b"Chapter 12 Aspiringtomanifesttheattributesofsuchinspiringexamplesoften becomesanimportantpartofthejourneythroughlifeforspiritually inclined people.3.Spiritual journeying involves: first the healing and affirmation of the ego, sothatpositivestatesareexperiencedwithsecureself-esteem,self-confidence and a capacity for love and generosity, so that the person becomeslessconstrainedbyegodefenses.Opennessofheartisan essential aspect of true spirituality.4.The development of spirituality: it is generally accepted as requiring some kind of practice or discipline in order to progress. It may challenge the neophytes of opinions that run counter to common opinion such as non-effort, doorless pass, in Chinese Wumen Guan, in Japanese Mumen, that is to say, the problem of death and of the meaning one wants to give to one's life or the return one expects from it.Contemplative practices such as prayer and meditation are the common denominator of many religions and the foundation of spirituality. Without them, personal development is much slower and more random. A teacher or mentor is usually recommended.Spiritual development often involves spontaneous events which cannot be explained scientifically, and which can be attributed to an external force, for example, grace or angelic or divine interventions. The conversion of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus is a dramatic example.Development may not necessarily be an instantaneous event, but may occur more gradually, such as during an experience of severe illness or terminaldiagnosis,whenthefragilityoflifeisrevealed,andaperson reassess the meaning of their life.5.Religion formalizes: certain aspects of spiritual awareness in a coherent belief system that can be taken on trust, even if the person has no direct experience of the Divine.Forexample,onepersonmightbelievethatJesusisthesonofGod because that is what the Bible teaches, while another person may have had a vision of Jesus himself telling him that he is the son of God.Religion'sbeliefsystemsextendbeyondtheindividual'sexperienceto their role in society and morality-based rules are formulated to govern relationships and activities.400Germain Decelles"