SPIRITUAL FORMATION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN 1

Spiritual Formation Across the Lifespan

VARAH SIEDLECKI

Liberty University
SPIRITUAL FORMATION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN 2

Abstract

Spirituality is often confused with morality, faith, values, ethics and religion; Often no

distinction or differentiation is made between the cultural/societal constructs or aspects of human

development and spirituality. Categorical definition of terms is necessary before postulating a

definitive perspective on the empirical evidence of spirituality and the developmental stages of

life. The emphasis will be to define terms so as to advance an understanding of spiritual growth

and development, and determine whether spiritual formation lends itself to the scientific method

of empirical, objective analysis.

Keywords: spirituality, empirical measure, developmental stages, scientific method, objective

analysis
SPIRITUAL FORMATION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN 3

Spiritual Formation Across the Lifespan

For the purpose of this research paper the terms: spirituality, spiritual and Spirit as

pertaining to spiritual formation, will be distinguished as separate from the many parallel aspects

of human development (faith, morals, values, ethics and religion). For contextual perspective,

spiritual formation is defined as first and foremost a process. It is a process by which a person

comes to resolve the three-fold mystery of origin, being and destiny. It is the sacred intangible,

interior conscious, unconscious and preconscious growth and development that culminates in the

discovery of an individual’s ultimate essence and purpose.

To wit, spiritual formation is the experiential process of perfecting divine natural

attributes (DNA) during the course and lifespan of a conscious being. Spiritual formation is a

holistic process, involving the mind, intellect, heart, body, soul, will, senses, emotions and

behavior of the individual. It is a process, intimately personal and profoundly inseparable from

the ubiquitous unseen realms of reality; It is a universal experience, “it is a process that happens

to everyone…Terrorists as well as saints” (Dallas, 2002).

A principal distinction between ‘spiritual formation’ and the parallel aspects of human

development of faith, morals, values, ethics and religion, is that the latter are social and/or

cultural constructs; Whereas the former is not a construct, but rather a process. From a secular

psychological perspective, “spiritual formation is a rather general term referring to all attempts,

means, instruction, and disciplines intended towards deepening of faith…” (May, 1992). It is

considered a construct to develop and further the capacity of moral or ethical reasoning, or

cognitive growth within a social, religious and personal context, which includes educational

endeavors as well as the more intimate and in-depth experience of immaterial realities that lead

to the “discovery of the deepest values and meanings by which people live.” (Sheldrake, 2007)
SPIRITUAL FORMATION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN 4

Most theorists and researchers suggest that “spiritual development” does not begin until

the years of adolescence and young adulthood, with the exception of Piaget and Fowler, who

included stages of development beginning at birth. Piaget postulated in his Theory of Cognitive

Development that moral development began when children learned games with rules, which he

connected with concrete operational thought at about age 7 (Piaget, 1977). Kohlberg’s three

levels and six stages of moral reasoning parallel Piaget’s stages of cognitive development, yet

both neglect to address ‘spiritual’ development, but rather focus on moral development prior to

young adulthood. Erikson explores the adolescent religious belief systems as part of the four

arenas of identity structure (Erikson, 1956), which is integral to understanding life-span

development, but like Piaget and Kohlberg, Erikson fails to address spiritual development, and

maintains a focus on religious belief systems. Building on the work of Piaget, Erikson and

Kohlberg, Fowler ushers in the six stages of faith (Fowler, 1981), describing the ‘spiritual’

struggles of emerging adulthood. Fowler also proposes a "Primal or Undifferentiated" faith

(birth to 2 years), which mirrors Piaget’s theory of development from birth. Fowler’s six stages

of faith is a more holistic approach to ‘spiritual’ formation, however it is limited to the activities

of trust, assumptions and personal relatedness.

All these theories have a tremendous influence and provide insights of modern

psychosocial development. Each respectively focuses on the development of moral reasoning,

religious beliefs and the development of faith relational to cognitive function, intelligence,

development of self-awareness, egocentrism and autonomy within the context of psychosocial

behaviorism – all of which are aspects of human development. It is imperative that one

recognizes that these aspects of human development are not synonymous with spirituality:

morality is not spirituality, religion is not spirituality, faith is not spirituality, inasmuch as
SPIRITUAL FORMATION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN 5

cognitive function, intelligence, self-awareness, egocentrism and autonomy are not spirituality.

Qualitative differences are most definitive in that: morality is the principles concerning the

distinction between right and wrong, it is a particular system of values held by a person or

society; Religion is a particular system of faith and worship, a pursuit or interest, which one

subscribes to as part of a cultural system of beliefs; Faith is a complete trust or confidence in

someone or something, a strong belief in the doctrines of religion based on apprehension rather

than proof. All these aspects of human development are, as previously stated, social or cultural

constructs; They are not a comprehensive reflection of the essential qualities of ‘spiritual’

formation by which a person comes to resolve the three-fold mystery of origin, being and

destiny, which culminates in the discovery of an individual’s ultimate essence and purpose.

