The Path to Identity Restoration: Aligning DOING with BEING

The account of the Fall in the Garden of Eden reveals a profound truth about the human condition: the tension between our BEING (our God-given identity as image and likeness of God) and our DOING, (actions that either reflect or distort this identity). Gen 1:26-27 declares, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness’… So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Adam and Eve were created in the divine image, their BEING inherently aligned with God’s nature. Yet, the temptation in Gen 3 illustrates how dissociated DOING—actions misaligned with our BEING—leads to identity distortion through four distinct stages. Conversely, intentional DOING, rooted in the imitation of Christ, guides us through four stages of identity restoration, culminating in union with God.

The Temptation of Dissociated DOING

In Gen 3:5, the serpent tempts Eve with the promise, “You will be like God, knowing good and evil.” The irony is striking: Eve was already created in God’s image and likeness. She did not need to DO anything to attain this divine resemblance; it was intrinsic to her BEING. Her lack of awareness of her true identity led to dissociated DOING, as she ate the forbidden fruit to achieve what she already possessed. This act fractured humanity’s communion with God, initiating a cycle of identity distortion.

This pattern persists in our lives. When our actions contradict our BEING as God’s image and likeness, we create disharmony. For example, a student’s BEING calls for attentive learning, but doodling distractedly in class undermines their identity as a learner. A teacher’s BEING requires diligent preparation, but delivering a lesson carelessly reflects a disconnect from their vocational identity. A child is called to honor their parents with love (Eph 6:2-3), but shouting in anger is a dissociated act, misaligned with their BEING. Similarly, a priest or religious, whose BEING is rooted in holiness, risks distortion when their actions—such as neglecting prayer—diverge from their identity. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “The human person… is called to share, by knowledge and love, in God’s own life” (CCC 356). Dissociated DOING disrupts this calling, leading to identity distortion.

Dissociated DOING sets off a chain reaction that deepens our descent into illusion, as the effects of misaligned actions linger and disrupt our focus. For instance, if I engage in a heated argument or watch a distracting video today, the emotional and mental residue—anger, guilt, or fixation—continues to play in my mind tomorrow. This preoccupation clouds my thoughts, making it difficult to fully engage in my responsibilities, such as work or prayer. Though I may not repeat the same action, my distracted state leads to further dissociated DOING, where my actions fail to reflect my God-given BEING as His image and likeness. This ongoing cycle of distraction fuels illusions, pulling me further from my true identity and reinforcing patterns of misalignment that can lead to deeper stages of identity distortion.

The Consequences of Delaying Communion with God

When we fall into dissociated DOING and delay returning to communion with God, we risk perpetuating a cycle of further misaligned actions. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve’s initial dissociated act of eating the forbidden fruit led to fear and shame, causing them to hide from a loving and forgiving God (Gen 3:8-10). This hiding was itself a dissociated action, as it contradicted their BEING as beings created for communion with God. Similarly, King David’s adultery with Bathsheba (2 Sam 11) was a dissociated act that misaligned with his identity as a man after God’s own heart. Instead of immediately seeking God’s forgiveness, David attempted to cover his sin by manipulating Uriah to sleep with Bathsheba. When this failed, his delay in repentance led to an even graver dissociated action: orchestrating Uriah’s murder. The guilt, shame, and discouragement that often follow a fall can trap us in this cycle, as we allow these emotions to dominate rather than turning back to God’s mercy. This delay not only deepens our disconnection from our BEING but also compounds the distortion of our identity through repeated dissociated actions.

The Four Stages of Identity Distortion

Dissociated DOING leads to identity distortion through four stages, each marked by increasing disconnection from our BEING:

MAT Stage (Breaking of Boundaries): The MAT stage occurs when we break the boundaries of our BEING by paying less attention to details and compromising our freedom. Neglecting small responsibilities, such as arriving late or ignoring minor moral lapses, erodes our awareness of our divine identity. As St. Augustine warns, “Sin arises when things that are a minor good are pursued as though they were the most important good” (On Free Choice of the Will).
LOT Stage (External Influence): In the LOT stage, external elements—such as media, materialism, or people who enter our lives—present ideas and convictions contrary to our God-given identity. A friend might encourage unethical behavior, claiming it’s “just how things work,” or excessive social media use might prioritize fleeting validation over meaningful relationships. These influences make it difficult to live a life according to our BEING, pulling us further into illusion.
BOAT Stage (Wrong Convictions): The BOAT stage marks a deeper distortion where wrong convictions take root. We rationalize dissociated actions, thinking, “What I’m doing is wrong, but it’s okay,” or fail to change. For example, a person might justify dishonesty in business as “necessary” or neglect prayer while deeming it unimportant. The Catechism warns, “Ignorance of the fact that man has a wounded nature inclined to evil gives rise to serious errors” (CCC 407).
POT Stage (Total Identity Distortion): The POT stage represents total identity distortion, where we adopt a wrong self-image. This manifests as an inflated self-image, marked by pride and a refusal to change (e.g., the Pharisee in Lk 18:9-14), or a defeated self-image, characterized by despair and feelings of worthlessness, believing, “I’m incapable of changing.” Both extremes disconnect us from our BEING as God’s image-bearers.

