“If anyone wants to become my follower, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Mt 16:24)

Every journey of transformation begins with a humble step. In the spiritual life, this first step is known as the foundational level—where the soul, stirred by grace, begins to walk with Jesus sincerely, though often unsteadily. Marked by effort, stumbles, and learning, this stage is not about perfection but formation. It is here that God lays the foundation for lifelong intimacy with Him.

Union of Will: The Core of the Foundational Level

In this stage, the soul may not yet act like Christ consistently, but it earnestly desires to. This desire, awakened by grace, is the seed of holiness. As the Catechism teaches, “Moved by grace, man turns toward God and away from sin” (CCC 2010). St. Paul echoes this when he writes that “it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil 2:13).

The key mark of this level is the awakening of the will. The soul wants to do God’s will even if it struggles to follow through. This is not failure—it is the beginning of transformation.

Grace at Work: Desire, Learning and Rising Again

Grace acts in three important ways at this level:

• It ignites the desire to follow Jesus and imitate His virtues.
• It helps the person learn new spiritual disciplines.
• It strengthens the soul to rise quickly after a fall.

Unlike those in the “mat level”—where people fall and delay returning to God—the soul in the foundational level rises quickly, often on the same day. Through the practice of TAPPING, it surrenders failure, washes in the Blood of Christ, and resolves to confess at the earliest opportunity.

St. Josemaría Escrivá wisely advised that sanctity begins in the little moments: “You want to be a saint. —But do you carry out the little duties of each moment? Then you are a saint.”

TAPPING: Learning the Language of Prayer

TAPPING at this stage usually requires external help—a printed guide, booklet, or a YouTube session. The seven elements—Thanksgiving, Adoration, Pardon, Praise, Intercession, New Life, and Good Action—are followed in order. But distractions are common, and the prayer may feel dry or mechanical.

That is perfectly normal. The soul is like a child learning to speak. It is developing a spiritual vocabulary. St. Thérèse of Lisieux once described her prayer as “a surge of the heart… a simple glance toward heaven.” Even when emotion is lacking, the effort is real and pleasing to God.

Spiritual Fencing: Guarding the Mind

St. John Bosco cautioned, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” This insight underpins spiritual fencing. The goal is to consciously occupy the mind, because temptation first creeps into thoughts. As the prophet Micah warns: “They devise evil in their hearts; when morning comes, they carry it out because they have the power to do so” (Mic 2:1).

The practice involves identifying 10 spiritual focus areas—Mass, Rosary, Adoration, kindness, work, etc.—and reviewing them each night. This isn’t a perfection test; it’s a mirror to help you grow. When distractions or sins dominate, surrender them to Jesus and wash them in His Precious Blood.

Don Bosco strongly believed in the power of the Sacraments. He said, “There are two things the devil is deadly afraid of: frequent Communions and frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament.” That’s why he placed chapels along the paths of daily life—to ensure his boys encountered Christ frequently. This simple method still transforms lives today.

Vox Divini Meditation: Structure and Scripture First

The goal of meditation at this level is not deep insight. It is structure and Scripture. Think of a person learning to drive. They’re not focused on high speeds but on mechanics—how to change gears, use the clutch, handle a slope. Likewise, here the person learns the structure of Vox Divini:

• Presence – Enter God’s silence
• Offer – Surrender your heart
• Word – Read a short Gospel passage slowly
• Engage – Identify a qualities of Jesus
• Response – express your desire to imitate him and choose simple actions and decide on a resolution

Familiarity with the Gospels is key. The Gospel of Mark, with its simple and action-driven style, is recommended. One reads a passage slowly, underlines words, and writes Jesus’ qualities in the margins. As St. Jerome famously said, “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.” St. Francis de Sales offers powerful encouragement for this humble beginning:

“Have patience with all things, but chiefly with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them—every day begin the task anew.”

Falling and Rising With Grace

Falling is common, but grace teaches the soul to rise. Even when the structure fails or prayer is missed, the person returns. The difference between the foundational level and the mat level is how quickly the person returns to God. In the foundational stage, the soul does not wait long—it repents, washes in the Blood of Jesus, and resolves to go to Confession soon. St. Francis de Sales advised, “There is no better means of attainment to the spiritual life than by continually beginning again.” That’s the heartbeat of this stage: start again, daily.

Remaining Faithful in Rosary, Mass, and Good Works

At the foundational level, the same struggles and graces can be seen in practices like praying the Rosary, attending Holy Mass, and doing acts of charity. There is often a genuine desire to grow spiritually through these means, yet the experience may feel dry or distracted. One may try to pray the Rosary meditatively, only to find the mind wandering. Even at Mass, despite good intentions, the heart may feel unmoved. Likewise, we may long to perform acts of kindness, generosity, or service—but find ourselves falling short of our ideals. None of this should cause discouragement. The moment we become aware of distraction or failure, we are simply called to refocus our hearts without self-blame or sadness. As the saints teach, God treasures the desire to love Him, even when our actions are imperfect. What matters is not flawless performance but faithfulness—the humble act of beginning again. In time, these efforts, nourished by grace, form a solid foundation of love and virtue.

Practical Guidance for Daily Growth

TAPPING: Use a guide or video. If distracted, keep going. Return daily to surrender your heart.

Spiritual Fencing: Track 10 key focus areas. Review at night. Do not fear failure or get disappointed but rise quickly with TAAPPING if failed. Be aware of the reason of failure and discuss with Jesus how that area can be improved.

Vox Divini Meditation: Focus on the POWER steps. Read the Gospel of Mark slowly. Identify qualities of Jesus. Respond with a simple act. Let grace and habit build a spiritual rhythm.

Final Encouragement: Begin and Begin Again

This stage is sacred. It is the holy beginning of transformation. It teaches you how to pray, how to guard your thoughts, how to know Jesus in Scripture, and how to desire His likeness. “Let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.” (Gal 6:9).

Through faithfulness in small things, God builds something great. Begin now. Start again. Walk on with Jesus. He is walking beside you. “Begin now today, without hesitation,” says St. Francis de Sales.