To understand the comprehensive, holistic perspective of ‘spiritual’ formation across the

lifespan it is imperative to keep in mind how Spirit, spirituality, and spiritual realities differ from

the constructs of social or cultural human development. Spiritual formation is the process by

which, the sacred, animating life-giving principle imbued within humanity by an unfathomable,

divine creator - the originating cause – unfolds. Spiritual formation is the process by which,

Spirit, the unseen hand, the non-quantifiable substance or energy present in all creation operates.

It is the process by which Spirit orchestrates and sustains life; Ergo spiritual formation is the

unfolding process that manifests as the effect of the originating cause, culminating in the

discovery of an individual’s ultimate essence and purpose.

The life process begins in the womb and ends at the moment of physical death, when the

animating Spirit life force departs. Throughout the ever-changing life cycle of spiritual

formation, “People everywhere…need spiritual belonging, to make life meaningful and

bearable” (Tacey, 2006). From the spiritual, all dimension of life, social and cultural constructs
SPIRITUAL FORMATION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN 6

evolve. The Spirit life-force-energy is the principle “integrating force for the other hierarchically

arranged dimensions of human life: physical, biological, psychological and psychosocial”

(Culliford, 2002). Life is a spiritual construct; all else is the effect of spiritual realities.

Without spirituality, life is void of all that is beautiful, sacred or profound. When the spirit of

man comes to understand his or her spirituality from a divine perspective rather than a secular

social or cultural context, life takes on deeper meaning. There is a comfort and assurance, a sense

of belonging, in acknowledging the sacred, divine, sustaining, hand of our Maker, the “hand that

formed us in the womb” (Psalm 119:73).

The human life experience begins at conception. Seven weeks, or forty-nine days after

conception, within the developing fetus the pineal gland becomes visible. This is nearly exactly

the moment at which the first indication of gender can be determined, gender being the first stage

of individual identity. “Before this time, the sex of the fetus is indeterminate or unknown. Thus,

the pineal gland and the most important differentiation of humanity, male and female gender,

appear at the same time” (Strassman, 2001).

The pineal gland sits deep within the center of the brain, strategically surrounded by the

highly specialized sensory and perceptual brain centers (visual and auditory colliculi), and the

limbic system (emotional brain), whose structures are intimately involved in the experience of

feelings, and emotions such as joy, rage, fear, anxiety and pleasure – all spiritual attributes.

Though not actually part of the brain the pineal has direct access to the brain’s emotional and

sensory centers, and is in direct proximity to cerebrospinal fluid channels, which provides pineal

secretions easy access to the brain’s deepest recesses. The pineal gland secretes DMT (di-

methyl-tryptamine), which is referred to as the “spirit molecule” (Strassman, 2001). Pineal DMT

“provides a vehicle to consciously experience the movement of life-force in it most extreme

SPIRITUAL FORMATION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN 7

manifestations” (Strassman, 2001) – it is the physical representation of non-material, energetic or

spiritual processes.

At forty-nine days, the Spirit life-force-energy begins stimulating the pineal gland to

secrete the first primordial flood of DMT (di-methyl-tryptamine) into the deep recesses of the

brain. At forty-nine days, gender first becomes evident and the fetus becomes an individual

identified by specific gender - becoming truly human. At this defining moment, forty-nine days

after conception, the pineal gland secretes the Spirit molecule DMT into the brain ushering in the

gender identity of the fetus; this could be considered as the debut of spiritual development - the

first stage of identity – the initiation of spiritual formation.

It is unknown whether the fetal infant is conscious of identity, but one might speculate

that if DMT “provides a vehicle to consciously experience the movement of life-force…”

(Strassman, 2001) then, perhaps the fetal infant is more aware than presently recognized. The

fundamental importance of pre-and peri-natal experiences in shaping the personality and

determining cognitive function has become the focus of the interdisciplinary study of prenatal

and peri-natal psychology. Whether the fetal infant may or may not be conscious of his or her

experiences is unknown; However, it is likely neurological, psychological or physiological

responses occur during gestation, which may have a lifelong influence on the multidimensional

development of the individual.

Whether physical, biological, psychological, psychosocial, conscious or unconscious, all

dimensions and stages of the life process are subject to internal and external influences. These

influences continue after birth, and through the stages of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood

within the hierarchically arranged dimensions of the biosocial, cognitive and psychosocial
SPIRITUAL FORMATION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN 8

domains. Cultural, historical and socio-economic context will respectively have its own

influence on the growth, development and spiritual formation of the individual, with the primary

influence always being Spirit life-force energy. Albert Einstein (1930) references the influence

of Spirit life force stating: “Everything is determined by forces over which we have no control. It

is determined for the insect as well as for the star. Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust—

we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper” (Einstein, 1930).

The ability to identify, measure and analyze the cause and effect relationship of life’s

influences could provide essential insights to further the understanding of spiritual formation and

growth across the lifespan. The two most significant moments of spiritual formation in an

individual’s life is the moment they are born and the moment they discover the purpose of their

birth. Resolving the three fold mystery of origin, being and destiny, culminating in the discovery

of an individual’s ultimate essence and purpose – is the apex of one’s lifespan. By integrating

science with spiritual principles a perfect convergence is formed, resulting in an unprecedented

and unparalleled ability to empirically measure concepts of being that translate into personal

reality.

