My idea of spirituality is understanding your limitations and believing in God’s love. There are choices to be made and temptations to fight, but ultimately I believe I am doomed, but for God’s grace to save me. This is a personal understanding, but consistent with what Jesus says,

I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home with you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is– when you produce grapes, when you mature as disciples. (John 15:5-8)

I am not getting this message from Square One, Joseph Maroon’s interpretation of William Danforth’s vision of the “balanced life,” consisting of the physical, the intellectual, the social and the spiritual facets of life.  I understand that the physical, the intellectual and the social are matters of choice and discipline, but I don’t believe that the spiritual life is “mind over matter.” If it were,  I would never need the grace of God. I would not need the Vine, which is Jesus, or the healing, which is from the Holy Spirit. I do not believe my choices are “mind over matter,” but a “meandering journey bolstered by faith,” to quote someone I love.

Here is what Maroon says about spirituality, and I believe he is faithful to Danforth in these assertions:

“I respect the deeply held human need for belief in something that cannot be explained. I repeat simple mantras and Bible passages  in my mind while I’m running miles, swimming laps, or biking hills to train for races, and I have no doubt those words help me get through grueling competitions (71).”

“Rajesh said he realized in a matter of moments–not just cognitively but on an emotional ‘gut’ level–that he could finally take ownership of his life if he could see it as part of a bigger picture and through the eyes of a higher power.He had to let go of the people in his life who were only filling the void. He had to stop fearing his limitations and start focusing on his strengths (72)”

“Any improvement of our mental functioning has natural, positive ramifications for our lives. Whether it’s praying the Rosary, repeating a particular mantra, focusing on our breathing, memorizing the Torah, or finding ways to serve our communities, thinking in a spiritual way modulates existing brain circuits and creates new ones. In short we can affect the healthy structure of our brain with out own positive thoughts (76)”

Al this might be true, but it does mot coincide with my version of spirituality.  Spirituality means we rely on God and avail ourselves of his grace when we are tempted, discouraged or have failed to live up to his commandments. A spiritual person recognizes limitations. That is why she needs God. A spiritual person has an active dependence on God. A spiritual person is not saved by his disciplines, his strengths or his positive thoughts. He is saved by acknowledging God’s power to enable those disciplines, strengths or thoughts.

The Alcoholics Anonymous disciple, who is required to believe in a “higher power,” needs that higher power to stay sober. I believe I need that higher power to walk away from futility and self-condemnation. The self-help philosophy of Danforth and Maroon rejects the language of “limitations” and other expressions of weakness or dependence.  Faith is mostly faith in self and the human capacity to heal by our own actions. Effort and discipline are the keys to salvation, rather than an enabling God.

I can not find any language about grace or need in Danforth and Maroon. By their measuring stick I am  weak, undisciplined, and irresponsible. I have a defeatist spirit, because I don’t believe in my own power. I am an excuse-maker, because I return to God each day asking forgiveness. I should not ever admit defeat, even though I fail at my goals. I should be relentlessly positive.

That can not be my version of salvation. I think God is a figure-head in this idea of self-help . We acknowledge God, but do not expect grace or salvation from him/ her. We may worship, but we depend on ourselves. Salvation is our job, not God’s. Some might flourish with this commitment, but I can’t.

This is where I can not go in the teaching about the “Balanced Life.”