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Spiritual Awakening: What Stage Are You In? (Quiz)

Take the free spiritual journey quiz below to find out what stage you’re at. Spiritual awakening is a highly individualized and subjective process. There is no perfect model or method for awakening and most people don’t know where they are or where they could be in their spiritual development. However, there are several distinct stages that most seekers must go through in their spiritual journey. Here are the 6 stages of spiritual awakening: These stages are modeled after the 10 ox herding pictures of Zen Buddhism that represent the stages of awakening. Although everyone’s spiritual journey is different, there is a generally well-documented path toward awakening and enlightenment. The 6 Stages of Awakening Stage 1 – Asleep At this stage you are completely asleep and not even aware that something greater may possibly exist. You’re just living your life as most people do. Those in stage 1 may associate spirituality with religion and dismiss the possibility of divinity outside of a religious ideology. There is nothing inherently wrong with being in this stage, and many people who stay in stage 1 are able to live happy and purposeful lives. This is where everyone begins their journey, unaware of the profound and infinite rewards of the path toward awakening. Stage 2 – Spiritually Curious In stage 2 spiritual curiosity begins. You begin hearing about spiritual awakening and may feel like something is “off” about reality. This leads to greater openness to the possibility of something greater and increased inquisitiveness toward spirituality. People in stage 2 are often intrigued by general philosophy, eastern spiritual teachings, and the nature of reality. You see the possibility of something greater in this stage but are unable to actually know it for certain. People in stage 2 lack the first awakening experience necessary to fuel their desire to go “all in” on the spiritual path. Later in stage 2 you may become very intrigued with the idea of “waking up” and pursue spiritual philosophy more intensely. potential trouble spots Stage 3 – The First Awakening > see also “What Is A Spiritual Awakening” In this stage, you experience awakening for the very first time, although it may only be for a few minutes or even just a couple of seconds. After your first experience with awakening, an internal fire is ignited inside of you. The desire for the spiritual path takes hold as the profound experience of spiritual truth dawns on you for the first time. This stage can come as a great relief for spiritual seekers who have been antsy to see what all the hype was about. After your first glimpse at awakening, you now know that the spiritual path is worth pursuing. This stage begins with an awakening, or profound experience of divine truth, and continues with a deep desire for more spiritual fruits. potential trouble spots Stage 4 – Growth & Plateau Stage 4 is the troubleshooting phase. You may have several sporadic awakenings spread out through this phase, but you don’t entirely know how to access them consistently. This stage is less about a fiery passion that arose in stage 3 and is more about commitment to the spiritual path and steady learning. Many spiritual roadblocks will be encountered and overcome during the growth and plateau phase. Stage 4 is called “Growth & Plateau” because of the series of spiritual plateaus and then growth that accompanies the transcendence of those plateaus. This is one of the longest stages out of the 6. potential trouble spots Stage 5 – Integration As you continue to raise your consciousness you begin to find a deeper sense of sacredness in every aspect of life and reality. As you raise your consciousness higher and experience more spiritual truth, you’ll begin to integrate what you’ve experienced into everyday life. Every moment becomes rich and full of meaning in this stage. This isn’t to say you’ll be free of suffering, but meaning and grace are found even in your suffering and negative experiences. All of your previous awakenings and the spiritual truth you have accumulated in previous stages come together in this stage. This stage is about dissolving the separation between your spiritual self and your regular everyday self. In the integration stage, you begin to live your every day as if it is divine. Spiritual truth permeates your reality and experiences. Throughout this stage there is an ongoing commitment to spiritual growth and self-discovery. potential trouble spots Stage 6 – Transcendence Transcendence is the 6th and final stage of awakening. This stage is about leaving behind the idea of a separate self. In stage 6 you become both simultaneously detached and more deeply connected with the world around you. Stage 6 is a nondual stage, meaning your understanding of reality and of yourself is holistic and complete within the universe. You transcend the identification with a separate human ego and understand directly that you are an inseparable aspect of all that exists. In stage 6 you understand the highest truths of the universe and have direct access to the divinity of the universe. Notable examples of people who were in stage 6 include: Neem Karoli Baba, Ram Dass, Alan Watts, & Eckhart Tolle So What Do I Do next? Congratulations! Now you know what stage of your spiritual journey you’re in. With this knowledge you can see what stage is next for you and what potential trouble spots you may encounter trying to get there. It’s important that you have a baseline for where you’re at and where you’re going. Otherwise, you’re wandering through the spiritual path in the dark. Find a guru If you genuinely want to go all in on this journey towards awakening you may want to find a spiritual mentor. A guru can help guide you on your journey towards awakening. A guru may also be able to expedite or accelerate your spiritual growth, as they’ve done most of the hard work already and can share this with you. > see my