The science of human development will benefit from recognizing that all aspects of

being, all form and function, originates from Spirit life-force-energy. “All matter originates and

exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to a specific frequency and

holds this most minute solar system of the atom together. We must assume behind this force the

existence of a conscious and intelligent mind. This mind is the matrix of all matter” (Max

Planck, 1944).
SPIRITUAL FORMATION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN 9

All creation, all matter, all forms and functions of life, animate and inanimate, every

thought, every emotion, every action, every concept, everything is a product of Spirit life-force-

energy. From the largest galaxies to the smallest microbe, everything is formed through the

energy process of ionization. It is possible to measure the ionization process of biological life,

utilizing the scientific ionization analysis method (IAM)1. It is possible to gain an objective

perspective of spiritual growth and formation by applying principles of physics, (i.e. Planck-

Einstein equation E=hv, and Einstein’s Theory of Relativity E=mc2) to biological life processes.

It is possible to measure the cause and effect relationship of spiritual formation, identifying

patterns of behavior, age and concepts of trauma, stress patterns, and frequency of occurrence;

the IAM provides a life map of the spiritual formation of the individual across the lifespan.

This is a comprehensive system of mathematical principles that allow for a new

understanding of the basis for biological life, how it develops and functions. If our lives are

going to develop to what we desire, if we are going to experience the “perfect” life, the “perfect”

love, the “perfect” reality, we must first know what “perfect” looks like. Our lives take on the

form and function based on the frequency of our being. To BE perfect, or DO perfect we must

first HAVE an understanding of what is perfect!

Every aspect of life is energy; There is a relation between energy and frequency (this

relation is called the Planck relation or the Planck-Einstein equation: E=hv). Frequency

determines form, and form determines function. Spiritual formation and function are no

exception - these can be measured using the ionization analysis method (IAM). This measure

affords the ability to see behind the veil of consciousness, and identify the patterns of energy that

create the form and function of our lives. This system is an empirical, scientific objective
SPIRITUAL FORMATION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN 10

analysis which can be utilized in ascertaining the spiritual development of an infant, child,

adolescent or adult regardless of age, faith, moral, religious, social, or cultural constructs.

Spiritual formation across the lifespan is a process that is distinct from, yet inclusive of

all the constructs of human development. In defining terms, we have gained a greater

understanding, and recognize that spiritual formation lends itself to the scientific method of

empirical, objective analysis. Using such an analysis provides insights that can lead to paradigm

shifts in consciousness and self-awareness that culminates in the discovery of an individual’s

ultimate essence and purpose.

At the end of life’s journey, just before the individual goes to meet their maker, the pineal

gland will once again flood the recesses of the brain with the Spirit molecule; and the animating

Spirit-life-force-energy, in same manner in which it came, will be ushered out of the body with

the last breath.

SPIRITUAL FORMATION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN 11

References

Culliford, L. (2002). Spiritual care and psychiatric treatment: an introduction. Advances in

Psychiatric Treatment, 8, 249–258. doi: 10.1192/apt.8.4.249

Einstein, A. (1930). Interview by G.S. Viereck, October 26,1929. Reprinted in “Glimpses of the

Great”,1930.

Erikson, E. (1956). The problem of ego identity, Journal of the American Psychoanalytic

Association 4, pp. 56-121

Fowler, J. W. (1981). Stages of faith: The psychology of human development and the quest for

meaning. San Francisco: Harper ISBN: 0-06-062866-9

May, G. G. (1992). Care of mind, care of spirit: A psychiatrist explores spiritual direction. 1st

Harper Collins paperback ed. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1992, p. 6.

Piaget, J. (1977). The essential Piaget, Gruber, H. E. & Voneche, J. J. (Eds.). New York: Basic

Books. BF723 .C6P494

Planck, M. (1944). Das Wesen der Materie [The Nature of Matter], speech at Florence, Italy

(1944) (from Archiv zur Geschichte der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Abt. Va, Rep. 11

Planck, Nr. 1797). Retrieved from http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Max_Planck

Psalm 119:73 (KJV)

Sheldrake, P. (2007). A brief history of spirituality, Wiley-Blackwell, 2007, p. 1-2

Strassman, R. (2001). DMT: The spirit molecule: A doctor's revolutionary research into the

biology of near-death and mystical experiences. Rochester: Park Street Press.

Tacey, D. (2006). Spirituality and the future of health. Journal of the Scientific and Medical

Network, 91, 7 –10.

Willard, D. (2002). Renovation of the heart: Putting on the character of Christ. Colorado
SPIRITUAL FORMATION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN 12

Springs: Navpress,
SPIRITUAL FORMATION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN 13

Footnotes
1
A biological lab analysis that tests variable factors found in the urine and saliva;
it is often used as part of a metabolic biofeedback lab panel.