I'd seen references to this deeper self in a number of different places: the Hindu Atman, Merton's true self, the Quaker Divine Spark, the Ground of Being, presence, essence, spirit, soul — the image of God within. According to most religious traditions and some schools of psychology, this deep self is universal — we all have it — though it is usually hidden from us under the complex layers of our personalities.

Paula Huston, The Holy Way