the spiritual world or "God." One of the reasons for the existence of ritual and sacraments is to help to open individuals to this unknown realm, and thus to whatever experiences may occur. Disciplines such as being still in prayer, meditation, paying attention to dreams, exercises with images and the imagination etc., can help this openness, and also to be less attached to our physical reality.

Thirdly, It seems somewhat ludicrous when reason is discounted, as if one should not use the powers of one’s intellect and mind to either think about or try to figure out God, who has to be the most intelligent Being in existence! However there is an appropriate or a proper use of reason. To be "mindless" is hardly a tribute to our Creator. It is not that the Universe lacks understanding and intelligence, it is us. The error that has been made down through the centuries is that man’s limitations of the way he understood the world, were placed on God, rather than being able to say, "we do not know"! The proper use of reason includes being curious, creative and expanding the mind to and beyond it’s limits! We also have understood little of the laws of love and other non-tangible energies, nor of how to nurture it.

This leads us to the fourth element which is the connection of psychology and the spiritual way. We have not, as clarified by Jung, understood ourselves psychologically, i.e., who we are, our essence, the problems of our opposing natures, of good and evil within, etc. In opening this exploration one finds spiritual aspirations, qualities and desires that are integral to our nature So the irony is that in not knowing ourselves, we have been busy discounting the spiritual world instead of discovering it! By working with religious practices especially prayer and meditation, one discovers more about both aspects of oneself.

The fifth element, involves the central issue of caring. Without this there is no impact in the world of one’s faith, belief and experience. If we are all humans with a divine part in our nature’s, then we help God when we help one another. We are brothers and sisters. Tradition and theology helps to prevent this aspect developing into a sentimentality or just a humanistic caring, rather than a humanistic and spiritual caring. Jesus demonstrated many violations of the conventional laws of His time, in favor of what made sense in the name of love. We always need a fresh vision of this central issue for ourselves, our friends, neighbors and the world. To experience and understand this love psychologically and spiritually is the greatest challenges for our lives, and the most important element of a mature Christian life.

THE CHRISTIAN TRADITION

In spite of different sources regarding Christian texts, the Apocrypha, Gnostic writings, the Old and New Testaments etc., there is still a central theme and message. Jesus was born a Jew, and it was His message that was different. He claimed and embodied a miraculous nature, healed people from their diseases, raised Lazarus from the dead, was seen and experienced after his "death" by his disciples and others, etc. In this way He made the spiritual and un-material world more real and accessible. People who believed his messianic message and actions and were baptized in His Name, were called Christians. Many "Christians" become caught up in the differences of theologies, translations, opinions etc., and miss the central concepts, and in the "name" of such differences feel they have the right to abhor others who are different, be exclusive, and even fight. These actions oppose the central issue of love, brotherhood and caring. So although a knowledge of our history and some theology is important, one needs to be connected with one’s experience. Jung stated, as a result of his explorations of the psyche, as did Fromm, that a person without spiritual development was incomplete and thus because of their lob-sided view of reality, were necessarily neurotic.

The high lights Morton describes are as follows: Emerging from paradise. Most of us begin by having some faith in our humanity and our political systems etc. After some time one usually becomes disenchanted. On the other hand if our faith can be rekindled appropriately in the spiritual arena, and a more realistic understanding emerges which can integrate the two worlds of our inner and outer realities can lead us eventually to a "paradise regained."

The Consequences of Alienation and Meaninglessness. Feeling discouraged, alone, in despair, fear of death, illness, being overwhelmed, not in control, not understood or unloved, are ironically the painful experiences that help us to search ourselves, and ask questions about the meaning of life. Again there are no guarantees about how one can or will emerge from such devastation’s. Many loose their lives in neuroses, some in madness or suicide. Others dare to explore their lack understanding, their fears and feelings and become open to, and therefore hear another voice inside. Through talking to others, praying, meditating etc., new experiences and understandings can be born, that would not happen without such traumas!

