The Five Stages of the Soul: Charting the Spiritual Passages That Shape Our Lives

Moody and Carroll assert that there are five stages of spiritual passage that are similar to Daniel Levinson's life "trigger points" that usher in each new phase of life at specific chronological markers (e.g., early adult, adult, midlife, middle adult). Moody and Carroll, however, seek to show that, though the spiritual stages can be described and will occur in a certain order, there is no specific chronology, but rather life-event triggers that launch each spiritual stage. A quantity of illustrative personal stories enrich the narrative. Although I began my reading of this book thinking it quite ordinary, it became richer as it progressed. And I feel richer for having read it. It is a quite nice treatment of the subject, gracefully show more combining popular and scholarly writing. (July 2003) show less

An exploration of the spiritual passages we go through as we age—from midlife crises to the search for inner purpose—and the rich possibilities they offer for fulfillment in the life journey. It focuses on the spiritual passages that the majority of us go through, offering readers a detailed road map of their quest for meaning and self-discovery. Interweaving psychology, religion, myth, and literature, the author charts the passages of individuals who have journeyed through the stages of spiritual awakening common to almost all of us: the Call, the Search, the Struggle, the Breakthrough, and finally, the Return. He reveals the challenges and opportunities offered us by the spiritual stages we go through as we explore the question of show more meaning in our lives. show less