There are a total of 11 stages of our development as people. Contrary to current thinking, I don’t think that we progress through them linearly or climb them like stairs. We do not take tow steps forward and one step back. I believe that what is actually happening is that we progress through these 11 stages over and over in a cycle, sometimes skipping a step, or only partially completing it, but always returning through these stages over and over. Why?
If we could stop at some post-childhood point and just focus on progressing through the stages, then we might, as something of a hermit or monk cut off from society, manage to achieve and stay in stage 11. But here’s the thing: life just keeps happening. A surgery or injury can send you back to stage 3 (I am my needs) faster than anything. One threat to your health and suddenly the needs of others, your ideologies, the common truths of life and the nature of your own consciousness seem highly irrelevant. As you recover, your mind returns to the needs of your family, and work, and the luxury of debating ideologies, etc as you once again make the rounds through the cycle. We cannot stop our human minds from returning to these earlier stages any more than we can ask a table to change it’s height… But, but practice, we can spend less and less time in these earlier, more stressful stages, and more time in later stages which bring a greater sense of peace, joy and fulfillment. The ultimate goal is not to get to stage 11, but to spend as much time as possible in stage 11; regardless of how many times life pulls around the circle again.
I notice that if I surround myself with people, sentiment and information/media that focuses on a particular stage, I will tend toward that stage myself. For example, the more I read opinion pieces full of defending/attacking particular political ideologies, the more I tend to find myself in stage 5 (I am my ideology), complete with the desire to defend my own ideology and attack others.
I find I need daily reminders, and to surround myself consciously with people, media and sentiment concurrent with the stages I want to spend the most time in. If you are what you eat, then you are what you ingest through your eyes and ears too. They say you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Most of us spend more time with the internet than we do with the people we love. Do not underestimate that influence.
Once you have visited each stage even just a little bit, the easier it becomes to return. Being mindful of where your mind is at the moment, affirmations and reminders are a simple way to return to “center” (stage 1/11) more quickly. For me, reminders may include daily affirmation, drawings, jewelry, sculptures, and even tattoos! Get creative. : )
Here are my current daily affirmations that I use to help me spend as much time in stage 11 as possible. …
I am the one consciousness and the physical manifestation and there is no difference
I am grateful for my experiences, but they are not me
I tend to my needs but they are not me
Others have needs and I can help
I evolve my ideology as I learn but it is not me
I do not judge myself or others
I forgive myself and others for past mistakes
I see the truth at the heart of all perspectives
I see people, places and things as one coherent whole
I see aspects of myself in others, each in their own stage long their own page
I design and manifest my reality with joy and purpose
This progression is my reality. This is the progression that I experienced and its cyclical nature is one that I still experience today. Try as I might, I cannot spend every moment yet in stage 11. Injury, election season and other offenses tend to land me back in earlier stages where I must acknowledge what has happened and pull myself back again.
What can you do to be more mindful of what stage you are in? What stage do you want to be in the most and how can you make that happen?