The Nature of Unbelief. There is no automatic recipe for belief. In fact the traumatic experiences mentioned above, easily lead to cynicism, disillusionment and thus disbelief. It is not possible for us to know who, how or when a person will dare to look at and allow their spiritual nature to emerge. Many remain in their paradise lost.

The Inadequacy of Reason Alone, I have many cats. Often when one of them walks, moves or meows, on seeing her/him I experience a sense of wonder, a feeling of joy and a knowing that God exists. Is this reasonable? Of course not! It is not my intellect that tells me this, but my experience, yet the experience is now intelligent to me. Naturally everything that moves and breaths speaks of, and is, God! This is how I intellectually understand it now! But it is impossible for this type of understanding to develop through reason or intellect alone.

The "Metaphysics of Aristotle" were written to prove beyond all doubt the existence of God, but nothing proves it to any individual other then their own experience. On the other hand reason has an important place, because we are reasoning beings. Hearing about, reading, discussing, arguing, pondering, mulling over thoughts, concepts, options etc., is the very path by which we come to experiment and experience anything. We just tend to exclude the aspect of experience from out reasoning of things. Gurdjieff expresses it more clearly when he states that "knowledge and being lead to understanding." If we make a distinction between "knowledge" as information or knowing about, and "being" as bringing who we are, i.e., our feelings in relation to the information, and are aware of the impact of that experience, that process then becomes our "understanding" of it. Then perhaps we would speak of this kind of "understanding" as being a requirement for our Christianity! This gives us some clue then how difficult it is to be a, or rather to live as a, "Christian," and how difficult it would be to weed out and exclude the "intellectual Christians!" The knowledge preserved for us provides necessary guidance, but if not utilized for our experience can imprison us by mandates and regulations.

Von Hugel, Plato, and Subatomic Science. Von Hugel also described how science must be experimented with and experienced in the classroom. And in fact how a knowledge of science, mathematics and the way the laws of the universe operate, as far as we can see, feeds a sense of amazement and wonder, which further enriches the experience. Also how by subjecting supernatural phenomena, and such data as physiological changes that occur in meditation, the possibility of the resurrection etc., to the rigors of modern subatomic physics, and visa versa, can tie together an intelligent knowledge of the seen and unseen worlds. Many giants are included in this kind of work: Plato, Teilhard de Chardin, Loren Eiseey, Godel, Jung, Huxley, Heisenberg etc.

Varieties of Disbelief. It is important for us to allow oneself explore the thoughts and feelings about our disbelief or doubts. We would not be human if such did not invade us, especially in the early stages of one’s faith, and even later, which has been a recognized phenomena, and often called "the dark night of the soul"! Likewise it is important to listen to others and find out their reasons for being atheistic or agnostic. Very often these are individuals who were exposed selectively to skeptical literature such as in Camus or Sartre. There is also what Morton called a "defensive or reactive denial" of spiritual philosophies amongst college students, often "reactive against death and suffering" or the "agonies of hell." Others react to the impossible notion of a "God of Love" who would allow illness or loss of loved ones to occur. Others steeped in and identified with philosophies such as Darwin, Freud or Nietzsche, including a belief in the supremacy of oneself or one’s race such as in Nazism. Such philosophies have devastating and cruel results, and are in stark opposition to the power and reality of compassion and love. We should not be naïve as to the pervasiveness of such thoughts, nor the reasons for their existence in the human psyche.

