Transformation and the Spiritual Journey
IntroductionFor each person, the spiritual journey is complex and unique. There can be periods of heightened awareness and periods of lengthy dryness. This paper attempts to lay out the landscape of a spiritual journey in a way that enables the reader to reflect upon their own journey. In a spiritual sense, transformation is the ongoing process by which a person is changed at the deepest level of their being, becoming more fully aligned with God, truth, love, and their authentic self. It is not simply a change in behaviour or beliefs, but a change in identity, perception, and way of living. Transformation is not only personal but communal and cosmic. A transformed person is drawn to participate in the transformation of families, communities, society, and care for the whole of creation. In this understanding, spiritual growth naturally expresses itself in compassion and action for justice. Are you settled or seeking?A sense of uncertainty runs through much of the discussion on faith and spirituality these days. Are you settled or seeking? Many of us were raised as children within a faith tradition. Our lives began in security, the certainty of a spirituality and theology that enveloped all our activities, comings and goings, and relationships. It framed and defined our worlds. Somehow, somewhere along the way, questions began to arise that did not have easy answers. We felt a restlessness, hunger, a sense that something was missing or deeply desired. Rather than having a settled sense of belief, belonging, and direction, many of us live somewhere else: seeking something we can’t quite name, unsettled by a hunger we don’t know what to do with, aware that the old answers don’t quite fit anymore but not yet sure what does. This is the honest starting point for transformation. We became seekers, on the move.  Personal Agency EmergesIf we were fortunate, we found someone or something that helped make sense of the search - a person, a community, a text, a moment of insight, a relationship. We found ourselves on a threshold - a place of decision. What must be let go of to move forward? Or what must be taken on? What is to be changed? Decisions are needed – usually a succession of small choices but occasionally a larger decision. It could be a slow realisation of the truth about ourselves or a momentous occasion. Either way it seldom restores the former security. Instead, it leads to further growth. And growth is unpredictable. During this period of uncertainty, one clear decision is made. We decide that it is not enough to simply accept what we are told by our parents or religious authorities. We begin to develop personal agency and decide that we must seek our own truth. This is a big breakthrough in the spiritual journey. Transformation follows. A new person with a new spirit emerges. The Pattern of ChangeRichard Rohr uses a simple mental model to describe transformative change. It involves three stages: order, disorder and reorder [1]. At the first stage of Order, we feel innocent and safe. Everything is basically good. We avoid any confusion, conflict, inconsistencies, or suffering. We accept what we have been told and resist change. At some point in our lives, we will be deeply disappointed by what we were originally taught, by where our choices have led us, or by the seemingly random tragedies that take place in all our lives. This is the Disorder stage. As our accepted beliefs crumble, some choose to give up and decide that “there is no universal order,” or at least no order to which they will submit. Others seek solid ground with beliefs that make more sense and are compatible with the world that they experience. Only in the final Reorder stage can darkness and light coexist, can paradox be okay. This is true and contemplative knowing. Here death is a part of life, and failure is a part of victory. Opposites collide and unite, and everything belongs. Developing Awareness and Inner AuthorityTransformation is not an ending, but a new way of being present - to God, to others, to yourself - on the far side of letting go. This isn’t a technique for producing a spiritual experience. It’s about developing awareness - a way of paying attention to a pattern that may already be unfolding in your life. It doesn’t ask you to arrive at certainty. It asks you to notice your own desire - and follow where it leads. Here, inner authority is valued more highly than external authority. Desire is a word worth sitting with. Many of us grew up with the language of external calling, obligation, or a vocation handed down from outside. Desire is interior: the deep, often quiet, sometimes disruptive longing that is already present within you, waiting to be noticed rather than assigned. We should take desire seriously as a starting point - not “What are you supposed to want,” but “What do you actually desire, and what might that desire be pointing toward?” Transcend and IncludeKen Wilber uses the phrase “transcend and include” to describe one of his central ideas about transformation. It expresses the idea that authentic growth does not reject or destroy what came before; rather, it goes beyond it while preserving its enduring value. Richard Rohr uses the same phrase to describe the movement from an ego-centred life to a God-centred life. We begin with rules and external authority. As we mature, we discover compassion, paradox, and contemplation. We don’t abandon morality or Scripture; rather, we understand them more deeply. Jesus as Role ModelThe ultimate pattern is clearest in Jesus – preaching, suffering, dying and rising followed by the coming of the Spirit. Jesus critiqued his Jewish heritage and tradition. Whenever Torah observance interfered with or inhibited human flourishing Jesus set it aside. Jesus consistently sided with the prophetic concern for human suffering against Levitical demands for religious observance. He chose inner authority (derived from knowledge of his Father) over external authority. That transformation is present in all of us. We can achieve it through awareness and personal agency, guided by Jesus’ example and the Holy Spirit. ConclusionSpiritual transformation is the journey from living primarily for the self to living from love—becoming increasingly open to God, more compassionate toward others, and more faithful to our deepest calling. It is a constant challenge and a lifelong journey.
