We find the Divine in the light of our own intuition, by growing into an authentic sense of self, by seeing God in other people and in the natural world…
Joan Borysenko
An Authentic Sense of Self
Topic: Self-Cultivation & Health
We find the Divine in the light of our own intuition, by growing into an authentic sense of self, by seeing God in other people and in the natural world, and by doing what comes naturally, bringing out the best potential in others by mirroring the goodness inside of them. When we are doing this, the peace of mind that is our birthright shines through.
Joan Borysenko, born in 1945, grew up with a strong curiosity about both science and spirituality. Raised in a working-class family, she developed an early interest in the mind-body connection, influenced by personal experiences with illness and healing. She pursued her passion for understanding human health by earning a doctorate in medical sciences from Harvard Medical School, where she also completed three post-doctoral fellowships in experimental pathology, behavioral medicine, and psychoneuroimmunology. As an instructor in medicine at Harvard, she contributed to emerging research on the role of psychology in physical health, laying the groundwork for her later work in integrative medicine.
Joan Borysenko co-founded and directed the Mind-Body clinical programs at Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals, now part of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. As a licensed psychologist, she expanded her focus beyond traditional medical settings, incorporating women’s health, stress management, and spirituality into her work. Her ability to connect scientific research with practical healing methods led her to develop workshops and educational programs that emphasized the role of meditation, emotional well-being, and holistic health.
A prolific writer and speaker, Joan Borysenko has authored numerous books, including Minding the Body, Mending the Mind (1987), A Woman’s Book of Life (1996), and A Woman’s Journey to God (1999). She founded Mind/Body Health Sciences, LLC, in Boulder, Colorado, and has been involved in interspiritual mentorship. Through her lectures, media appearances, and teachings, she continues to explore the relationship between science, psychology, and spirituality, making significant contributions to the evolving field of integrative medicine.
Borysenko, Joan. A Woman's Journey to God: Finding the Feminine Path. Riverhead Books, 1999.
Joan Borysenko
Theme: Being in Self
About This Joan Borysenko Quotation [Commentary]
Joan Borysenko’s words emphasize that the divine is discovered through personal intuition and authenticity. She writes, “We find the Divine in the light of our own intuition, by growing into an authentic sense of self,” highlighting that spiritual connection arises from within rather than from external doctrines. By trusting one’s inner wisdom and embracing authenticity, individuals align with a deeper awareness of the sacred, suggesting that self-knowledge is inseparable from spiritual understanding.
She expands this idea by recognizing the divine in others and in the natural world. “By seeing God in other people and in the natural world,” she suggests that spirituality is not limited to personal experience but is also reflected in relationships and the environment. This awareness fosters a way of being that naturally “brings out the best potential in others” by mirroring their goodness. In this way, connection becomes an essential part of both self-discovery and spiritual realization.
When individuals live in alignment with their true nature, they experience the peace that Borysenko describes as “our birthright.” This peace is not something to be attained but rather something that emerges when one is fully present to self and others. In the context of Being In Self, her words affirm that spiritual fulfillment comes from authenticity and an openness to the divine within and around us.
Additional Joan Borysenko Quotations
“Saint John of the Cross taught that interior silence is the place where Spirit secretly anoints the soul and heals our deepest wounds. Make time during the day to be alone — not to read or watch TV — but to be quiet. Garden, sit outside, walk mindfully, go into nature, meditate, be with music. Most of us will give our time and energy away to others, leaving little for ourselves. The disbalance that occurs when you squeeze yourself out of your own life creates new stress that prevents the healing of old pain. Save time to let silence be a partner in your healing.”
—Joan Borysenko, Fire in the Soul: A New Psychology of Spiritual Optimism.
“From a spiritual vantage point our major life task is much larger than making money, finding a mate, having a career, raising children, looking beautiful, achieving psychological health, or defying aging, illness, and death. It is a recognition of the sacred in daily life — a deep gratitude for the wonders of the world and the delicate web of inter-connectedness between people, nature and things — a recognition that true intimacy based on respect and love is the measure of a life well lived. This innate female spirituality underlies an often unspoken commitment to protect our world from the ravages of greed and violence.”
—Joan Borysenko, A Woman’s Book of Life: The Biology, Psychology, and Spirituality of the Feminine Life Cycle.
“Relationship is an invitation into a parallel universe where fear, doubt, and separation are unknown. There are no miracles in the house of belonging, other than the homely reality of love. The path to God doesn’t require scaling mountains, slaying dragons, or living in caves while dining on meager rations of locusts and wild honey. It only requires the eyes of the mind to recognize what the heart has always known. The Ground of our Being is love.”
—Joan Borysenko, A Woman’s Journey to God: Finding the Feminine Path.
“These experiences of being at home in yourself, centered in some essential kernel of what it is to be human, are profoundly natural. . . . Sages from all of the world’s traditions tell us that such experiences of ‘true nature’ are expressions of our essential inborn humanity — like the nectar that’s the subtlest and most exquisite essence of a flower. True nature lacks the self-consciousness, fear, and compulsive need to make things happen in our own way, which creates so much suffering and unhappiness. Aligning with true nature allows freedom to love to move into alignment with larger currents of wisdom and bring new ideas to fruition.”
—Joan Borysenko, Your Soul’s Compass: What Is Spiritual Guidance?
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