Temporary spiritual experiences are fleeting moments of heightened awareness or clarity that can occur during meditation or other spiritual practices. These experiences provide glimpses of higher states of consciousness, but do not represent a permanent transformation. Permanent adeptship, on the other hand, is a sustained state of spiritual enlightenment achieved through continuous spiritual practice, ethical living and purification of the personality. An adept integrates higher spiritual principles into his or her daily life, embodying compassion, wisdom and self-control.