Stages of Faith: Tides and Spirals

Stages of Faith: Invitations, Not Instructions

What if the way we make meaning shifts and flows—like tides rather than steps?
The idea of stages of faith can be helpful, not because it tells us where we “should” be, but because it shows us the diverse ways humans experience and explore meaning. These frameworks offer gentle maps—not rating systems—for understanding how we and others might be engaging with spirituality at a given moment.

Rather than labeling anyone or measuring spiritual “progress,” these models invite curiosity. They help us, as spiritual companions, offer invitations and questions that resonate with the way someone is currently making meaning.

Gentle Models, Not Judgment

The idea of stages of faith can be used like a bludgeon or used to denigrate types of meaning-makeing. Some models are deeply infused in the 'white savior' or modernist world views. As with any model, seek out more than one to shake up your assumptions, and stay open to real, lived, experience.

A stage of faith isn’t a rank. It’s not about being more advanced or enlightened. It’s just one lens for understanding how a person—sometimes a child, sometimes an elder—makes meaning, seeks connection, and responds to the sacred.

We move in and out of stages. Life challenges, spiritual experiences, trauma, and growth can all shift how we relate to our beliefs and practices. Even within one day, we may dip into different modes of spiritual meaning-making.

Understanding common patterns can help us travel beside others more gently.

Sandpiper beach, Waldport Oregon Photo by Hawthorne Post

Key Models of Stages of Faith

Fowler’s Stages of Faith

James Fowler’s classic work maps six stages of faith development, from early intuitive experiences through reflective and universalizing faith. His work, based in Piaget’s cognitive development theory, comes from a particular time and culture, but still offers a foundational framework.
📘 Summary: https://deep-psychology.com/stages-of-faith-james-fowler/

Ken Wilber’s Integral Stages

Wilber’s “holonic” model emphasizes how each stage includes and transcends the one before. He charts stages from egocentric awareness to deep transpersonal insight. His work can be especially helpful in understanding post-rational and pluralistic spiritualities. For me, his work opened my mind to the idea of stages as a spiral instead of stair-steps. 
🌀 Summary: https://www.institute4learning.com/2020/02/05/the-stages-of-life-according-to-ken-wilber/
🔍 More detail (in Ken Wilber's words): https://web.archive.org/web/20230606092815/https://www.kosmosjournal.org/article/integral-spirituality-2/
🌱 Reflection blog: abeltaine.blogspot.com/2017/09/thats-primitive-sorting.html

Other Models of Spiritual Growth

There are other helpful models, some drawing from world religions, psychology, and personal development.

• Kirstie Pursey’s Seven Stages offer accessible language around awakening and integration:
  learning-mind.com/spiritual-growth-stages

• Roger Gabriel’s Seven Stages (Chopra Center) blend Eastern and Western spiritual frameworks:
  https://www.consciousevolution.tv/spiritual-evolutionary-training/the-7-stages-of-spiritual-development-the-chopra-center.php

• (As a Counter-Example) M. Scott Peck’s model as summarized by Inas Younis:
  patheos.com/blogs/altmuslim/2018/03/five-stages-of-spiritual-growth

• Unitarian Universalist metaphor-based models offer poetic imagery for unfolding spiritual lives:
  uua.org/tapestry/youth/wholeness/workshop2
  Google Doc UU metaphor model

Why It Matters for Companionship

When we sit with seekers, these models can help us tune into what kind of meaning-making might be most resonant. For example:

• Someone in a mythic-literal stage may find comfort in ritual or traditional stories.

• A reflective explorer might need space to question inherited beliefs.

• A transcendent stage seeker might speak in metaphor or paradox.

We don’t need to diagnose a stage. But we can listen for how someone makes meaning and offer tools, stories, or silence accordingly.

Quinto do Regleira, Sintra, Portugal Photo by Hawthorne Post

Trauma and Shifting Stages

People healing from trauma may revisit earlier stages, question previous certainties, or struggle with the concept of “faith” altogether. That’s not regression—it’s sacred work.

Stages of faith models shouldn’t be weaponized. Instead, they can offer us gentle language for being present with explorers exactly where they are, helping them uncover which metaphors, stories, or questions feel life-giving now.

'Initiation Well' at Quinto do Regleira, Sintra, Portugal Photo by Hawthorne Post

Try It: A Reflective Practice

Choose one of the stage models above. As you read:

• Ask yourself: What resonates? What doesn’t?

• Where do you perceive yourself right now?

• What invitations might be helpful to someone who makes meaning differently than you?

Remember, these aren’t “levels.” They’re languages. Try to attend to what each stage is trying to say about the sacred.

