Revisiting the Spiral: How Spiritual Growth Evolves

The Journey of Spiritual Development: Stages, Waystations, or a Spiral

How does spirituality grow and change over a lifetime? Many spiritual traditions recognize that belief, meaning-making, and relationship with the sacred evolve in ways that reflect both personal and cultural development. Various models of faith development offer insights into these transformations, helping us understand where we are on our journeys and how we might accompany others with compassion.

Skye, United Kingdom. Original public domain image from Wikimedia Commons CC0

Fowler’s Stages of Faith

James Fowler’s Stages of Faith (1981) remains a foundational work in the field. Drawing from psychological models like Piaget’s cognitive development and Kohlberg’s moral development, Fowler outlines a progression of faith that applies across traditions. His model highlights how faith evolves—not just in terms of religious belief but as a way of making sense of the world. (See also this post on the roots of Spiritual Direction: http://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-roots-of-spiritual-direction-desert.html)

1. Primal Faith (Infancy) – A pre-verbal, intuitive sense of trust or mistrust in the universe, shaped by early caregiving.

2. Intuitive-Projective Faith (Early Childhood) – Faith is shaped by imagination, stories, and experiences, often influenced by caregivers and authority figures.

3. Mythic-Literal Faith (Middle Childhood to Early Adolescence) – Beliefs are taken literally; morality is understood in terms of rewards and punishments.

4. Synthetic-Conventional Faith (Adolescence to Early Adulthood) – Faith is influenced by peer groups and authority figures, with a need for belonging and conformity.

5. Individuative-Reflective Faith (Early Adulthood and Beyond) – A questioning stage where personal beliefs are examined critically and may diverge from childhood teachings.

6. Conjunctive Faith (Mid-Life and Beyond) – Recognition of paradox, deeper appreciation of mystery, and openness to multiple perspectives.

7. Universalizing Faith (Rare) – A transformative stage marked by radical selflessness, justice, and deep interconnectedness with the sacred.

Wilber’s Stages of Spiritual Development

Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory expands on faith development by integrating psychology, philosophy, and spirituality. His model emphasizes that each stage transcends and includes the previous, creating a more holistic view of spiritual growth:

1. Egocentric (Pre-Rational) – Faith is self-focused, often magical or mythic in nature.

2. Ethnocentric (Mythic-Literal) – Faith aligns with a specific group, tradition, or doctrine.

3. Worldcentric (Rational-Reflective) – Faith becomes more individualized and critical, often incorporating science and philosophy.

4. Cosmocentric (Transpersonal/Integral) – Faith embraces paradox, interconnection, and the sacred beyond dogma.

Wilber warns against the pre/trans fallacy, where early magical thinking is mistaken for deep mystical insight or vice versa. Genuine spiritual growth honors previous understandings, weaving them into a more expansive view rather than discarding them. (See also this post on the pre/trans fallacy: http://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2017/09/thats-primitive-sorting.html "That's Primitive!" – A reflection on Wilber’s stages and misconceptions about faith development.)

Integral Spiral of Developmental Waves by Stephen Lark CC2.0

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Spiritual Growth

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs provides another useful framework for understanding spiritual growth. His model suggests that human needs are arranged in a pyramid, with basic survival needs at the base and self-actualization at the top:

1. Physiological Needs – Food, water, shelter, and basic survival.

2. Safety Needs – Stability, security, and freedom from harm.

3. Belonging and Love – Connection, relationships, and community.

4. Esteem Needs – Self-respect, confidence, and recognition.

5. Self-Actualization – Personal growth, creativity, and fulfillment.

6. Transcendence (added later by Maslow) – Spiritual connection and a sense of oneness beyond the self.

Spiritual companions must recognize that faith development can occur at any level of Maslow’s hierarchy. However, spiritual growth is often easier and more accessible when fundamental needs are met. Someone struggling with food insecurity or safety concerns may still engage in deep spiritual experiences, but they may also need support in addressing basic needs before they can fully explore broader existential questions. Recognizing this dynamic helps spiritual companions offer support that integrates both practical care and deeper meaning-making.

Other Models of Spiritual Growth

There is no one right way, and different models may be more or less supportive for different people at different times. Here's some other roadmaps for your spiritual journey:

• M. Scott Peck describes a journey from ego-driven chaos to institutional belonging, then to individual searching, and ultimately to deep, universal spirituality.

