How “awakening” is a normal stage of human development

Many people associate awakening with practices like meditation or self-inquiry. What may be less understood is the idea of developmental awakening. Increasingly, researchers suggest that “awakening” is a natural part of human growth.

This concept remains obscure mainly because only a small number of individuals progress to the developmental phase where this awakening occurs, as noted by Cook-Grueter in 2014.

Understanding developmental awakening involves looking at how stages of growth shape our worldviews. Research by O’Fallon in 2010 breaks down these stages into various levels of awareness. You may find that the later stages closely resemble what we think of as awakening.

In the Red Stage, individuals are primarily concerned with their physical existence, focusing on their bodies and adopting a self-centered view.

In the Orange Stage, awareness broadens to social dynamics; here, individuals recognize their interactions within peer groups, reflecting a more relational perspective.

The Yellow Stage introduces an awareness of behaviors and skills, where the focus begins to shift to an early third-person perspective.

As people advance to the Green Stage, they start to become aware of their emotions and the outcomes of their actions, adopting a late third-person perspective.

In the Teal Stage, individuals gain awareness of different thoughts and viewpoints, marking the initial onset of a fourth-person outlook. The Blue Stage involves an understanding of beliefs and the patterns that shape them, revealing a late fourth-person perspective.

The Indigo Stage fosters awareness of social constructs, representing a more complex fifth-person perspective. Finally, the Violet Stage leads to an understanding of interconnectedness, while the White Stage represents a non-dual perspective, recognizing the unity of all existence.

This progression continues through levels of awareness, ultimately leading to profound insights about the self and the world.

Developmental awakening appears to be a journey of expanding awareness. Ken Wilber describes this journey as a movement toward greater fullness. Using a camera as a metaphor can clarify this process. In this analogy, awareness acts like the camera lens, enabling us to see the world around us. The developmental stage of an individual determines how much of that world can be viewed, indicating how far the lens is zoomed out.

Psychological skills function as the tools that help people focus on different aspects of what is within their view. As individuals cultivate these skills, they enhance their capacity to perceive broader elements of the world and themselves.

This expanded sight leads them to realize that there is more beyond their current understanding, prompting further growth and awakening.

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