Rohr feels that everyone has a kind of “amnesia” about who they really are. This is represented in myths and fairytales when protagonists have a true identity hidden even from themselves. The Gospel echoes this when John says that people already know the truth he is sharing. Rohr refers to a poem by Wordsworth in which he describes how God saves people from the “prison-house,” which he interprets to mean the “false self” (62). Religion is meant to guide us on the journey to uncovering our true self, but it has its drawbacks, such as creating a competitive sense of worthiness or performative goodness.

By returning to the real self, people become more child-like, as Jesus insisted people must be in order to enter the kingdom of God. All believers, including the apostles, are beginners and learning about this process. While the False Self perceives rewards and losses as future destinations, the True Self knows that heaven and hell exist in the now.

Heaven is the union of one’s self and God, both now and in the future. It is accessible for all who want community, inclusion, and togetherness. Hell, meanwhile, is created by separation and superiority. Spiritual journeys across cultures and religions tend to begin as exclusive or hierarchical, but end up embracing the whole. For instance, Sufi Islam, Hindu Krishna, Christian mystics, and Indigenous Americans all have rituals or traditions which begin small and exclusive but eventually broaden their message and openness to everyone.

Pope John Paul II did not believe in heaven and hell as “places” or destinations, but as states of mind. Rohr believes hell may exist as a “place,” but that Jesus’s love is unconditional and willing to forgive anyone. He concludes his chapter by repeating that people heal their spiritual “amnesia” and enter into heaven when they can rediscover their childlike state of mind, while experiencing mature love and community and humbling failures too.

Rohr’s critique of organized religions’ drawbacks lends this chapter balance and nuance as he acknowledges that faiths are meant to lead people to spiritual discoveries, but do not always succeed in this regard. Coming from a priest, this unexpected admission feels humble and recognizes people’s differing experiences with religion. The author again uses numerous examples from other cultures’ rituals to support his idea that, ultimately, spiritual insights lead people to acceptance and inclusion. This approach reveals that Rohr is not biased towards Christian traditions, but finds value in many different forms of connection and worship.

Chapter Lessons

• Everyone “forgets” their real self and must find it again
• Spiritual journeys may begin with exclusivity, but end with openness and inclusion
• Heaven and hell are states of being people create through their mindsets and choices

Reflection Questions

• Which aspects of you do you feel are part of your “False Self”? What does your “True Self” bring to mind?
• Are you part of any religious group? Do you think your group and theology is more exclusive, or inclusive? Why?
• Rohr suggests that heaven and hell are states or mind or being. What behaviors, attitudes, and circumstances create “heaven” and “hell” for you?