• Chopra Center’s Seven Stages outline transformation from innocence to awakening, service, and enlightenment.

• Unitarian Universalist (UU) Perspectives present faith development as an ongoing, fluid process rather than a linear path.

• Ram Dass charts a shift from ego-centered consciousness to an awareness of interconnection and divine love, often cultivated through service and devotion.

• St. Teresa of Avila Imagines the process of spiritual progress toward union with the divine as moving through rooms in a castle. (See this post on St. Teresa: https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/)

• The Four Yogas of Hinduism offer distinct spiritual paths: Jnana (knowledge), Bhakti (devotion), Karma (selfless action), and Raja (meditative discipline), each leading toward enlightenment.

• Druidry’s Threefold Path (OBOD Tradition) presents spiritual development through three initiatory stages: 1. Bardic Stage – Creativity, storytelling, and connection to inspiration (Awen). 2. Ovate Stage – Deep nature connection, divination, and spiritual insight. 3. Druid Stage – Wisdom, leadership, and integrating spirituality into broader service.

• Sufism’s Stages of the Soul map the progression from the nafs al-ammara (ego-driven self) to the nafs al-mutmainna (peaceful, surrendered self) in the journey toward divine unity.

• Kabbalah’s Tree of Life provides a mystical framework for spiritual ascent through ten sefirot, representing different aspects of divine consciousness and human transformation.

• Buddhism’s Ten Oxherding Pictures depict the stages of spiritual awakening, from seeking the truth to fully embodying enlightenment in everyday life.

• Indigenous Initiatory Paths describe spiritual growth through rites of passage, vision quests, and elderhood, emphasizing relationship with land, ancestors, and community.

• The Enneagram’s Levels of Development explore movement from unhealthy fixation to self-awareness, integration, and spiritual wholeness. (See also this post on the Enneagram in Spiritual Companioning: TBA)

Try It: Exploring Stages of Faith Without Diagnosing

As spiritual companions, it’s important to approach faith development with humility and openness. While models of spiritual growth can offer helpful frameworks, it's crucial to remember that these stages are not rigid categories. They reflect the general flow of spiritual development, but each individual’s journey is unique. Avoid diagnosing or labeling a seeker as being "stuck" at a particular stage. Instead, offer a space for exploration and curiosity. 

You may want to visualize the experience as a stacking spiral. It reflects the concept of revisiting stages of spiritual growth as a new person each time. This image could help illustrate how individuals move through cycles of growth rather than following a rigid, linear path. Revisiting stages is not a regression, but a natural part of spiritual development. 

Here are some ways to guide your seeker through their own journey of faith development:

1. Invite Reflection on Their Journey – Ask open-ended questions that invite your seeker to reflect on their own experiences of spiritual growth. For example:
   
   

• "What beliefs or practices have changed for you over the years? How have these shifts shaped your understanding of the sacred?"

• "Are there moments in your life when you’ve felt a deeper connection to something beyond yourself? How would you describe those experiences?"
  
  

2. Emphasize the Fluidity of Faith – Help your seeker recognize that spiritual growth is rarely linear. They may find themselves returning to earlier stages or experiencing elements of multiple stages at once. Encourage them to embrace the fluidity of faith. You might ask:
   
   

• "Can you identify a time when you moved from a more literal understanding of faith to a more symbolic or paradoxical one? How did that shift feel?"

• "How do you balance a sense of certainty with a growing sense of mystery or uncertainty in your spiritual life?"
  
  

3. Draw Strength from All Stages – Rather than viewing a stage as something to ‘get past,’ encourage your seeker to find wisdom and growth within each stage. Every phase offers valuable lessons and insights. You might suggest:
   
   

• "If you feel drawn to a more simplistic or rule-based form of faith, how might this stage help you find grounding and clarity in your life right now?"

• "If you're grappling with complex spiritual questions or feeling more open to paradox, what tools can you use from this stage to deepen your practice?"
  
  

4. Encourage Compassionate Self-Assessment – Allow your seeker to self-assess their spiritual journey without judgment. Rather than seeing any stage as inferior, help them view it as part of a larger whole. You could offer prompts like:
   
   

• "What are the gifts of the stage you're in now? How can you honor where you are while remaining open to change?"

• "When you look back at previous stages, what insights or strengths did they offer that are still relevant in your life today?"
  