Beloved, you are whole, holy & worthy,

Rev. Amy

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For Further Exploration

• Fowler, James. Stages of Faith – A foundational model of faith development, exploring shifts from childhood belief to universalizing faith.
https://web.archive.org/web/20240528184134/http://www.psychologycharts.com/james-fowler-stages-of-faith.html

• Dillard, Joseph (summary). Understanding Wilber’s Developmental Stages – A helpful overview of Ken Wilber’s framework and its implications for spiritual practice.
https://web.archive.org/web/20250315101928/https://www.integraldeeplistening.com/understanding-wilbers-developmental-stages/

• Pursey, Kirstie. The Seven Stages of Spiritual Growth – Clear and simple stage descriptions grounded in self-discovery.
https://www.learning-mind.com/spiritual-growth-stages/

• Gabriel, Roger. The Seven Stages of Spiritual Development – Describes an inward journey of unfolding wisdom through multiple traditions.
https://web.archive.org/web/20240808024230/https://chopra.com/blogs/personal-growth/the-7-stages-of-spiritual-development

• Beltaine, Amy. That's Primitive Sorting – A personal reflection on how the Wilber model supports multi-tradition spiritual growth.
http://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2017/09/thats-primitive-sorting.html

• UUA Tapestry: Stages of Faith Development – Introduces a poetic, metaphor-based framework used in Unitarian Universalist formation.
https://www.uua.org/re/tapestry/youth/wholeness/workshop2/167602.shtml

The Sacred Fire of Anger

Making Friends with Anger

A reflection for spiritual companions and seekers alike

There is a kind of fire that burns clean.

Too often we are taught to fear anger. To suppress it, silence it, spiritualize it away. We are told that “good” people are calm, measured, forgiving, never furious. Especially those of us socialized to be caretakers—women, queer folks, BIPOC, disabled folks—we are often expected to bear injustice quietly, or at most with polite critique.

But righteous rage is sacred. It is holy energy. It says: this is not okay. It fuels resistance. It fuels change. And it can also fuel care.

Fiery outline of the word LOVE, CC0

When my mom was dying of cancer, I found myself filled with an anger that surprised me. Anger at the disease, at what it was stealing, at the helplessness of it all. But that fire lit something in me. It gave me the energy to speak brave, vulnerable words to her—words I might not have dared if I’d only stayed in grief or numbness. 

Anger gave me the energy to show up for an abused elder, advocating for his safety and doing what needed to be done to remove him from the dangerous situation. That anger didn’t turn violent. It created boundaries. It was fierce love.

Anger doesn’t have to mean harm. In fact, when we repress it, that’s when it turns inwards—into shame, illness, bitterness. But when expressed wisely—at the right time, in the right way—it can open doors to healing and justice.

Woman holding torch with blue background, CC0

Sometimes I curse to myself—mutter sharp words, swear under my breath, or speak with a kind of fire that helps move the energy through me and out. It’s not always pretty, but it’s honest. These words are often born of a need to stay grounded, to give form to my anger so it doesn’t fester unspoken. Anger, after all, is movement—it wants expression, wants release. In those moments, I don’t fear the heat of my words. I let them rise, trusting that even rage can be sacred when it flows rather than festers.

And sometimes I joke that I want to cast a curse. But not a curse meant to cause misfortune or harm. No, the curses I imagine are acts of transformation. A spell like: “May you be filled with compassion.” Or: “May you feel how your words land on someone’s spirit.” Or: “May the next person you try to insult surprise you with their dignity.” These are the kinds of spells I want to send into the world—fierce and clear, rooted in care. They arise from a place where anger meets love, where the commitment to change burns just as hot as the outrage itself.

As spiritual companions, we often sit with those whose anger is tangled up in grief, trauma, or injustice. Our role is not to calm them down. Our role is to hold space for their fire, and help them discern how to use it. Anger might be the very thing that empowers someone to set a boundary, or to leave a toxic system, or to speak truth after a lifetime of silence.

Welcoming fire in stone fireplace, CC0

In a world that is constantly offering reasons to feel powerless—racism, transphobia, climate crisis, war—it is anger that can move us from despair to action. It is anger that interrupts complacency. And it is anger, strangely, that sometimes helps us love better. Because we care that much. Not the kind of love that is about being nice, or even kind, but fierce love—the kind that tells the truth, that shows up, that protects the most vulnerable. The kind of love that makes change.

May we give ourselves, and those we walk with, permission to feel angry.

May we learn to channel that energy into courageous compassion.

And may we honor the sacred fire—not to destroy, but to illuminate the path toward justice and wholeness.

Beloved, you are whole, holy, and worthy,

Rev. Amy

Sacred Storytelling: Healing and Power of Narrative

Sacred Storytelling: The Power of Story in Spiritual Direction

Stories shape our understanding of ourselves, our communities, and the sacred. Myth and storytelling are not just relics of the past but living tools that offer seekers insight, healing, and empowerment. In spiritual direction, the art of storytelling can foster resilience, build community, and invite seekers into deeper engagement with their own spiritual journeys. 