Spiral Dynamics: What Stage Are You At? (Quiz)

August 12, 2022

Take the free spiral dynamics test below to find out what stage you’re at. Spiral Dynamics is a theory & model created by Clare Graves Ph.D. that describes an individual’s or community’s level of awareness and development. Spiral Dynamics is described by 8 distinct stages: Development of the individual follows this linear order. Stages cannot be skipped on the path of development. One must go through each stage in their development to reach the next. However, some individuals get stuck in certain stages for their whole life or will spend decades in a single stage. Learning what stage you’re in can help you look to the future of your development. It’s important to realize that most people have similarities to the stages just above and below them. If you feel like you identify with another stage more than your spiral dynamics test result, remember that it is a spectrum. For example your primary result may be stage orange, even though you hold some values from stage green and from stage blue. Tier 1 Value systems Stage Beige (Animalistic) Beige is purely concerned with survival. This is the stage that most life forms on this planet are at. It’s also where most babies and small toddlers fall on the spectrum. There is no concern for the collective during this stage, it is highly focused on meeting its own survival needs. If you are able to take this spiral dynamics test you are most definitely not at stage beige Learn more about stage beige here. Stage Purple (Tribalistic) Stage Purple marks a shift from individualism to collectivism. Instead of a concern for the survival of self, it has now morphed into the survival of the group. This stage values rituals and spirits. A sense of a higher power starts to form in stage purple, especially in the form of spirits. This stage is highly curious and views the world as magical and enchanting. Exploration begins in this stage as the fear of individual survival diminishes. Learn more about stage purple here. Stage Red (Egocentric) Stage Red marks a shift back to individualism with a self serving attitude. This stage is concerned with amassing power and status. Those in power take from those under them without guilt. Individuals in stage red are often aggressive, easily angered, and impulsive. Stage red is egocentric as the name implies and those in power believe they can get whatever they want through force. This stage is heavily linked to feudalism where a leader has power and those below him serve him. Stage red leaders can often be found leading a stage purple tribe. Learn more about stage red here. Stage Blue (Absolutist) The pendulum swings back towards collectivism in Stage Blue. The group once again becomes more important than the individual like in stage purple. However, in stage blue there is an established hierarchy with rules, morals, and procedures. There is an emphasis on precedent and tradition in this stage. Stage blue rejects violence and aggression and instead desires peace above all else. The increased care for individuals in the group leads to more peace. Individuals in this stage may be religious and entrenched in their own viewpoints. Because their morals are the highest priority, any new ideas that challenge their beliefs are viewed as threatening. Learn more about stage blue here. Stage Orange (Achiever) Stage orange is where the average American is located on the spiral dynamics spectrum. Stage orange is all about achievement, breaking barriers, and living up to your full potential. Conventional hierarchies found in stage blue are questioned here. Individuals pursue personal development during this stage. Stage orange individuals feel pressure to push themselves to be the best. Science and reason are born from and valued in stage orange. A free market capitalist system thrives under stage orange. You have this stage to thank for modern technology, inventions, and medicine. Stage orange is about pushing yourself and playing to win. Although this stage often leads to workaholism, over-attachment, and excessive consumerism. Learn more about stage orange here. Stage Green (Relativistic) This stage sees beyond the self and the group to view the world as a whole. The stereotypical hippie would quite likely be stage green. Stage green values diversity, new and conflicting ideas, and equality. People in stage green are often open minded and aren’t threatened by new perspectives. Stage green is associated with social democracies, social justice, liberalism, and activism. Many individuals in stage green may identify as vegetarians, LGBTQA+, or environmentalists. If you’re in stage green you most likely have a concern for the welfare of our planet and how it will turn out for future generations. Drawbacks to stage green include: excessive relativism, indecisiveness, and wanting to please everyone. Learn more about stage green here. Tier 2 Value systems Tier 1 value systems are externally focused as opposed to tier 2. Most of society is operating from tier 1. There is a greater sense of openness and complexity to tier 2 stages. The jump to tier 2 is a difficult jump because there are so few at these stages to guide you. Tier 2 value systems start to realize that real knowledge and truth can only come from deep inside. A great Tier 2 guide I have stumbled across is Leo Gura from Actualized.org, check him out if you’re looking for a good teacher. Stage Yellow (Integral) Stage Yellow enters a state of deep curiosity. There is a thirst for understanding and truth simply for the sake of itself in this stage. Systems thinking comes into play at this stage. Stage yellow individuals embrace paradox and understand it as a natural part of reality. This stage is about learning as much as possible and integrating it all together despite conflicting viewpoints. Stage yellow is all about big picture thinking on a deeper level than even stage green. A state of existential angst may arise in this stage. Stage green was more actively worried about the issues of the world

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