  

By encouraging your seeker to explore the stages of faith without feeling pressured to fit neatly into a particular box, you allow for a richer, more compassionate understanding of their spiritual growth. Each stage offers its own wisdom, and together they weave the tapestry of a lifelong spiritual journey.

Stages as a Tool for Compassion

Understanding these models helps us avoid judgment of ourselves or others. Someone at a mythic-literal stage may find comfort in clear rules, while another at a conjunctive stage embraces paradox. Growth is not a hierarchy but a journey of deepening wisdom. (see also this post on the heart of spiritual companioning: https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-heart-of-spiritual-direction.html)

Where do you see yourself in these stages? How has your faith evolved over time? Share your reflections below.

Beloved, you are whole, holy, and worthy,

Rev. Amy

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For Further Exploration

General Faith Development Models

• James Fowler, Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning (1981) – The classic study on faith as a developmental process across traditions. Overview at Boston University’s Center for Practical Theology: https://www.bu.edu/cpt/

• Ken Wilber, Integral Spirituality: A Startling New Role for Religion in the Modern and Postmodern World (2006) – A transpersonal approach to spiritual evolution. Integral Life, a resource for Wilber’s work: https://integrallife.com/

• M. Scott Peck, The Different Drum: Community Making and Peace (1987) – A psychological and spiritual perspective on faith growth and personal transformation.
  
  

Psychology & Spiritual Growth

• Abraham Maslow, Toward a Psychology of Being (1968) – Expands his Hierarchy of Needs to include self-actualization and transcendence. Discussion from the Journal of Humanistic Psychology: https://www.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/journal-of-humanistic-psychology

• Richard Rohr, Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life (2011) – A Christian contemplative perspective on spiritual development in mid-life and beyond. Center for Action and Contemplation: https://cac.org/
  
  

Multi-Faith and Non-Dogmatic Approaches

• **Unitarian Universalist Association, Faithful Journeys: UU Faith Development – A fluid, non-dogmatic model of faith as an evolving journey. https://www.uua.org/re/tapestry

• Thich Nhat Hanh, The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching (1998) – Buddhist perspectives on growth, suffering, and awakening. Plum Village: https://plumvillage.org/

• Ram Dass, Paths to God: Living the Bhagavad Gita (2004) – A guide to spiritual development inspired by Hindu traditions. https://www.ramdass.org/

  myjewishlearning.com has a solid overview article on Kabbalah origins that explains the sefirot as ten emanations representing an intermediate stage between God and creation, rooted in the Zohar. https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/kabbalah-origins-of-a-spiritual-adventure/

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Mystical & Esoteric Perspectives

• The Enneagram Institute, The Wisdom of the Enneagram (1999) – A framework for understanding psychological and spiritual development through the Enneagram. https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/

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  matthewponak.com (Dec 2025), thoughtful, accessible article called “The Ten Sefirot Explained” that describes the sefirot as “stages of upward spiritual experience along a seeker’s path — though not necessarily in a linear order.” This one is notably honest about the non-linear nature of the sefirot, which matters (see flag below). https://matthewponak.com/2025/12/03/the-ten-sefirot-explained-a-clear-guide-to-the-kabbalistic-tree-of-life/

• OBOD (Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids), Druid Mysteries: Ancient Wisdom for the 21st Century (2002) – A structured approach to spiritual growth within modern Druidry. https://druidry.org/

This Heart of Sacred Tending series is ©2026 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 ©2026 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

Mysticism and Spiritual Tending

Mysticism and Spiritual Direction

Mysticism—the direct experience of ultimate reality—has shaped spiritual traditions worldwide. Whether through Christian contemplation, Sufi ecstatic prayer, Pagan nature communion, Indigenous vision quests, or Religious Naturalism’s awe-filled connection with the cosmos, mysticism offers seekers a way of knowing beyond words or doctrine.

For many seekers, mystical experiences arise unbidden—sudden moments of insight, deep communion with nature, or transcendent unity. Spiritual direction provides companionship for exploring these experiences, helping seekers integrate insights, navigate challenges, and discern meaning within their traditions or personal paths.

