Phase III - Schema Maintenance

The goal of Phase 3 of the Spiritual Self-Schema (3-S) development program is:

to transform one's Spiritual self-schema into one's predominant or "habitual" self-schema, such that any previously traveled paths that habitually led to suffering now fall into a state of disrepair from lack of use, and one's Spiritual path becomes wider, stronger, and more available for use in every aspect of daily life, including coping with adversity and changing behaviors that cause harm to self or others.

Overview of Phase 3

In Phase 1, you became more aware of the paths you take habitually in your daily life -- your habitual self-schemas -- that take you efficiently, but mindlessly, through each day creating the illusion that they reflect who you really are, while actually preventing you from fully experiencing and expressing your true nature. In Phase 1, you also stated your strong intention to take a different path. In Phase 2, you designed and constructed this path -- your Spiritual self-schema -- that provided you with increased access to your Spiritual nature throughout your daily life. Then, while engaged in your usual daily activities, you began enacting, one by one, those qualities that characterize the moment-by-moment destinations of your Spiritual path. Now, in Phase 3, you will practice accessing your Spiritual path in an increasing number of contexts, with a focus now on transforming those contexts that are usually incompatible with you being able to experience and express your Spiritual nature. You will also conduct routine maintenance to keep your Path readily accessible regardless of the context. Finally, you may wish to identify a specific problem to work on from the new perspective of your personal Spiritual Path. Application of 3-S to the problem of addiction and to coping with chronic illness will be provided as examples.