5.) The Four Phases of Spiritual Development

Scott Peck was an American psychotherapist. He deviated from the framework of his peers by taking interest in the influence of spiritual and religious life on the human psyche. He became so engrossed with this issue that he began researching it systematically. The conclusion of his research was that every human being undergoes four phases of spiritual development.

Peck made an interesting observation, one which eluded an easy explanation. A common occurrence among his clients after the end of therapy was that hardened Christians became atheists, whilst unbending non-believers turned into deeply religious people.

His research ultimately culminated into the theory of the four phases. On that note it is worth mentioning that the phase of spiritual development has nothing to do with one’s degree of education, nor with a person’s religious believes or lack thereof.

The first phase is chaotic - asocial. These people behave selfishly. They are concerned with only themselves. They can be criminals, junkies, “the scum of the earth”, just like unscrupulous politicians or businessmen. The people to whom nothing is “sacred”, those who will resort to anything for personal gain.

The second phase is formal - institutional. When an asocial person enters this phase, they “mend their ways”. That is likely why priests routinely find success in working with criminals or prostitutes. This phase is characterized by the need to associate oneself with a group or institution, to belong somewhere. If the person in this phase is religious, they will focus on adhering to the external rules and doctrines of their church, but the true inner essence of spirituality will be lost on them. Of course, this type of person does not necessarily have to conduct themselves only within the church, it can just as well be a political party or a firm of some sort. The transition from the second into the third phase would be the case of a hardened Christian who became an atheist.

The third phase is sceptical - individual. In it, a person develops their critical thinking and questions the generally accepted truths. As though they believe nothing and cast doubt on everything. The positive is that in this phase, one grows capable of leaving their former certainties behind, those afforded to him by some quondam system of established values. They begin to search for their own self, for the meaning of their life. The transition from the third into the fourth phase signifies that an atheist has become a spiritual person.

The fourth phase is mystical - communal. In this final stage, the individual has found themself, as they have found their personal connection to God (or the Universum, spirituality, a broader sense - such an individual does not need to be a believer in the religious sense). As a spiritually mature person, they are able to think about the well-being of others and create a real community with them. It follows, among other things, that only spiritually mature individuals are capable of creating a fairer society.