There is a subtle danger that accompanies every sincere spiritual journey. 

It doesn't arrive at the beginning. It usually arrives years later.

After we've attended the retreats, read the books, practiced meditation, chanted the mantras, prayed the prayers, and explored the world's wisdom traditions, something unexpected can happen.

Our spiritual life becomes familiar.

The practices remain. The vocabulary remains. The understanding remains. Yet somewhere beneath the surface, the freshness that first drew us to the spiritual path begins to fade.

The danger isn't that we stop practicing.

The danger is that we stop growing.

A tree that is alive continues to grow. A healthy relationship continues to deepen. A living faith continually reveals new dimensions of itself. Why should our spiritual life be any different?

Many people assume that growth comes from learning another technique.

A new meditation.

Another mantra.

Another retreat.

Another book.

There is certainly value in al...