Storytelling and myth serve as sacred mirrors, reflecting the struggles, transformations, and wisdom embedded in human experience. Whether through ancient myths, personal narratives, or creative reimaginings, stories help seekers make meaning of their lives and find pathways forward. As spiritual caregivers, we can invite seekers to engage with stories in ways that illuminate their journeys and deepen their connection to the sacred.

Peter loses his jacket. Illustration from “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” by Beatrix Potter

See also The Heart of Spiritual Companioning: http://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-heart-of-spiritual-companioning.html

The Role of Myth in Spiritual Direction

"Myths are seldom simple, and never irresponsible." — Robert Graves
"Mythology is not a lie, mythology is poetry, it is metaphorical. It has been well said that mythology is the penultimate truth—penultimate because the ultimate cannot be put into words. It is beyond words. Beyond images, beyond that bounding rim of the Buddhist Wheel of Becoming. Mythology pitches the mind beyond that rim, to what can be known but not told." — Joseph Campbell

Myth is a powerful language of the soul. It weaves together symbols, archetypes, and narratives that resonate with deep truths about human experience. In spiritual direction, myths can serve as:

• Guides for meaning-making – Myths illuminate the human journey, providing frameworks for seekers to interpret their lives.

• Invitations to transformation – Through myth, seekers can recognize their own initiations, trials, and returns.

• Ways of encountering the Sacred – Myths carry the wisdom of generations, revealing spiritual truths through story.

Myth and the Hero’s Journey

Joseph Campbell popularized the "hero’s journey" as a universal narrative structure. This monomyth has influenced storytelling, movie-making, and spiritual reflection. While it offers a powerful framework, it often reflects a young adult, hunter-warrior model that may not resonate with all seekers. Maureen Murdock’s "heroine’s journey" provides an alternative, offering deeper insight into different genders, roles, and stages of life. Social location, including gender, age, and culture, significantly influences how a person’s spiritual journey unfolds. Seekers don't need to feel constrained by a monomyth. Invite yourself, and your seeker to explore and embrace their own mythic patterns, finding stories that resonate with their unique path.

Myth, Power, and Transformation

Starhawk has used traditional myths to explore power and justice. In Truth or Dare, she reinterprets the Inanna myth as a guide for transforming authority. In The Twelve Wild Swans, she offers a mythic structure for initiation into Reclaiming witchcraft. These reinterpretations show how myth can:

• Support seekers in navigating change – Myths of descent and return can guide those in transition or crisis.

• Challenge oppressive narratives – Retelling and reclaiming myths can offer alternative visions of power and healing.

• Deepen connection to spiritual traditions – Many spiritual paths, from Pagan mythologies to Abrahamic sacred texts, use story as a vehicle for wisdom.

Myth and story are the bedrock of many Pagan paths, from the Welsh Mabinogion and the Irish Táin Bó Cuailnge to the stories of the Aesir and the shenanigans of the Greek Gods.

Buddhist story describing enlightenment journey “The Ten Ox Pictures”, source: Reddit 

Midrash: A Jewish Approach to Sacred Storytelling

From Sacred Therapy by Estelle Frankel:

"The ancient sages taught that every story, word, letter, or nuance of Torah can be simultaneously understood on many different levels. They referred to this multiplicity of meanings by the Hebrew acronym PRDS (pronounced “pardes”), which implies an orchard: “P” (peh) stands for the pshat, or literal meaning of a text; “R” (resh) stands for remez, the symbolic meaning that is hinted at; “D” (dalet) stands for the drash, or those meanings that can be extracted through deeper analysis of language and word associations or through the imaginative process of the unconscious; and “S” (samech) stands for sod, the secret, mystical understanding of the text."

Midrash is the Jewish tradition of interpreting sacred stories by filling in gaps, offering creative reimaginings, and seeking deeper meanings. Many Hasidic masters engaged in midrash as a means of offering spiritual, emotional, and moral guidance to their followers.

For some delightful midrashim, see Does God Have a Big Toe?: Stories About Stories in the Bible by Marc Gellman.

Non-Western Storytelling

These traditions offer rich alternatives to Western models of story-sharing and story-receiving, emphasizing communal experience, ancestral wisdom, and non-linear approaches to insight.

Indigenous Storytelling

For many Indigenous cultures, storytelling is not just a way to share history but a spiritual practice. Stories carry wisdom across generations, teaching sacred values, identity, and relationship with the land and spirit. In Indigenous wisdom circles, elders or knowledge keepers may share a story, allowing the group to sit with its meaning before engaging in reflection. Unlike Western models of spiritual direction, which often emphasize verbal processing and individual insight, Indigenous storytelling invites a more intuitive and communal form of engagement.

• Practice: A group may listen to a traditional story without immediate discussion, allowing time for contemplation. Later, participants share how the story resonates with their lives, trusting that meaning will emerge organically.

