In Fr. Rohr’s fourth stage of spiritual development, he describes the Christian model of incarnation: that Jesus lived on earth in a human body. Ann and Debo help us understand this phase, describing how liberating it can be to fully experience ourselves in our own bodies. As we turn inwards into ourselves, we grow beyond just the doctrine of the church and begin having a real-life inner experience of the Holy Spirit.

Ultimately, during this exploration we find limits within ourselves, and we meet our internal shadow self. In the fifth stage of spiritual development, we confront our weaknesses, limitations, and brokenness. As you become comfortable with stage 5, you free yourself from having to pretend.

Fr. Rohr calls the next stage, 6, “God’s waiting room.” After confronting our flaws, we come to grips with our own self’s limitation in our ability to achieve perfect spiritual love.

Hear more from Richard Rohr and Sr. Joan Chittister by purchasing “The Human Spirit and The Times We Live In”, a Faith And Reason seminar series resource.

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