“What is at stake here is the tendency for human beings to have spirituality without God. That’s most often the present occupation, or what goes by the name spirituality, but it lacks true transformational power. This is why we talk about actual formation of His Life in people, true christian spirituality is a way of union, that leads to incarnation ethics! One cannot self generate spiritual growth, it grows from authentic relationship.” Dallas Willard.

True spirituality from a christ-centered perspective, is Him making us more of who we really are by baptizing us into His Actual Name and Life, as He forms more of Himself into more of who we really are! We become our true selves by losing our false selves, as Merton might put it. We take off the old person and put on the new person actively, as St Paul put it. We find our names by entering more deeply into the Life of the Namer. That’s a way of true identity offered in Christ-ianity. In some sense, He is making us more of who He is, and in that process our own white stone room names get revealed over time, even to ourselves!

I often return to my pet life topics: spiritual growth, integration of identity and creativity, and authentic spirituality, and useful counseling. I like collecting them from all over, whoever moves in wisdom, or the truer spirituality of their own traditions. Love collecting quotes around these topics. I’ve got a whole box full!