Transformation happens slowly as we gain self-knowledge, and uncover the hidden motives that lie deep within us, perhaps even in the unconscious part of ourselves. This self-knowledge is salutary and profoundly useful to us in our process of inner growth. It is also seen as a gift of divine grace, and contains the wisdom to guide us in our contemplative development. In some traditions, for example, certain Hindu and Buddhist schools, this grace can be mediated through a guru or spiritual master, but it represents a significant factor in our growth to wholeness in most — if not all — traditions.
— Wayne Teasdale, The Community of Religions by Wayne Teasdale, editor, George Cairns, editor