The Solution: Intentional DOING

If dissociated DOING leads to identity distortion, the antidote is intentional DOING—actions that flow from and reinforce our BEING as God’s image-bearers. Intentional DOING is not about striving to become something we are not, as Eve did, but about living out our inherent identity. The Catechism reminds us, “The divine image is present in every man. It shines forth in the communion of persons, in the likeness of the unity of the divine persons among themselves” (CCC 1702). To live intentionally, we must align our actions with this divine image.

Jesus Christ, “the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15), is the perfect model for this alignment. His life of obedience, love, and humility exemplifies DOING rooted in BEING. For instance, His submission to Mary and Joseph (Lk 2:51) reflects a DOING that flows from His divine identity. By meditating on Christ’s life, we learn to align our actions with our BEING. As St. Paul urges, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor 11:1).

TAPPING: A Daily Return to Communion and Alignment

TAPPING helps to break the cycle of dissociated DOING and restore our communion with God. It involves surrendering our failures to God, cleansing them with the blood of Jesus, and renewing our commitment to align our DOING with our BEING. This not only restores our communion with God each day but also free ourselves from the guilt, shame, and discouragement that fuel further dissociated actions. TAPPING should be accompanied by spiritual fencing to consciously occupy the mind. It ensures that our thoughts remain focused on our divine identity, leaving little room for the illusions that lead to dissociated actions. Through TAPPING, we return to God’s presence daily, empowering us to act in ways that reflect our BEING as God’s image and likeness.

Meditation and Imitation of Christ

Meditation is a vital practice for cultivating intentional DOING, enabling us to align our actions with our God-given BEING as image-bearers of God. Through prayerful reflection on Scripture, we encounter the virtues of Jesus—such as His obedience, humility, and love—and internalize His way of being. For example, a person might pray, “Lord Jesus, I see Your obedience to Your parents. Help me to honor my parents with love and respect.” This intentional act of imitation bridges the gap between our DOING and BEING, fostering identity restoration by ensuring our actions reflect our divine identity. St. Teresa of Avila emphasizes this transformative power, stating, “The whole aim of any person who is beginning prayer… should be that he work and prepare himself with determination to bring his will into conformity with God’s will” (Interior Castle). By meditating on Christ’s life, we consciously shape our actions to mirror His, moving us closer to our true identity.

Vox Divini Meditation is a particularly effective method in this context, designed to facilitate a “transformation by the renewal of minds” (Rom 12:2). This practice involves a daily, conscious effort to imitate Jesus in one of His virtues, such as patience, compassion, or forgiveness. By focusing on a specific virtue each day, we strive to become more like Christ, the perfect “image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15). In this way we not only deepen our understanding of Jesus’ character but also align our DOING with our BEING, counteracting the effects of dissociated actions. Vox Divini Meditation fosters a disciplined, Christ-centered approach to living, enabling us to embody our divine identity and progress toward full restoration in union with God.

The Four Stages of Identity Restoration

Just as identity distortion progresses through four stages, identity restoration unfolds through four corresponding stages, each drawing us closer to our BEING as God’s image-bearers:

Foundational Level: At the Foundational level, we begin to grow in a deep desire to become more like Jesus, seeking to align our BEING with His. This stage is marked by an awakening to our true identity as God’s image-bearers. However, despite this desire, we often face failures in our attempts to live like Christ. Rather than becoming discouraged, we persevere, trusting in God’s grace to sustain us. As St. Paul writes, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14).
Awakened Level: In the Awakened level, we consciously make an effort to act according to the nature of Christ. Though it may not always be easy, we strive to align our DOING with Christ’s example, such as practicing patience, humility, or forgiveness. This intentional effort confirms our DOING with Christ’s character, moving us closer to our true BEING. The life of St. Francis of Assisi, who consciously embraced poverty and service to imitate Christ, exemplifies this stage.
Contemplative Level: At the Contemplative level, we are enabled by God’s grace to act like Christ in various areas of life. Through prayer and meditation, we are led by the Holy Spirit, and our actions increasingly reflect Christ’s virtues. This stage is marked by a growing harmony between our BEING and DOING, as grace empowers us to live out our identity. As St. John of the Cross taught, “In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone” (Sayings of Light and Love), emphasizing the grace-filled transformation of this stage.
Unitive Level: The Unitive level represents the full restoration of our identity as God’s image-bearers. Here, our entire life—from morning to evening, in thoughts, words, and deeds—reflects the “Christhood act.” Every action flows from our BEING, perfectly aligned with Christ, who is “the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15). At this stage, we live in complete union with God, our BEING fully restored as the image and likeness of God, fulfilling our divine vocation.

Conclusion: Living as God’s Image-Bearers

The story of Eve’s temptation reveals the peril of dissociated DOING, which leads to identity distortion through the MAT, LOT, BOAT, and POT stages. Yet, through intentional DOING—rooted in meditation on Christ and imitation of His life—we progress through the Foundational, Awakened, Contemplative, and Unitive levels to restore our BEING as God’s image-bearers. As we align our actions with our divine identity, we move from illusion to truth, from distortion to restoration, and from separation to union with God. St. John Paul II reminds us, “We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of his Son” (World Youth Day, 2002). By embracing intentional DOING, we fulfill our calling to reflect God’s love and glory in the world.