Transformation Through Spiritual Process

To renew yourself, die to the old every day. Jesus spoke about death as a prelude to resurrection, and he also spoke about the need to be born again. Christian doctrine has focused almost entirely on trusting in the resurrection of Jesus as a sign that every soul will be resurrected one day. But when he said, “You must be born from above,” Jesus put the emphasis on transformation in this lifetime, not some faraway future.

Being born from above means a rebirth in spirit. Some individuals may be able to organize their spiritual life around one dramatic breakthrough, but for most, spiritual rebirth is a process akin to the long process that causes people to mature psychologically.

The spiritual process brings transformation steadily, one step at a time, yet the overall result is dramatic. One’s attachment to the ego and its belief in separation, including the ultimate separation of death, is being jettisoned.

If being born again is a process, you can contribute to it every day. In fact, this is the only viable way to creatively shape the spiritual path so that it belongs to you personally. From Jesus’ perspective, however, none of these labels is the true you; they distract from the reality that you are spirit embodied in flesh.

If you wanted to, you could redefine yourself every day. As the fixed self gives way to a dynamic, fluid self that is open to the unknown, freedom dawns. In that freedom, you go beyond death by discovering that you encompass life and death in a state of pure Being.

The external influences aren’t the real you, and until you go through the process of detaching yourself from old definitions, you cannot confront the unknown. Everything new that comes your way winds up passing through a filtering process until it fits your likes and dislikes, social status, income, education level, and so on.

Spiritual experience is unfiltered; it comes directly and spontaneously.

Adapted from The Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot Ignore, by Deepak Chopra (Harmony Books, 2008).

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Yulan L.

3:43PM PDT on May 29, 2012

Thanking you.

May 29
send a green star

Brenda T.

5:30AM PDT on Mar 31, 2012

Thankyou Deepak for sharing your wisdom.

March 31
send a green star

Mari G.

7:31PM PDT on Mar 30, 2012

i love the spin on jesus's teachings

March 30
send a green star

Alicia N.

10:36AM PDT on Aug 15, 2011

interesting article, thanks

August 15
send a green star

Past Member .

5:57AM PDT on Aug 12, 2011

To me, personally, this is the cornerstone of any and all growth ... the one sustainable that will never let you down ... hang on, keep yourself open, grow to find the peace and happiness available to you ... which can then be passed on to others.

August 12
send a green star

KS G.

5:40AM PDT on Jun 23, 2011

Thanks for the article.

June 23
send a green star

heather g.

1:25AM PDT on May 24, 2011

This sums up Deepak's message perfectly :

"Everything new that comes your way winds up passing through a filtering process until it fits your likes and dislikes, social status, income, education level, and so on.
Spiritual experience is unfiltered; it comes directly and spontaneously."

Thank you .......