• Example: In Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) traditions, the Great Law of Peace is passed down through storytelling, guiding communal decision-making and spiritual growth.

Sufi Stories and Reflection

Sufi traditions often use parables and poetry to convey deep spiritual truths. These stories—found in the works of Rumi, Attar, and other Sufi mystics—are designed to bypass the analytical mind and speak directly to the heart. A teacher or elder may recite a story, inviting the listener(s) to witness without rushing to interpretation. Over time, meaning unfolds differently for each seeker, mirroring the mystical path itself.

• Practice: A facilitator reads a Sufi story aloud, and the group sits in silent contemplation before sharing insights. Unlike structured discussion, the emphasis is on personal resonance rather than debate or analysis.

• Example: The story of Moses and the Shepherd (told by Rumi) challenges rigid religious views, illustrating that each person’s way of relating to the Divine is unique. This story can open space for deep reflection on the sacred diversity of spiritual experience.

Buddhist Koans and Meditative Dialogue

In Zen Buddhism, koans are paradoxical or enigmatic sayings designed to break habitual thinking and lead to direct insight. Koans are traditionally contemplated in solitude, but some Buddhist communities use them in group practice. Instead of striving for an intellectual answer, participants hold the koan in silence, allowing insights to surface naturally.

• Practice: An elder and student sit with a koan (such as “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”), allowing responses to arise spontaneously. Insights are shared without judgment, recognizing that wisdom often emerges through paradox.

• Example: The koan “What was your original face before you were born?” invites deep reflection on identity, selfhood, and interconnectedness.

Honoring Diverse Paths

These traditions remind us that spiritual wisdom is not always found through direct answers but through deep listening, shared reflection, and the patience to sit with mystery. Whether through Indigenous storytelling, Sufi parables, or Zen koans, non-Western traditions offer valuable ways to practice spiritual exploration beyond Western frameworks. Spiritual direction work can be enriched by incorporating these methods, allowing seekers to engage with sacred stories, symbols, and silence in new and meaningful ways.

Rosenfeld Media  CC2.0

Storytelling as a Tool for Resilience and Community

Oppression, trauma, and hardship often fragment a person’s sense of self and purpose. Storytelling has long been a means of reclaiming identity and agency. In spiritual direction, myth and personal narrative can help seekers:

• Reframe their experiences – Drawing on myths of transformation, seekers can recognize their struggles as part of a larger, meaningful journey.

• Access inner strength – Stories of perseverance remind seekers of their own resilience and capacity to endure.

• Engage in self-reflection – Guided storytelling exercises allow seekers to explore their personal narratives with new perspectives.

• Build community bonds – Shared storytelling fosters a sense of belonging and collective wisdom. Margaret Wheatley highlights how stories create connection and meaning within communities.

  [See also this post on group spiritual direction work:https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/03/group-spiritual-direction.html.]

Spiritual Autobiography: Naming Our Sacred Stories

A spiritual autobiography is a powerful way to reflect on one’s journey with the sacred. Writing one's story can be an act of meaning-making, healing, and discovery. As Karen Hering writes in Writing to Wake the Soul:

"If we are literate and enjoy the rights of free speech, it can be easy to forget that to tell one’s story is a basic human need, and to put it down in writing is a way of being seen that can have profound implications."

Telling our spiritual stories allows us to name our experiences, trace patterns of growth, and recognize the ways we have been shaped by faith, struggle, and transformation. As Nigerian writer Ben Okri puts it, "Change the stories individuals and nations live by and tell themselves, and you change the individuals and nations."

Writing a Spiritual Autobiography

Deborah Wilbrink provides a structured process for writing a spiritual autobiography, offering guidance on organizing memories, reflecting on key moments, and shaping a cohesive narrative. Writing prompts can also be helpful in beginning this process. Here are some prompts to explore.

Faith itself can be understood as a verb, an active engagement with the sacred. Wilfred Cantwell Smith suggests that the root of "believe" stems from an Old German word meaning "to hold dear." This suggests that faith is not static but an ongoing relationship of commitment, trust, and transformation. Hering invites writers to explore their faith through verbs—asking how faith moves, grows, and transforms in their lives. Life review is a form of spiritual autobiography. A reflective exercise might include filling in the phrase:

Faith ______ . . .

Using different action words, such as leaps, cradles, embraces, or unfolds, can reveal new insights into one’s spiritual path.

[See also this post on journaling in spiritual direction work: https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/03/group-spiritual-direction.html.]

Bgblogging CC2.0

Inviting Story into a Spiritual Direction Session

Stories are a gateway to deeper understanding, healing, and transformation. In spiritual direction, we honor seekers' narratives as sacred, recognizing the wisdom held within their experiences. Inviting seekers to explore their lives through myth and story can offer profound insight—whether they find themselves wrestling with an angel, journeying through an underworld, or standing at the threshold of renewal.

See also this post on finding a spiritual companion: https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/02/finding-right-spiritual-companion.html.

