What do we mean by Later Stages of Development?

When we speak of later stages of awareness and development, we are referring to an understanding that individual learning, growth and development seem to unfold through a sequence of increasing capacities for presence, complexity and inclusivity.

There are two well-researched pathways of human awakening: state stages of awareness and structure stages of development.

State Stages of Awareness

One path which has been studied and passed down through various cultures and lineages for thousands of years is our state stage of awareness.

Expanded states of consciousness are ever-present and can be experienced at any time; however, our state stage points to our increasing capacity to observe the subtle workings of the mind and of Awareness Itself – until we realize that there is no difference between the mind inside and the universe outside. Through practice we can stabilize ourselves in later states of consciousness, and live our daily lives from a sense of freedom and a felt sense of oneness with all.

Importantly, states of awareness will always be interpreted by our structural stage of development, which means that the same universal states of consciousness can be perceived from a variety of perspectives, integration and depth.

If you’d like to learn more about state stages of consciousness, we recommend the work of Dan P. Brown who researched and recorded one of the most comprehensive and refined descriptions of evolving state stages in his book Pointing Out the Great Way.

Structure Stages of Development

Another path psychologists have examined for over 100 years is an individual’s structure stage of development, which measures an increasing capacity to take multiple perspectives and to integrate complexity.

Structure stages of awareness aren’t just about being more aware of experiences or learning new things. When we grow into later structure stages, our understanding of reality completely transforms. Each later stage of development expands and deepens our capacity for how we understand self, others and the world.

One of our primary orientations at Belight is the STAGES model of human development, researched and developed by Terri O’Fallon. The STAGES framework defines 12 stages of increasing complexity, inclusion and embrace in the evolution of human consciousness and meaning-making wisdom. 

If you’d like to learn more about structure stages of consciousness, including your current structure stage of development, contact Stages International to learn more about the STAGES model and/or to complete an individual STAGES assessment.

What is the experience of Being at a later stage?

If we use the STAGES framework to determine late stage, we mean being at a Metaware Stage of Development. This language is new for many people; so we offer some qualities of these stages to help you determine if BELiGHT is a good fit for you.

Construct Aware – 5.0

  • You are questioning the constructed nature of your own belief systems
  • You are noticing that the structures and narratives of life are made up and empty of inherent meaning
  • You are opening to infinite perspectives and the idea that there is no single “truth” in the world of form
  • You may alternate from being lost in the constructs of your mind/society – to feeling peaceful, free and spacious
  • You begin to understand awareness of the formlessness of awareness as a new baseline
  • This new awareness can result in a  sense of groundlessness and confusion since society rarely reflects these ways of perceiving

Transpersonal – 5.5

  • Awareness of Awareness is your baseline experience
  • You perceive so much complexity that you can at times become lost in it
  • You are able to perceive thought and feeling as it arises in the moment; and you can dissolve those thoughts and feelings at will
  • Since constructs are empty of meaning you realize you can create your own unique constructs to benefit global consciousness
  • You are aware of subtle concentrations of energy in your subtle energy field
  • Fascinated by the perception of fractals, you can get lost in halls of mirrors
  • You may feel lonely since few people understand your complex views      

Universal – 6.0 and Later

  • You perceive Awareness as vastly infinite, boundless and possibly timeless and spaceless
  • You have a felt sense of your self expressing as and with all of form throughout the kosmos
  • Letting go of your own agenda, including grasping or avoiding, you can relax into the flow and oneness of Life
  • As you align and unite your individual being with Awareness Itself you are  becoming your unique, spontaneous and authentic contribution in service of the Whole choicelessly, effortlessly
  • You may experience greater clarity, ease, flow, wholeness and a growing capacity to influence new deep structures in human consciousness

If you are still unsure about your stage of development Contact Us or Take A Stages Assessment

Contact Stages International to find out more about the stages model and/or to complete a stages assessment.