Tag Archives: ego
Leaving the Garden
Sin: Symptom of Separation Leaving the Garden Wednesday, August 23, 2017 Now let’s look at “The Fall,” as we usually refer to the pivotal event described in Genesis 3. The Fall is not simply something that happened in one historical moment to one archetypal couple, Adam and Eve. It happens in all moments and lives. Read More »
Being Your True Self
Sin: Symptom of Separation Being Your True Self Monday, August 21, 2017 It would be absurd to suggest that someone go into a room she is already in! —Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582) [1] “Sin” primarily describes a state of living outside of union, when the part poses as the Whole. It’s the loss of any Read More »
The Illusion of Our False Self
True Self and False Self: Week 2 The Illusion of Our False Self Tuesday, August 15, 2017 Guest writer and CAC faculty member James Finley continues exploring insights on the true self and false self that he gleaned from Thomas Merton. In the following text, Merton makes clear that the self-proclaimed autonomy of the false Read More »
Discovering Self in Discovering God
True Self and False Self: Week 2 Discovering Self in Discovering God Monday, August 14, 2017 Guest writer and CAC faculty member James Finley continues exploring insights on the true self and false self that he gleaned from Thomas Merton. For Merton, the spiritual life is a journey in which we discover ourselves in discovering Read More »
Our Ultimate Identity
True Self and False Self: Week 2 Our Ultimate Identity Sunday, August 13, 2017 Thomas Merton (1915-1968) developed wonderful insights into the true self and false self. James Finley, one of CAC’s core faculty members, lived and prayed with Merton for six years at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky. This week Jim shares some Read More »
Renouncing the World
True Self and False Self: Week 1 Renouncing the World Tuesday, August 8, 2017 The New Testament often uses the word world to speak of the corporate false self. “World” used in this way is not speaking of creation, the planet, or nature, but what we might call “the system.” Unfortunately, many Christians are enamored Read More »
What Is the False Self?
True Self and False Self: Week 1 What Is the False Self? Monday, August 7, 2017 Your egoic false self is who you think you are, but your thinking does not make it true. Your false self is a social and mental construct to get you started on your life journey. It is a set Read More »
Metamorphosis of Consciousness
Path of Descent Metamorphosis of Consciousness Friday, August 4, 2017 Today James Finley, one of CAC’s core faculty members, reflects on how hard it is for our ego to surrender to the path of descent, the transformative process. In meditation, our customary, ego-based ways of experiencing ourselves are yielding and giving way to more interior, Read More »
Action and Contemplation
Contemplation in Action: Week 1 Action and Contemplation Monday, June 26, 2017 The words action and contemplation have become classic Christian terminology for the two dancing polarities of our lives. Thomas Aquinas and many others stated that the highest form of spiritual maturity is not action or contemplation, but the ability to integrate the two Read More »
An Economy of Grace
Law and Grace An Economy of Grace Tuesday, May 23, 2017 God’s freely given grace is a humiliation to the ego because free gifts say nothing about being strong, superior, or moral. Thus only the soul can understand grace, never the mind or the ego. The ego does not know how to receive things freely Read More »