The Healing of Disbelief. The bottom line is that Christianity (or any other religious belief system), has to be "real." In other words the ideas and concepts need to prove functional in one’s life, to actually matter and to change experiences in one’s life for the better. For example, if I accept some disappointment about something, (e.g., perhaps I very much wanted to attend a function, and my car broke down and I was not able to go), and instead of reacting or getting angry, I remember that everything can happen for the best in my day, (especially if I have asked to be guided or everything blessed in my day), as part of my faith-philosophy, I then actually experience, a peace and a sense of Okness. When in addition I find that quite consistently some option comes up that is preferable, (e.g., I receive a phone call from someone who invites me to something I would rather go to, and can come and pick me up, and in the mean time my car will be fixed and ready for to-morrow, without loosing a breath!). I, as a result, develop a trust in this process, even though it is always an effort or struggle to enact. Conversely when I do not employ the struggle, no "preferable" occasion occurs. Then this process can become a way I address my life, and I experience a sense of the miraculous and find myself filled with gratitude. Paradoxically although I can trust to accept what comes as what is best, one does not experience a demand or expectation for that! Very often "angry" agnostics or atheists are actually more open to such experiences that are "real." However they need someone who is mature enough to guide them and can discuss such possibilities, with understanding, patience and caring. The next question is: "how do we get in touch with such a world of spiritual realities"?

THE NATURE AND VARIETY OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE.

Morton took seriously the teachings of Jesus which spoke of at least "two different dimensions of reality." As he (Morton) began to live more in both these worlds, and developed a practice of prayer and readings, including the Bible, von Hugel, Jung and the spiritual masters, he found people coming to him asking questions about their spiritual journey. As he could see his own imperfections, he felt he was not in a position to judge others. He also was aware of the heavy responsibility of helping others along this difficult journey. Many times it was a process of being honest and sharing his own experiences. He was fortunate enough to meet Agnes Sanford, and attended her "schools for pastoral care" (which I did also), and was thereby impressed with the reality of physical and psychological healing and other manifestations of the "gifts of the Spirit" which were evidenced. Since that time Morton identified and described thirty-six ways whereby one can experience the spiritual world.

A Theoretical Base. Aldous Huxley was one of the people in our current era who verified through experience, many levels of reality through his drug research. It has also been found that our language and learned perceptions constrict and confine our openness to many of such possible experiences. The thirty-six varieties of "other reality experiences" Morton classifies into five categories, which are listed as: Unsought spontaneous religious experiences; Naturally occurring experiences; Experiences sought after through religious methods; Those experienced through neurotic or psychotic states; Experiences sought for which can be dangerous unless understood and one knows how to protect oneself.

Spontaneous Experiences. William James describes four characteristics to such experiences as: 1). Genuine experiences, but cannot be described adequately unless another has some similar experience. 2). States of knowledge. 3). Lasting only a few seconds. 4).They happen to one, are given. Morton adds five other characteristics: 5).Containing an overwhelming awareness of a Presence of Another, and one is very drawn to It. 6). Containing a sense of the Holy, which is awesome. 7). Containing dazzlingly clear images or if there is no image, have a powerful sense of oneness with that Force. 8). An experience of Divine Love. 9). An experience of compassion, that could lift one out of any inner torments. The most important after math is how one integrates such experiences into one’s life, and whether we demonstrate more positive characteristics as a result.

Four More Spontaneous Experiences Of The Beyond: Four experiences are describes which include: 1). Encountering the deceased; experiences of visions, dreams, automatic writings or vivid imagination; 2). Spiritual guides who speak through individuals; 3). Archetypal experiences which can include terrifying encounter with darkness or evil, and near-death experiences. 4). Out-of-body-experiences.

Twenty Natural Experiences of Nonphysical Reality: The experiences described included: Telepathy; clairvoyance; retrocognition; precognition; non-embodied personalities; and psychokinesis, vivid or clear dreams that seem to carry a message or are particularly impressive, intuitions, insight, synchronicity, unconscious forgetting or actions, etc. If one is to help others on their spiritual path, it is important that one has a knowledge of, and hopefully some experience of such phenomena. People are often terrified about certain experiences they encounter and even may wonder about their sanity. Morton often advised people to pay little attention to such experiences as they are normal. If in spite of strange or intense experiences one maintains good normal contact with their environment, friends etc., there is little to be concerned about, however if the person is not maintaining good contact with life, they could be on the verge of a psychotic breakdown. It is for this reason essential to have some knowledge of mental conditions, and to be aware of one’s own psychological strengths and weaknesses.