Wenzel Hablik "Starry Night" 1909 Photo by JR CC2.0

Mysticism Across Traditions

Merriam-Webster defines mysticism as direct communion with the ultimate—a concept deeply resonant across traditions:

• Christian Mysticism: Figures like St. Teresa of Avila describe a journey of divine intimacy through prayer and ecstatic visions. [See also this post on St Teresa of Avila: https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/03/sttheresa-of-avila-duende-and-spiritual.html]
• Pagan Mysticism: As Michael York explores, Pagan traditions embrace an immanent, pantheistic unity, where mystical ecstasy arises from full engagement with the world.
• Sufi Mysticism: The poetry of Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī and the teachings of Sufism emphasize love, longing, and self-transcendence in union with the divine.
• Buddhist Mysticism: Dzogchen and Zen traditions cultivate direct realization of reality beyond conceptual thought.
• Indigenous Mysticism: Vision quests and shamanic journeys connect individuals with spirit through encounters with the natural world.
• Religious Naturalism: As Jerome Stone describes, this path finds transcendence not beyond the world but in its profound interconnectedness.
• Jewish Mysticism: Kabbalah teaches that mystical insights reveal hidden dimensions of the divine within creation.
• Hindu Mysticism: The Advaita Vedanta tradition speaks of realizing non-duality—the self as one with Brahman.

See also this post on the roots of spiritual direction: https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-roots-of-spiritual-direction-desert.html 

Mysticism is Not Required: A Broad Approach to Spiritual Direction

While mysticism offers profound experiences of connection and insight, it is not the only—or even a necessary—path for deep spiritual growth. Spiritual direction is about accompanying seekers on their unique journeys, whether or not they encounter mystical states or desire them.

For some, meaning arises not from transcendent unity but from embodied presence, ethical living, or engagement with the world’s beauty and suffering. Animists may experience relationship with a richly populated world of spirits, ancestors, and land beings, rather than a singular divine unity. Atheists and humanists may find the sacred in human connection, creativity, or the awe of existence itself. Others may simply feel no call toward mystical experience and still live deeply meaningful spiritual lives.

A seeker’s journey is no less profound for lacking visions, ecstasies, or ineffable encounters. Nor does a spiritual director need to be a mystic to be an effective companion. What matters is presence, deep listening, and a willingness to engage with the mystery of each person’s unfolding path.

Spiritual direction welcomes all ways of knowing, from the intellectual to the intuitive, from ritual practice to relational care. The mystic’s ecstatic visions and the skeptic’s grounded ethics are equally honored. As companions, we hold space for whatever emerges—whether it is luminous or ordinary, transcendent or deeply human.

See also this post on The Heart of Spiritual Direction: https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-heart-of-spiritual-direction.html 

Mystic Secret Nature by Daniel Arrhakis (2016) CC2.0

The Path from Ego to Universe: Ken Wilber’s No Boundary

Ken Wilber, in No Boundary, describes a continuum of expanding identity—from the isolated ego to an all-encompassing sense of unity. Many mystical traditions echo this progression, though seekers may experience it differently:

1. I am ego – The narrowest sense of identity, where we experience ourselves as isolated individuals.
2. I am my body – Recognizing our body as part of our identity rather than something we “have.”
3. I am my relationships – Seeing the self as deeply connected to family, community, and social systems.
4. I am all life – Expanding identity to include all living beings, fostering deep compassion.
5. I am the universe – The mystical realization that there is no boundary between self and all existence, leading to experiences of oneness, transcendence, and deep peace.

Spiritual direction can support seekers in recognizing these shifts and integrating mystical insights into everyday life, preventing fragmentation or detachment.

See also this post on Peak Experiences: https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/03/holding-light-peak-experiences.html

Entheogenic Mystical Experiences

Many cultures have used entheogens—psychoactive substances that induce mystical states—as part of spiritual practice:

• Indigenous traditions: Peyote, ayahuasca, and psilocybin mushrooms have long been used for vision quests and healing.
• Ancient Greece: The Eleusinian Mysteries may have involved kykeon, a psychoactive brew facilitating transcendent encounters.
• Contemporary research: Studies on psilocybin and LSD suggest these substances can induce profound mystical experiences, often described as ego dissolution and oneness with the cosmos.

For those exploring or reflecting on such experiences, spiritual direction offers a space to process insights, discern ethical applications, and integrate them into daily life. [See also this post on entheogens: tba]

Sandpiper Village Sunset Waldport Oregon photo by H Post

Spiritual Direction and the Mystic’s Path

Mystical experiences can be overwhelming, isolating, or difficult to articulate. Many hesitate to share them, fearing misunderstanding. Here, spiritual direction provides a space to process these experiences, find ethical grounding, and integrate them into daily life. [See also this post on companioning unexplainable spiritual experiences:https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/02/companioning-unexplainable-spirituality.html]

A director helps seekers explore questions such as:

• How does this experience fit within my tradition or worldview?
• What practices support deepening or sustaining mystical awareness?
• How do I live ethically and compassionately in light of this experience?