As a spiritual companion, you might ask: Is there a story that mirrors your experience? Perhaps the myth of Inanna’s descent resonates, or a tale from their own tradition holds meaning. Sharing stories must always be done with care and consent, ensuring that the seeker feels seen, supported, and free to interpret their journey in a way that feels true to them.

Just as we invite seekers to reflect on their stories, it is essential to notice our own. What narratives shape your understanding of accompaniment? What myths or personal experiences inform your presence as a guide? By attending to our own sacred stories, we cultivate the humility and openness necessary to travel alongside others with deep listening and compassion.

Beloved, you are whole, holy, and worthy,

Rev. Amy

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For Further Reading

Books

• Marc Gellman, Does God Have a Big Toe?: Stories About Stories in the Bible A delightful collection of midrashic retellings of biblical stories, encouraging readers to explore multiple layers of meaning.

• Margaret Wheatley, Who Do We Choose to Be? Facing Reality, Claiming Leadership, Restoring Sanity Wheatley explores the role of storytelling in leadership, community resilience, and meaning-making.

• Karen Hering, Writing to Wake the Soul A reflective guide to spiritual autobiography and writing as a sacred practice.

• Estelle Frankel, Sacred Therapy: Jewish Wisdom for Healing the Soul Explores Hasidic storytelling and midrash as tools for healing, love, and spiritual connection.

• Deborah Wilbrink, Time to Tell: Your Personal & Family Story Offers a structured approach to writing a spiritual autobiography, including writing prompts and exercises.

• Maureen Murdock, The Heroine’s Journey: Woman’s Quest for Wholeness A feminist reframing of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, offering an alternative mythic structure for personal and spiritual transformation.

• Joseph Bruchac, Our Stories Remember: American Indian History, Culture, and Values through Storytelling. Golden, CO: Fulcrum Publishing, 2003. This book explores Indigenous storytelling traditions, wisdom-sharing, and communal reflection, offering insights relevant to group discernment and sacred listening practices.

Diane M. Mills, Deepening Engagement: Essential Wisdom for Listening and Leading with Purpose, Meaning, and Joy. SkyLight Paths, 2015. Explores how to cultivate deeper presence and sacred listening, offering practical insights that apply to storytelling in spiritual direction.

Articles, Podcasts, and Online Resources

Margaret Wheatley on Listening as Healing Explores how deep listening and storytelling foster healing and community resilience. https://margaretwheatley.com/articles/listening-as-healing

Emily Esfahani Smith – The Two Kinds of Stories We Tell About Ourselves (TED Talk) Examines how the narratives we construct about our lives shape our identity and well-being. https://ideas.ted.com/the-two-kinds-of-stories-we-tell-about-ourselves

Arielle Domb – The Beautiful Truth: Stories About Ourselves A reflective piece on how we shape and reshape our personal stories. https://thebeautifultruth.org/life/identity/stories-ourselves

Deborah Wilbrink, Writing Your Spiritual Autobiography An introduction to the process of writing a spiritual autobiography. https://web.archive.org/web/20230927035700/https://www.perfectmemoirs.com/write-spiritual-autobiography-deborah-wilbrink/

Goodreads List: The Best Spiritual Autobiographies A curated list of memoirs and autobiographies that explore spiritual journeys. https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4110.The_Best_Spiritual_Autobiographies

Writing Prompts for Spiritual Autobiography A helpful guide with prompts to start writing about one’s spiritual journey. https://networlding.com/write-spiritual-autobiography

Sacred Stories Podcast by Rabbi Jessica Marshall Features personal spiritual stories from various traditions. Recommended episodes: Lyssa’s story, Bronwyn’s story, Wil’s story. https://www.sacredstories.com/podcasts/

Maureen Murdock’s The Heroine’s Journey A detailed exploration of the feminine counterpart to Campbell’s Hero’s Journey. https://heroinejourneys.com/heroines-journey/

Quotes on Myth and Storytelling

Teilhard de Chardin (1881–1955)

“Everything is the sum of the past… nothing is comprehensible except through its history. ‘Nature’ is the equivalent of ‘becoming’, self-creation: this is the view to which experience irresistibly leads us.”

President Barack Obama

“If you listen hard enough, everybody’s got a sacred story. . . How did they come to believe what they believe? And what are they trying to pass on to their children?. . . An organizing story, of who they are and what their place in the world is.”

Robert Graves

“Myths are seldom simple, and never irresponsible.”

Joseph Campbell

“Mythology is not a lie, mythology is poetry, it is metaphorical. It has been well said that mythology is the penultimate truth—penultimate because the ultimate cannot be put into words. It is beyond words. Beyond images, beyond that bounding rim of the Buddhist Wheel of Becoming. Mythology pitches the mind beyond that rim, to what can be known but not told.”

