either. By this Rahner posits that there is an intimate connection between the
experience of self or one’s neighbor and experience of God. Liebert has refined his
thinking and maintains, “the notion of simultaneity suggests that an experience of the
Holy in one arena will ‘overflow’ or ‘bleed into’ all the other arenas of a single life.”^26
Ambrose illustrates this by his annual retreat into the wilderness each May. This
isolated location provided both an opportunity for prolonged meditation and
communion with God as well as living with nature, hence a combination of both the
Intrapersonal and Geo-Environmental dimensions. Third, and closely related, is the
reminder not to attempt to squeeze Ambrose or his experiences too tightly into any
dimension. Once these categories are conceptualized as neat and tidy boxes into
which everything must fit the ability to observe Ambrose describe the ways in which
he experienced life in the intrapersonal, interpersonal, structural and geo-
environmental dimensions of life is lost. Fourth, both the Matrix and the Circle have
solid lines around the outer edges. In the Matrix this seems to limit the ways in which
a person might experience God and in the Circle it communicates a similar restrictive
sense to the range of experiences a person might have in the interpretive level.
Intrapersonal Dimension: Retreats
It is now possible to demonstrate how reading Ambrose’s diary experiences
through the Spiritual Movement Matrix reveal his contemplative nature and practices.
As previously mentioned the Intrapersonal dimension will be divided into two
categories, Ambrose’s experience with God through his retreat practices and the
struggles of his soul. Before proceeding further, it is necessary to recognize
McGinn’s caution not to focus too hastily upon a person’s experience since many
(^26) Liebert, “Supervision as Widening Horizons,” 134, cf. 128, 129, 132, 141, 143. (^)