Mysticism remains an open invitation—to awe, transformation, and a deeper knowing beyond words. Whether your journey leads through luminous visions, quiet moments of presence, or the simple unfolding of daily life, spiritual direction offers companionship along the way.

No seeker journeys alone. In the presence of a compassionate listener, mystical experiences can be honored, grounded, and integrated. Even when words fail, meaning can emerge in reflection, practice, and community. And for those who do not seek mysticism, spiritual direction still welcomes the depth of their questions, the richness of their traditions, and the sacredness of their ordinary lives.

Whatever your path, may you travel it with wonder, integrity, and the assurance that you are held in mystery and love.

Beloved, you are whole, holy, and worthy,

Rev. Amy

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For Further Exploration

• Mysticism for All: Everyday Mysticism – A Catholic perspective, resonant across traditions. traditions. https://ost.edu/mysticism-for-all-everyday-mysticism/
• Michael York, Pagan Mysticism – Examining Pagan and Comparative Mystical Thought. Quote: “Immanuel Kant prefers contemplation over the pursuit of sensual pleasure since it reputedly allows access to the supersensible and the transcendent design of nature. For a pagan, by contrast, reality is implicitly a pantheistic unity rather than either a Cartesian duality of matter (res extensa) and consciousness (res cogitans) or what Stephan Palmquist allows as a Kantian hierarchy between the noumenal and phenomenal.”
• Jerome Stone, Religious Naturalism article: http://faculty.uml.edu/rinnis/2000_stone_2_1.pdf
• Ken Wilber, No Boundary – Levels of self-awareness and mystical unity.
• Fr. Thomas Merton - A biography https://www.spiritualtravels.info/spiritual-sites-around-the-world/north-america/kentucky-a-thomas-merton-tour/thomas-mertons-biography/ 
• Howard Thurman - Meditations and teachings from Howard Thurman can be found here.  http://archives.bu.edu/web/howard-thurman/virtual-listening-room 
• Ann Taves, Religious Experience Reconsidered – Examines how mystical experiences are shaped by culture and interpretation. 

Books & Articles:

• William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience – A classic psychological and philosophical study of mysticism. (Public domain: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/621)
• Evelyn Underhill, Mysticism: A Study in the Nature and Development of Spiritual Consciousness – An early but still widely respected study of mysticism across traditions.
• Ralph Waldo Emerson, The Over-Soul – A Transcendentalist take on mystical unity with the divine. (Public domain: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16643)
• Mirabai Starr, God of Love: A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – Explores mystical traditions within the Abrahamic faiths.
• Richard Rohr, The Naked Now: Learning to See as the Mystics See – A modern Christian approach to mystical awareness.
• Andrew Harvey, The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism – Links mysticism with social justice.

Additional Perspectives on Mysticism Across Traditions:

• Reynold Nicholson, The Mystics of Islam – A classic introduction to Sufi mysticism.
• D.T. Suzuki, Mysticism: Christian and Buddhist – A Zen Buddhist perspective on mystical experience.
• Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep – Explores Tibetan Buddhist mystical practices.

A diverse sample of mystical experience stories

(Note: Some sources contain disputed interpretations—critical engagement is encouraged.)

• Jane Goodall https://web.archive.org/web/20210614220615/https://imere.org/content/mystical-experience-jane-goodall-phd
• Amma https://web.archive.org/web/20210618045908/https://www.imere.org/content/mystical-experience-mata-amritanandamayi
• Martin Buber https://web.archive.org/web/20210614213844/https://imere.org/content/mystical-experience-martin-buber
• Barbara Ehrenreich https://web.archive.org/web/20210614214400/https://imere.org/content/mystical-experience-barbara-ehrenreich
• Black Elk https://web.archive.org/web/20210614221255/https://imere.org/content/mystical-experience-black-elk (N.B. the biographer here is not reliable, much is hearsay.)
• Jianzhi Sengcan https://web.archive.org/web/20210614221255/https://imere.org/content/mystical-experience-jianzhi-sengcan
• Walt Whitman https://web.archive.org/web/20210614221255/https://imere.org/content/mystical-experience-walt-whitman

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