Many realizations occurred as a result of these experiences, such as, there is not such a distinction between our normal state and a psychotic one; that powerful emotions or suffering can trigger experiences; that young children do not have such a split between the physical and non-physical worlds; and that it is helpful to look at our mistakes with a good sense of humor. Plato reminds us that divine madness can bring us closer to God, as in prophecy, cathartic madness, artistic madness, (including poetry, incense, architecture, music, storytelling, novels etc., any of which can be included in religious ritual), and love. Experiences can also be invited by certain disciplines, asceticism, monotonous physical rhythmic activities or dances etc.

Some of the results or "fruits" of genuine experiences are: Wonder, joy, a sense of well-being, new understandings, a capacity to be more objective, various levels of ecstasy, visions, revelations, special dreams, healing, experiences of divine love, agape, compassion, playfulness, openness, being more childlike, and creativity. (Sexuality is referred to as being either excluded as part of some disciplines or included in various ways, and although celibacy can have a place, Morton warns us to be cautious regarding unhealthy repression without the necessity of being promiscuous!)

Deliberate Religious Practice as an Entrance to the Spiritual World. It is safe to say that most religions are benign or positive in their motives to contact a spiritual plane, although there are some who are interested in black magic, destructive or self empowering forces. One of the key components for a spiritual life and therefore spiritual contact, is prayer. William James, and others, describe the need for prayer to be a two-way street in order for a spiritual experience or a transformation to occur. If nothing happens as a result of prayer, then it is all an illusion! Other practices that help to bring one in touch with spiritual experience are rituals; symbolic actions; sacred music; dramas of major events; asceticism; fasting; certain exercises; worshipping together; groups that come together for prayer, healing or study groups; meditation using images; contemplation which is more imageless; friendships which include honest and bare-bone sharing; some forms of communal living; monastic life; etc. Physical healings are frequently the most dramatic verification of a spiritual reality.

Ways that one can miss the experience of genuine spiritual experience would include placing too much importance on rituals or practices, feeling that one has the "in" information about, or from "God", which is a common ego-trip!

A word needs to be said for the necessity for discernment. It should be obvious how many experiences could be abused, mistranslated or plain ego-trips. The problems of immature personalities, of psychological perceptions or opinions, coming form one’s own wrong conclusions and particular cultural or religious teachings etc., mean that a stringent search and honesty is required. This honesty means looking at information and one’s own ideas and behaviors, being open to feed-back, correction, being wrong, not knowing, etc., which are essential characteristics for a real Christian experience. One needs to know that the Spirit of Truth can see through us totally, our motives, thoughts and even things we do not know about ourselves, and that we need to long for that truth in ourselves. The reward for such difficult psychological and personal implicating of "who-knows-what kind of struggles" are a knowing or a witness within oneself of this truth, which is known in one’s heart and body not only mind and experiences as a pure speechless joy!

Three Dangerous Doors. Although there are many forms of hypnosis that are very helpful, ones that place one in a state or trance whereby another entity takes control of our personalities can be very harmful. Secondly, mediumship where another spirit can possess one for their own pleasure or means and not for our spiritual or higher good. Thirdly, hallucinogenic drugs. If one recognizes that there are forces of evil who often look for an ally for their ends, we would be careful to reduce our vulnerability for such happenings. It is interesting that to-day there is so much "channeling" of "spiritual" personalities. How can one interpret these activities or messages etc.?. It is easy to classify things or phenomena as "good" or "evil," it is less easy to discriminate which is what. It is a Biblical notion that a "prophet is not accepted" in his town or time. In this light we need to be careful not to easily discount phenomena that is occurring in our time.

