Basic Developmental Stages of
Psychological Growth and Spiritual Awakening
1) Establishment of separation. Birth of the ego, personality, and sense of “I am different from you”. Development of the capacity to experience emotion. Examples are “normal” children. ******************
2) Individualization. The development of sexuality, curiosity about the opposite sex (and the same sex), growing awareness of one’s basic individual qualities (physical prowess, artistic talent, intellectual capacity, etc.). Examples are “normal” adolescents.
3) Differentiation. The development of appropriate boundaries, consolidation of self, the gradual growth through and beyond childish dependency through the exploration of relationships. The growth of the emotional body. The appropriate establishment of ego.
Examples are so-called “adjusted”, “normal”, people. Such people typically hold down jobs, raise families, have some good friendships, and do a reasonable, if humanly flawed, job at all of these.
Conventional psychiatry aims to get people to this level, but rarely has a school of thought for going beyond this point.
4) Actualization. The growth of self-esteem, the development of one’s potentials, getting on track in life, aligning with one’s purpose for incarnating (one's special function, or highest calling). The birth of passion. Realization of one’s contribution to the planet, and assuming responsibility for this. The maturing of the emotional body (going beyond blind reactivity).
Examples are reasonably vital, alive, healthy individuals who live in integrity and often function as “bridges” for others to enter on a spiritual journey of some sort. Such people are often uncommonly honest and straight in their communication, and are often liked and admired by many (for healthy reasons), though they may also push buttons in others owing to the fact that those who reach this level are threatening to break free of the consensus paradigms in society that encourage people to go no further than this level.
“Humanistic” psychology tries to get people to this plateau, but usually does not have a method for, or interest in developing further, into the more fully spiritual levels.
5) "Kensho" (from the Japanese word for "sudden illumination"). Insight, first glimpse of profound spiritual Awakening. The beginnings of an authentic spiritual life, and the development of radical insight, higher intuition, trust in Spirit, and deep awakenings of higher emotions (compassion, love of all life, awe and rapture, the appreciation of true beauty and higher creativity, etc.). The beginning of the transcendence of ego. One’s life becomes, gradually, surrendered completely to Truth.
Examples are most authentic spiritual teachers and guides, both high and low profile, although the depth of their spiritual awakening, intuition, and insight can vary considerably, from being just a glimpse, to deep and profound. The depth of their realization is usually proportional to the number of people they have the capacity to mentor (though there have been some cases of deeply Awakened teachers choosing to work with only a few people, and only mildly awake -- though very charismatic -- teachers working with large throngs).
While such people may be loved and admired by many, they also may attract antagonism, dislike, and opposition by those reacting to them from a fear-based place, owing to having unconscious painful material activated in the teacher’s presence, or through the teacher’s work.
At this stage, the ego still exists, as do emotionalism, relationship dilemmas, etc. The person is still very much evolving, and learning to integrate and align their insight with their outer behavior and task in the world. There are vast differences in this stage as to how well this has been done. It is very difficult to fall back at this point, but there still remains the possible danger of misusing the growing connection with Spirit for ego-centered purposes.
“Transpersonal psychology” and most forms of spiritual work and mysticism aim for this level, but to go beyond is difficult without a connection or initiation to a bona fide Awakened master, or an uncommonly powerful intention to realize the ultimate levels of Truth and relinquish anything in the way of that.
6) Awakening, Enlightenment, Self-realization, God-communion, etc. Seeing, understanding, and realizing one’s True nature, and the illusion of duality. Grasping deeply the truth of non-duality, the interconnectedness of all things, and one’s essential oneness with the Source of All. The full transcendence of ego. These people are still not “perfect”, in that they are still mastering the expression of their enlightenment in the world, but they have realized their essential connectedness with the Source of All, Truth, God, etc. There is no more turning back at this point.
Examples here are spiritual masters, authentic gurus, and step-down transmitters for Masters of Wisdom or World Teachers (level 7). Such masters are usually either followed, judged, or ignored. They may ignite great passion in those who come near them, either for them, or against. Often they work with large groups, but occasionally with a select few. This level is usually only achieved with the guidance and blessing of a great and authentic Master, and/or through extraordinary effort and sincerity of intention. Very few make it this far.
7)“Crazy” Wisdom. The aligning one’s behavior and outward expression in life with one’s Awakened consciousness. Such a person is no longer defined by the conventional ethical or societal codes of life. Such a person is solely animated by Spirit (God, Truth, Tao, Buddha-mind, etc.) and begins to live in unqualified freedom, but is sometimes a threat to the established status-quo forces of society, owing to the power and immanency of their message. Their sole purpose is to teach, and they are motivated purely by compassion. The ego is fully extinguished at this point.
Examples are Jesus, Gautama Buddha, Padmasambhava, Krishna, Lao Tzu, Ramana Maharshi, Bodhidharma, Dogen, Tilopa, Naropa, Hakuin, and so on. These are the Great Masters, Avatars, World Teachers, lineage founders, etc.
Such beings attract many adoring and completely devoted people, and may also be hated and feared (and occasionally, even killed). The hotter the flame, the harder it is to be neutral. Either you love the flame, or you run in fear (or attack it to protect your fear).
Copyright 1996 by P.T. Mistlberger, All Rights Reserved
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