The Experience Of Insight

As I listened to an episode of Insytworks while on the road yesterday, Robin and Suzanne reminded me of an author who was critical to my own spiritual development - M. Scott Peck.

Dr. Peck is best known for his amazing and foundational book "The Road Less Traveled."

He described a continuum of spiritual growth which is s a useful way of understanding why people behave the way they do, and a good tool for one's own development as well.

The four stages of growth are the "chaotic-antisocial," the "formal-institutional," the "skeptical-individual" and finally, the "mystic-communal" where one transcends the need for either blind faith or absolute proof, intuitively sensing patterns, connections and order in the natural world and in our lives which reflect a deep spirituality and purpose. It is here that we not only "find our place" but also begin to recognize it.

This mere listing of the stages obviously cannot do justice to Dr. Peck's ideas. If your interest has been peaked, I would encourage you to read some of his work.



I do remember the moment some years ago when The Mystic hit me square between the eyeballs. It was shortly after my mother passed from this life. I had been doing the hard, frustrating and often downright terrifying internal work of developing my spiritually for several years. It all came together one day as I was driving to a meeting for work. I can't remember specifically what triggered it, but I remember powerful feelings of profound peace, communion and surrender suddenly washing over me. As tears rolled down my cheeks, I had to pull to the side of the road and regain my composure before continuing to my destination.

I remember the sense of being very much in the presence of my departed mother, and feeling reassured that everything was as it should be. I believe that this is something we Catholics call "The Communion of Saints."

Insight arrived in an instant, and nothing has ever been the same for me. It became impossible from that moment to look at our world, my fellow travelers and our situations in the same way as before. I realize that this sounds both odd and vague, but it is difficult to describe any further, except to say that I am certain that the experience made me more compassionate by a factor which I would be unable to measure.

I view this moment of grace not as an "arrival," but as another (albeit significant) orientation point on a lifelong journey toward conversion.

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