Erich Fromm

“Both dreams and myths are important communications from ourselves to ourselves. If we do not understand the language in which they are written, we miss a great deal of what we know and tell ourselves in those hours when we are not busy manipulating the outside world.”

Claude Lévi-Strauss

“I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men’s minds without their being aware of the fact.”

Clarissa Pinkola Estés

“I hope you will go out and let stories, that is life, happen to you, and that you will work with these stories… water them with your blood and tears and your laughter till they bloom, till you yourself burst into bloom. That is the work. The only work. ... In mythos and fairy tales, deities and other great spirits test the hearts of humans by showing up in various forms that disguise their divinity. They show up in robes, rags, silver sashes, or with muddy feet. They show up with skin dark as old wood, or in scales made of rose petal, as a frail child, as a lime-yellow old woman, as a man who cannot speak, or as an animal who can. The great powers are testing to see if humans have yet learned to recognize the greatness of soul in all its varying forms. ...Asking the proper question is the central action of transformation- in fairy tales, in analysis, and in individuation. The key question causes germination of consciousness. The properly shaped question always emanates from an essential curiosity about what stands behind. Questions are the keys that cause the secret doors of the psyche to swing open."

Holding the Light: Peak Experiences

Peak, Flow, Plateau: Holding the Light

Many years ago, I traveled to the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico, and had an experience I will never forget. A small group of us sat quietly as our boat slipped into the lagoon on a dark night, heading toward the bioluminescent bay.

Then—oh! A flash of blue-white light beneath the water—a fish passing by. Far from the lights of houses and the military base, the boat stopped, and we slid into the water. We were giggling like children, giddy, ecstatic. The water glowed with every movement. Fingers trailed through it like golden ribbons. Droplets gleamed like tiny stars as they fell from our hair.

We were weightless. Time stopped. And I knew—beyond thought or reason—that I was a part of those microscopic, glowing water-creatures, and they were a part of me. We were flowing with the ocean, and the dance lived in us.

To this day, the memory of that place fills me with joy.

" Bioluminescence while kayaking at night " by Marco Verch 👨‍🍳 via ccnull.de , CC-BY 2.0

The Challenge of Returning

Moments like this—what psychologist Abraham Maslow called peak experiences—can transform us. He described them as "rare, exhilarating, deeply moving experiences that reveal a more expansive reality." Some call them mystical. Some call them magic.

Peak experiences are closely related to the psychological state of flow, where you are fully immersed in what you are doing, a sense of effortlessness and rightness carrying you forward. Unlike peak experiences, which are often sudden and intense, flow can be sustained—an ongoing sense of being in harmony with life. Plateau experiences are quieter still—moments of deep peace and wholeness that arise from living in alignment with your values. Each of these—peak, flow, and plateau—can nourish us in different ways.

A central quality of these experiences is at-one-ness—a deep sense of interconnectedness with all that is. Hindu philosophy speaks of Atman, the formless being into which we are all absorbed, like drops of water merging into the ocean. The Buddhist metaphor of Indra's Jeweled Net describes a vast web where each jewel reflects all others, illustrating our interdependence. Science, too, reminds us that our actions send unseen ripples into the world. This profound awareness of unity can sustain us and give us courage, just as it did for Gandhi.

Bringing the Experience Home

So how do we integrate a peak, flow, or plateau experience instead of chasing after it or letting it slip away?

1. Honor It. Speak of it, write about it, let it live in you. These moments are real, even if they can’t be fully explained. (See also this post on Stories in spiritual direction.)
2. Find Small Anchors. A song, a scent, a symbol—something that helps you return, in spirit, to what you felt. For me, hearing Ode to Joy brings me back to a moment when music cracked my heart wide open.
3. Allow It to Change You. You don't have to force life-altering decisions, but notice what the experience is asking of you. More openness? More presence? More awe?
4. Share It with the Right People. Not everyone will understand, and that’s okay. But finding a community, or spiritual compaion, that does can help the experience take root.
5. Accept the Ordinary. Life is made of both the mystical and the mundane. Learning to carry the peak experience within daily life allows it to become a source of ongoing nourishment rather than a lost high.
6. Trust the Unfolding. A peak experience is like a stone dropped into water; its ripples continue to shape your journey long after the moment itself has passed.

• 

Meaning and Action

Mahatma Gandhi’s courage to change the world was founded in his deep belief that he was part of the whole. These beliefs arose from his peak experiences, giving him both the motivation and the power to act.

Our own peak, flow, and plateau experiences can support us in becoming more wholehearted—deeply engaged with life without being broken by the pain in the world. They remind us of what is possible. They root us in what is real. They sustain us when we need to keep going.

Living in the Glow

Not every moment will be luminous. But you have been lit up before, and that light doesn’t leave you.

You don’t have to cling to the past or chase the next high. The experience lives in you. Like bioluminescence that glows with each motion, like a song that echoes through memory, it moves with you.