THE PERSONAL JOURNEY AS A SACRAMENT OF THE INNER JOURNEY.

Items that are important on one’s personal journey usually include. Friends one can bare-bones share with; some group for prayer; discussion and /or worship; some personal discipline, such as practice of meditation / prayer or contemplation; keeping a journal, etc. Morton states also that one needs some vision or plan for one’s life, or else the busi-ness of life can easily "run one". Journal writing can be very valuable for oneself and usually includes ideas, dreams, goals, insights etc., and helps to keep one’s focus and progress in order. One can use the journal also to ask questions prayerfully, and record the responses, feelings, or sense of knowing that mysteriously occurs!

What is a Journal For? If one is serious about spiritual development, being a Christian, or getting to know oneself, it will require a commitment of time on a daily basis and in larger quantities at times. (Becoming conscious or more enlightened does not happen automatically. Being unconscious and lacking knowledge in the spiritual realms requires no effort!) It is suggested to take half an hour at some regular time to journal. One practical aspects is that it simply keeps the questions, dreams, insights, goals etc., in one place, where they can be retrieved! It can be divided into different categories e.g., more or less important etc. It acts as a review which can be encouraging; it can inspire one to be more sensitive to inner reflection and listening; one can see the quality of responses that occur; and helps to develop a discipline to make notes any time of the day or night which helps one to be more constantly attuned.

Journaling in Depth. Besides the above commitment Morton recommends a two to three hour period, every two to three weeks, to review and contemplate the contents in the journal, and of course record. Also it is highly recommended that when one finds oneself involved in some dark struggle, strong negativity, especially guilt or fear, and/or other painful emotions, to stop and process these immediately. This helps enormously to disperse the problem and give one real insights or understanding on our key personal issues. We do not realize how much depression occurs from such problems. Much patience, love and understanding is required to help one during such times. Also recommended is a period of thirty-six hours or three days once a year, in a completely quiet atmosphere alone or at a silent retreat, where one can reflect without any outside distractions.

With regard to dreams Morton lists eight methods which can be very powerful. Other Imaginative Dialogues. One of the ways of working with dreams was in dialoguing with the characters. Following such experiences one can discover that one can dialogue with any parts of oneself. One’s inner child, various parts of one’s body, any part in disagreement with another part, inconsistencies, conflicts, questions, etc. This method becomes a secret doorway full of delight. The access is so simple and the responses, when one learns to trust them i.e., the simple ideas, images or stories that pop into the mind, and develops the imagination to continue the dialogue, one discovers a whole world of inner assistance, which is accessible for everyone, yet utilized by few. This can include health problems, relational issues, personal issues like loneliness, disowned parts of us brought to us by some dream or image etc., as well as spiritual conflicts.

A third method is taking the suggestions seriously that come to us, making a trip, taking some time off, speaking to someone about something etc.

A fourth method, is by utilizing ritual to step into the past, or to dramatize some story, event or myth.

Fifthly: to allow one’s unpleasant or difficult emotions to become expressed in images or poetry and then continue with the imaginative dialogue.

We need a lot more courage and tenacity than can be expressed by just writing about these methods. It would be helpful to refer to Morton’s book on these chapters, to understand more clearly by reading his examples, the intensity and helpful nature of such experiences.

Three Other Ways; All these ways require being alone, being quiet outwardly and inwardly, to expose oneself to these inner dialogues. Firstly, a further way to enable us to have more access to the unconscious is to utilize sensory depravation, to repeat mantras or prayers. It is important to accept the hostile aspects of our shadow or disowned parts of ourselves, and to take these images seriously. Psychotic-like episodes, in which the images become confused with reality, can happen if the images are taken too literally. Usually if we stay with and work through the images we can resolve the inner drama. We also need to recognize any evil elements and protect ourselves from harmful influences. One of the functions of a spiritual life, in fact, is an affirmation of the greater power of good over evil. Secondly, contemplation utilized in a deeper way. After being able to achieve a contemplative state through quietness and relaxation, one is no longer afraid to look at any negative or destructive images. Lastly, utilization of the method of meditation taught by the TM group (Transcendental meditation), whereby one objectively allows whatever images or visions to pass by, and is not taken them, and if possible achieves a sense of spiritual "union." This is a way where one needs a guide and much practice. Two warnings, one is that people should not be guided into a confrontation with evil just to test their spiritual strength. Secondly, egoistic interference or spiritual pride, is always a possibility.

