The steps of the spiritual life in Christian language

[Alexander]

Here are 5 stages I have been contemplating as a way of explaining the spiritual life in Christian terms. Often, these steps are not clearly demarcated, and the terms exist in a confused way to people. So, it is useful to explain them.

1. The fallen state

This is the state of men in ordinary life. Here, we can understand it in the language of Genesis. In our ordinary consciousness, we are confused, dysfunctional people. We are miserable but unaware of our misery. We live for fleeting ends and are unaware that everything we do is not meaningful.

2. Metanoia

This is the Greek word which means "to think over." This period involves the conscious exercise of the will to think over one's past experiences and oneself. When one does this it produces a dramatic transformation of self. This transformation involves what is called the descent into the underworld, or catabasis: a "going down" into the depths of oneself.

3. The state of illumination

This is the stage of proficiency in the spiritual life. With it comes genuine joy, a sense of purpose and value, and genuine affection for others. It is a life lived in accord with the world. Many poets and mystics attain this state and don't proceed further.

4. The dark night of the soul

This stage so excellently explained by St. John of the Cross lies between illumination and theosis. As John of the Cross states, very few people pass through this. In the dark night of the soul, a man experiences absolute impoverishment, misery and negation, for an end that he will not anticipate: perfection.

5. Theosis

The final stage of the spiritual life is that of divinization. Here, a man has imitated Christ fully, and develops two natures, human and divine. It is the state of supreme happiness for human beings.

[Jhanananda]

Here are 5 stages I have been contemplating as a way of explaining the spiritual life in Christian terms. Often, these steps are not clearly demarcated, and the terms exist in a confused way to people. So, it is useful to explain them.

Finding ways to express enlightenment within the dominant religious and cultural paradigm is useful.  However, I find it too difficult to do that, because all religions have corrupted the enlightened message of their progenitors; therefore, I find it easier to express my message by quoting the remnants of the enlightened message that exists in every religion.  When we overlap one fragment over another we end up with a mosaic philosophy that becomes cogent and logically true from an otherwise irrational religious dogma.

1. The fallen state

This is the state of men in ordinary life. Here, we can understand it in the language of Genesis. In our ordinary consciousness, we are confused, dysfunctional people. We are miserable but unaware of our misery. We live for fleeting ends and are unaware that everything we do is not meaningful.

We could put this stage at the four noble truths.

2. Metanoia

This is the Greek word which means "to think over." This period involves the conscious exercise of the will to think over one's past experiences and oneself. When one does this it produces a dramatic transformation of self. This transformation involves what is called the descent into the underworld, or catabasis: a "going down" into the depths of oneself.

Metanoia sounds to me like the mindfulness, self awareness, or self investigation of sati, the 7th fold of the Noble Eightfold Path.

3. The state of illumination

This is the stage of proficiency in the spiritual life. With it comes genuine joy, a sense of purpose and value, and genuine affection for others. It is a life lived in accord with the world. Many poets and mystics attain this state and don't proceed further.

This one may need to be unpacked more, because I take illumination as a synonym for Theosis; however, it seems like you are taking it as a developmental process toward Theosis.

4. The dark night of the soul

This stage so excellently explained by St. John of the Cross lies between illumination and theosis. As John of the Cross states, very few people pass through this. In the dark night of the soul, a man experiences absolute impoverishment, misery and negation, for an end that he will not anticipate: perfection.

The problem with over simplification of the enlightened message to fit the twisted and compressed container of religion is we tend to have to overlook the 8 stages of the religious experience and the 8 stages of the spiritual crisis, as we try to strip down what really happens as one becomes enlightened, so that we can cram it into a can, like bite-sized chunks of spam.

5. Theosis

The final stage of the spiritual life is that of divinization. Here, a man has imitated Christ fully, and develops two natures, human and divine. It is the state of supreme happiness for human beings.

This certainly would fit into the full liberation category.  I just feel like we want to demonstrate that there are 8 shades of gray in the enlightenment process.