Making an Examination of Conscience

Self-Growth and Self-Improvement Necessary for High Quality of Life

Nov 22, 2008

History has taught one primary lesson. It is that the need for an examination of conscience has been found as one of the most critical dynamics for human maturation.

“People of the world don't look at themselves, and so they blame one another”. (Mevlana Rumi, from Rumi Daylight: A Daybook of Spiritual Guidance.)

Three Perspectives

In the self-help arena, it is called “making a searching and fearless moral inventory.” In the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2008), the 4th Step describes and the 10th step reinforces the need to take a personal inventory on a continual basis. It is an effort to find the truth, to search out the flaws in one’s makeup, to find out self-defeating characteristics, and to take an honest stock of oneself. For example, is one an angry person or perhaps carrying unreasonable resentments? According to A.A. only by taking a personal inventory and writing it down, can one see the futility and fatality of these characteristics, and come to realize their terrible destructiveness to self and others.

In the world of counseling and psychology, it is called self-awareness. Self-awareness and self-discovery is a hallmark process for self-growth and self-actualization. It is necessary to identify those human deficits and to become aware of the dynamics that underlie and activate them. Only then can one truly address and eliminate them to become better functioning human beings. Eliminating self-defeating behaviors is a critical key to improve the quality of one’s life, and a self-inventory is the first step in that process.

From a religious perspective, it is called an examination of conscience. Many religions speak of this as an intrinsic need to reach higher levels of spiritual growth or to improve the quality of one’s relationship with God. Religions teach that one must sincerely reflect and explore one’s conscience to discover what sins - great and small - one committed and how they offended God or harmed another human being. Religions then recommend one become sincerely sorry for them and make amends. In several religions such as Catholicism, it is recommended to confess them to a priest and do a penance (a type of voluntary self-punishment or self-deprivation) to make reparation and atone for the damage or offense the sins have done.

Elements of an Examination of Conscience

A true examination of conscience is a deep, sincere, and “fearless inventory.” It examines every aspect of one’s life - thought, word and deed. Of course the most obvious violations of conscience follow disobedience to the Ten Commandments including lying, stealing, killing and lusting after another.

A true examination, though, is far deeper. Did one disobey, disrespect, neglect or abuse parents, or a husband, wife, children or even legitimate superiors? Was one lazy and neglectful of responsibilities and important obligations, or otherwise demonstrate a pattern of “irresponsibility”? Are there areas of anger, resentment, hostility, jealousy, or even hate (seemingly justified or otherwise)? Is there a pattern of constant fighting and quarreling? Did one hurt another, either physically or emotionally - or spiritually? Does one set a bad example by drinking, using drugs, gambling, or through other unhealthy habits or pastimes? Does one respect all members of the human race, or have an attitude which is racist, sexist or elitist. Are there inappropriate sexual thoughts about others or an obsession with pornography? Did one cheat, break contracts, neglect bills, steal from work, or make material possessions the center of one’s life? Did one lie, deceive others, or injure others through gossip - again, true or otherwise? Did one contribute to the greater good of mankind or did one lead a life which was self-centered or based in self-gratification?

An Essential Step

“Only by much searching and mining are gold and diamonds obtained, and man can find every truth connected with his being if he will dig deep into the mine of his soul.” (James Allen Quote from As a Man Thinketh.)

An examination of conscience is about identifying one’s character defects - large and small. It is a life long process. It is about finding one’s faults, mistakes, personality flaws, and dishonesty to self and others. It is essential in beginning the healing process, the freeing process, and the transformation process of growth, human maturation, and spiritual development.

From several perspectives, then, self-help, counseling and psychology, and religious, the need for an examination of conscience and personal inventory has been found as one of the most critical dynamics for psychological and spiritual health

For Further Reading

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