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Footnotes
See CAC Meditation Order, Disorder, Reorder 25 August 2024
Reflection questions
Can you recall a time when you began to question the beliefs that were handed down to you by your parents or religious authorities? Did this unsettle you?
Does the shift from external authority to internal authority resonate with your experience?
What does the expression "transcend and include" mean to you? Can you think of an example within your own experience?
FAQs
What does "transformation" mean in a spiritual sense?
It's the ongoing process by which a person changes at the deepest level of their being, becoming more fully aligned with God, truth, love, and their authentic self. It's not just a change in behaviour or beliefs, but a shift in identity, perception, and way of living.
What's the difference between being "settled" and being "seeking"?
Many people begin life settled within a faith tradition that frames and defines their world with security and certainty. Over time, unanswerable questions and a nameless restlessness or hunger can emerge, leaving the old answers feeling like they no longer fit. Becoming a "seeker" — unsettled but honestly searching — is described as the honest starting point for transformation.
What role does "personal agency" play in the spiritual journey?
At some point, a person reaches a threshold of decision — what to let go of, what to take on, what needs to change. The key breakthrough is deciding it's not enough to simply accept what parents or religious authorities say; instead, the person takes responsibility for seeking their own truth. This decision to develop personal agency is described as a major turning point that leads to a "new person with a new spirit."
What is the difference between "inner authority" and "external authority"?
External authority is following rules, obligations, or callings handed down from outside. Inner authority means valuing one's own noticed desire and awareness over externally imposed direction. The paper frames desire as an interior, sometimes quiet or disruptive longing already present within a person, waiting to be noticed rather than assigned.
What does Ken Wilber's phrase "transcend and include" mean?
It describes authentic growth as something that goes beyond a previous stage without rejecting or destroying its value — you move forward while preserving what was worthwhile in what came before. Richard Rohr uses it to describe the movement from an ego-centred life to a God-centred life: beginning with rules and external authority, then maturing into compassion, paradox, and contemplation — without abandoning morality or Scripture, but understanding them more deeply.
How is Jesus presented as the model for this pattern of transformation?
Jesus's life pattern — preaching, suffering, dying, rising, and the coming of the Spirit — is presented as the clearest example. He critiqued his own Jewish tradition, setting aside Torah observance whenever it interfered with human flourishing, and consistently sided with prophetic concern for human suffering over Levitical religious demands. This is framed as Jesus choosing inner authority (from knowledge of his Father) over external authority.
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About the Authors
Kevin Liston
Kevin is a Co-chair of C.A.C. (Council of Australasian Catholics (formerly ACCCR - Australasian Catholic Coalition for Church Reform), Convener of SACEC (SA Catholics for an Evolving Church), a State Council member of St Vincent de Paul Society (SA) and is active in a local Vinnies conference. He contributed to this article in a personal capacity.
John Scoble
John's journey began in the heart of a traditional Roman Catholic family in Sydney, where he was raised with steadfast faith and reverence. Now residing in the serene surroundings of St Lucia, Brisbane, alongside his beloved wife, John finds solace and inspiration in the tranquil rhythms of life. With four adult children and a cherished grandchild also calling Brisbane home, John's family is his anchor, providing love, support, and a sense of belonging.
While spirituality has always been a cornerstone of his life, it was three transformative events in 2012, including a sacred pilgrimage to the Holy Lands, that ignited a profound shift in John's spiritual trajectory. Embracing retirement as an opportunity for deeper exploration, John immersed himself in extensive reading and soulful reflection.
Over the course of a decade, this journey of self-discovery has led John to reevaluate and transcend many of his traditional beliefs, embracing instead the timeless wisdom and cosmic perspective inherent in Christianity. Influenced by luminaries such as St. Francis of Assisi, St. Teresa of Avila, and Richard Rohr, John's spiritual evolution has been marked by a deepening resonance with the essential truths of his faith and a profound connection to the divine unfolding within and around him.
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