So I invite you to reflect:

• What moments have illuminated your life?
• How do they continue to shape you?
• What joyful or meaningful thing is giving you life as you slog through the overwhelm and pain of the world?

Your journey unfolds, and you are whole, holy, and worthy.

Rev. Amy

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A Guided Meditation for Integrating a Powerful Spiritual Experience

Let's begin by finding a comfortable position, whether seated or lying down. Gently close your eyes, or soften your gaze. Allow your body to settle, releasing any tension you might be holding.

Simply notice your breath. Feel the gentle rise and fall of your chest or belly. With each breath, invite a sense of calm to wash over you.

Now, bring your awareness to your the lowest part of your body. Feel the connection between your body and the ground beneath you. Imagine roots extending down, reaching deep into the earth. Feel the stability and support of this connection. Allow these roots to anchor you, grounding you in the present moment.

Next, bring your awareness back to your breath. Simply notice the gentle rhythm of your inhale and exhale. Notice how each breath connects you to the flow of life, a constant, gentle current that moves through you.

Now, let's bring to mind a moment of profound connection. It might be a time when you felt deeply at peace, a moment of intense joy, a sense of being completely in the present, or a feeling of unity with something greater than yourself. It might be a time when you were in a state of flow, completely absorbed in an activity. It might be an experience, where you felt completely at one with the world.

Allow this memory to surface gently. You don't need to analyze it or understand it fully. Simply let the feeling of that moment wash over you. Notice the sensations in your body. Perhaps a warmth, a lightness, or a sense of expansion.

Feel the connection between this memory and the present moment. Know that this feeling of connection, of flow, of at-one-ness is always available to you, within you. It is a part of your being, a natural state.

Now, bring your attention back to your breath. Simply notice the gentle rise and fall of your chest or belly. Feel your roots grounding you to the earth.

When you're ready, gently begin wiggling or contracting muscles to become aware of various parts of your body. Slowly open your eyes, and come back to awareness of this place and this time.

Blessed Be

Companioning the Unexplainable: Spirituality, Mental Health, and Meaning

Companioning the Unexplainable, Spiritual Emergencies

Some seekers or congregants seek out spiritual care because they’ve had an experience they can’t explain. Perhaps they’ve heard a voice of guidance, encountered an angel, or received what they believe to be a message from the Divine. Others may have moments of profound insight, overwhelming love, or a deep sense of oneness with the universe. These experiences can bring wonder and transformation—but also confusion, doubt, or fear, especially in a culture that often dismisses the mystical as irrational.

As spiritual companions, or ministers, we are not here to diagnose or judge whether an experience is “real” in a clinical sense. We hold space for the seeker to explore its meaning. Take for example, the book, The Celestine Prophecy. It claims to be channeled wisdom, and while many question its origins, others find truth and inspiration in its pages. Instead of focusing on whether an experience meets external standards of credibility, we ask: How has this experience shaped you? What is it inviting you to?

This post offers a framework for companioning those who seek to understand experiences that challenge conventional ways of knowing.

Art by Jhollu7 Pixabay license

Honoring the Guest’s Lived Experience

For some, mystical experiences – sometimes called “peak spiritual experiences” – bring peace, connection, or a renewed sense of purpose. For others, they are disorienting, challenging long-held beliefs or even sparking fear. A spiritual companion can support guests by:

• Reminding them that they are not alone – Across history and cultures, people have had mystical encounters that shaped their lives in powerful ways.
• Creating space for storytelling – Many have never shared their experience out of fear of being dismissed or judged. Simply speaking it aloud can bring clarity and relief. [See also this post on stories in spiritual direction.]
• Honoring their spiritual context – Some may interpret an experience as a gift from God, a visitation from ancestors, a “download”, or a past-life memory. Others may struggle to find language for it. Companioning allows seekers to discern meaning in their own way.
• Exploring transformation – A mystical experience often shifts a person’s worldview, relationships, or calling. Companions can help seekers integrate what has changed.

Gentle Exploration of the Experience

The role of a spiritual companion is to encourage the seeker to make meaning and develop their relationship with their sacred. Some guiding questions include:

• What meaning does this experience hold for you?
• How has it changed your sense of yourself and the world?
• What emotions, insights, or questions has it brought up?
• Where is, or was, the sacred in this experience?

Photo by Luke Palmer CC0

Discernment and Well-Being

Not every unusual experience is mystical. Some seekers may wrestle with whether what they’ve encountered is spiritual insight, psychological distress, or something else. This is especially true for those who have been pathologized for their experiences in the past.

