Roger Walsh, M.D., Ph.D., writes in Essential Spirituality: "The 7 Central Practices To Awaken Heart and Mind about "spiritual practices" and some of the effects that these practices can have in making a person more "real":
"Death and Rebirth: The old, false self must yield to make way for the new and true. Spiritual practices make us strong enough to be willing to die - the surrender of our former self-image can feel like dying. Out of the ashes of the ego arises, phoenix-like, a new self-image. This new self-image will itself die and be reborn repeatedly, until we finally recognize that who and what we really are is far beyong all images and concepts. Then there is no self-image left to die, and only the deathless remains . . ." (24)