Storms and Anchorage on the Inner Way. It is naive to think that the spiritual journey is an easy one. It is the most difficult and most challenging thing one can attempt in this life. The basic aim is to development a spiritual at-one-ment. In other words, living with a constant awareness of one’s spiritual world, within this material world. The Anchors are: Continuing our regular work, helps to keep us grounded; Ready to question and be discriminating paradoxically combined with one’s hope and faith. Quite something to juggle!; Keeping a journal, the larger he effort, the more helpful; a life of complete devotion; A sacramental life; Being honest with oneself especially in personal and emotional difficulties. The Storms are all the difficulties of life that arise that we need the anchors for. The Pitfalls include the possibility of possession or becoming aligned with an evil force. Many of the temptations in this direction will seem quite innocuous and harmless initially, but they quickly lead from one thing to another. Scott Peck’s book People of the Lie, illustrates this very well. It is therefore wise to obtain spiritual guidance from a well grounded source. Experiencing and being grounded in the love of God, always protects us. As for those who wish to be guides, it is perhaps more clear now why it is imperative for one to have walked the walk and still be walking it, so that they are acquainted with the difficulties, pitfalls and helps.

I have a friend who was engaged to be married to a priest. She was diagnosed with cancer. The priest broke the engagement. Why? He told her, quite unaware of the damaging pain he incurred, that he "did not want to deal with that, and have a wife that he was just going to lose." She had surgery and was declared cancer-free. In the mean time the priest found another woman whom he planned to marry. When my friend had a recurrence of her cancer, and happened to be speaking to the said priest, he was speaking about a man who had offended him in some way, and since was diagnosed with a different fatal illness, and said seriously, "See, it is not wise to cross me." My friend said: "Did I cross you, is that why I have a reoccurrence?" "Of course not." he replied uncomfortably.

When Morton speaks about the necessity for people who act as spiritual guides, to be spiritually mature,. The priest described above would not have meet the standard. It is impossible to monitor this. In other cultures and times, wise people knew when a person was ready for any type of spiritual initiation or not. It is our loss that we do not have a comparable process.

PSYCHOLOGY AND SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

There are varying opinions on this topic amongst the "big thinkers" such as Martin Buber and Jung." It is not possible however to separate our spirituality apart from our bodies and psyche. According to Jung our psyche contains the deepest and most profound archetypes for our spiritual direction, and according to Eastern philosophies the chachras are seated in the body, and their better alignment helps us to have access to the spiritual energies. It is in fact the very difficulty of coordinating these three aspects, body, mind and psyche, that consists of any real spiritual development. We encounter lots of inconsistencies, repression’s, projections and neuroses in ourselves and others, as a result of this lack of integration. Psychoses connected with delusions of grandeur are an example of imbalance. There is a real temptation to transcend all these difficulties and just "be" spiritual, which results in plain repression. Cayce stated that when we tend the body we tend the soul or spirit. It is important to recognize when the body needs help, or when one is in emotional turmoil, if one needs professional help, when it is a spiritual question and difficulty, and at the same time to remember that all effect each other. It can only be by recognizing one’s own weaknesses and knowing oneself that we are able to drop our judgments and criticisms and develop the needed compassion and love a guide needs for another struggling along the Way.