As companions, we can:

• Approach with curiosity, not assumption – Instead of defining the experience for the seeker, we invite them to explore what it means to them.
• Consider the fruits of the experience – Has this experience led to greater love, peace, and wholeness? Or has it brought distress, fear, or harm? Traditional discernment practices—like Ignatian reflection or listening for alignment with one’s deepest values—can be helpful.
• Be aware of mental health concerns – While many seekers have spiritually meaningful experiences that are outside the norm, some may also be navigating mental health challenges. If a seeker is in distress, struggling with daily functioning, or experiencing harm, we can gently encourage professional support. Holding space for spirituality and affirming mental health care are not in opposition; they can be deeply complementary.

None of this means ignoring real distress or danger. If someone is in crisis, we have an ethical responsibility to make sure they are safe and aware of available mental health resources. (More on that in an upcoming post on mandated reporting and mental health first aid.) But outside of those moments, our role is not to diminish or explain away their experiences—it’s to hold space for them to explore what those moments mean.

FreepikCC0

The Problem with Diagnosing—and Alternative Perspectives

In conventional mental health care, spiritual or mystical experiences are often viewed through a diagnostic lens. The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) is the primary tool for classifying mental health conditions, but it has been widely critiqued for pathologizing normal variations in human experience and for failing to account for cultural and spiritual dimensions of mental well-being (source).

Instead of classifying all altered states as symptoms of illness, some frameworks recognize them as opportunities for transformation. The Spiritual Emergence Network supports those experiencing intense spiritual awakenings that might be misinterpreted as mental illness. The Crazywise Project explores how some Indigenous and wisdom traditions approach these moments as meaningful rather than pathological (source).

Spiritual companionship offers an alternative space: one where people can process their experiences without the assumption that they need to be “fixed.”

The Gift of Nonjudgmental Presence

Mental health professionals diagnose and treat conditions based on clinical models. Spiritual companions, on the other hand, are not here to judge or diagnose—we accompany, listen, and help seekers find meaning in their experiences. We also need to avoid romanticizing experiences: If it feels like a crisis or unwelcome experience, we don't "fix" their perception, we help them contain and make meaning from it.

In a world quick to dismiss, explain away, or diagnose, spiritual companionship offers a rare gift: a place where seekers can be heard without fear of ridicule or dismissal. It can be tempting to evaluate a seeker’s experience based on our own frameworks: Is this real? Is this healthy? What does this mean? But spiritual companionship isn’t about imposing our worldview—it’s about honoring the seeker’s path.

Kripalu.org

By approaching these moments with warmth, curiosity, and deep respect, we offer something the world rarely does—a space where all ways of knowing are welcome, and where the mysteries of life can be explored without fear of judgment.

The question is not whether an experience fits within a particular framework, but how it invites the seeker to live more fully into their truth.

As spiritual companions, we are called to honor mystery. We do not have to determine whether an experience is “real” to recognize its impact. We listen, we hold space, and we trust the seeker’s own deep wisdom to emerge.

You are whole, holy, and worthy.

— Rev. Amy

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Further Reading & Resources

• The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James – A classic exploration of mystical and spiritual experiences.
• Listening to the Soul by Jean Stairs – A guide to spiritual companioning.
• The Spiritual Emergence Network – Resources for those navigating transformative spiritual experiences.
• Mystical Hope by Cynthia Bourgeault – Reflections on encountering the sacred beyond the rational mind.
• CrazyWise Project – Exploring alternative perspectives on spiritual awakenings (YouTube).
• Companioning for Spiritual Emergencies: PDF
• Patheos: When to Refer in Spiritual Direction: Article
• Neo-Pagan Spirituality and Mental Health – Honors Thesis
• Spirituality, Religion, and Mental Illness – Factsheet
• Critique of the DSM – Discussion
• Stanislav & Christina Grof – Spiritual Emergency: When Personal Transformation Becomes a Crisis Offers a foundational understanding of spiritual crisis from a transpersonal psychology lens. Emphasizes that mystical experiences can be healing if they are properly supported. https://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies/vol36/iss2/5/ 
• Emma Bragdon – Resources for Spiritual Emergency (Blog) Overview of how to distinguish spiritual emergencies from psychiatric conditions https://imhu.org/spiritual-emergency/psychosis-or-spiritual-emergency/
• Malidoma Somé – Of Water and the Spirit An example of how indigenous traditions frame spiritual emergency as initiation, not pathology. Great for contrast with Western clinical models.
• Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky with Connie Burk.

Have you or someone you know had an experience that defied explanation? I invite you to share reflections in the comments.

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To find a Spiritual Companion, visit http://AmyBeltaine.info or https://shorturl.at/pr0ue or http://UUSDN.org 

Free student-led spiritual companioning starting March 2025, March 2026, https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/01/embark-on-spiritual-journey-with-free.html

This Heart of Spiritual Direction series is ©2025 Amy Beltaine, all rights reserved. You may freely reprint any blog post, website, or print resource. Simply include the following attribution, and if you print online, make the link at the end live:

Article ©2025 Amy Beltaine, all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. This article and hundreds of others, along with other free resources are available at http://www.AmyBeltaine.info