A Chart of Distinctions: Psychiatrists deal with specific psychological problems; many psychologists, social worker’s, priests and counselor’s ministers deal with psycho-spiritual problems, some priests or others provide shamanistic-type somatic-psycho-spiritual healing; many priests and ministers are unable to provide spiritual guidance, but provide sacramental-spiritual healing and pastoral-type care; some priests, ministers, lay persons act specifically as spiritual-guides.

Awareness of Psychological Pitfalls: Problems of sexuality; depression; possible suicide; authority problems; transference and the confusion with the need for divine love; knowing how to end a relationship especially when transference, or dependency is involved, are all very common and extensive problems which involve most of us. Without an awareness and again a dealing with our own stuff, we can introduce and complicate the problems of those we work with. Special training programs such as "Shalem" would be very helpful for all seminarians and others interested in this work.

Spiritual Direction and the Stages of Life: There are spiritual stages of development just as there are psychological ones. Likewise there are no guarantees as one grows older, that one goes on to the next stage. There can be overlapping stages or stifled development. Morton refers especially to Erik Erikson and Gail Sheehy’s stages of development. The seven spiritual stages are: (1) 0-4 to 7 years old, infancy and early childhood; i.e., the emergence of the person, ideally to their own individuality and to the reality of spirituality. (2) Infancy through 11 to 15, childhood; i.e., clarity between inner and outer reality, the development of the ego, learning, the manifestation of their type, have a capacity to be close to the spiritual world naturally. (3) Childhood through 21-26, Adolescence; i.e., hormonal influences , peer groups, doubts and questions (encourage), development of boundaries, rebellion which is needed to find own values, preferably initiation rituals (lacking in our culture) to help transition to adulthood, important not to push religious commitments or decisions. (4) Adolescence through 30-45, Adulthood; i.e., sexual intimacy, professional and competency developments, autonomy and responsibility, guided by own values, spiritual confusion and despair, most effectively helped by shaministic guides. (5) 21-45 to end of life, Mid-life Crisis; i.e., dissatisfaction with attainments in life, awareness of physical decline and mortality, experiencing some "down in the valley" spiritual struggles, a renewed search and need for "meaning and purpose," escape tactics and boredom frequently seen, spiritually the need to confront one’s inner depths, because of the nature of the crises more open to a spiritual search, especially if one had some earlier exposure. (6) After mid-life crisis to old age, Golden Age; i.e., for those who find a spiritual meaning from the previous stage, life becomes more fulfilling and purposeful, detachment is more possible, and reflection more natural, sharing, writing, passing on one’s wisdom, more serenity with regard to problems. (7) possibly from 30 on, Old Age; i.e., a more profound confrontation with the eminence of and eventual reality of death, and contemplation of life after death, which is generally avoided in our culture. In truly confronting this fact can add a possible light to every, and up to the last, moment of one’s life, and changes one’s relationship to the older person. This can be a time of creative challenge for the ultimate journey. There is a need for others to bring companionship, guidance and compassion, where their reward may well be to participate in the richest joy’s from the fruits of one life.

A Word on Conversion: The dramatic conversions where people claim to be born-again once for all, are now sinless, free and forgiven for ever, do not relate to the saints who were aware of their weakness, their "sinfulness" their continual struggle with their humanness. It seems a tragic comment in favor of automatism instead of consciousness a or an encroaching on the path of enlightenment. Such "conversions" are frequently full of repression. The genuine conversions help one to see oneself, to see the "light," to become more integrated. It is a powerful experience that turns one around in another direction, or has been able to release the spiritual quest within oneself. Conversions may be dramatic or very gradual, the timing is not of consequence.

Educational Psychology and Spiritual Direction: We have much knowledge of how people learn best, and it is seldom put into practice. Small classes, questioning, much participation between teacher and student in a warm atmosphere, the use of different learning modalities and forms of evaluating, analogies and stories, creativity,. One-to-one discussions with the teacher. In order to prepare adequately prepared spiritual guides, effective teaching modalities are necessary.