Spiral Dynamics

Click through to view slides on levels of spiral development as outlined in Ken Wilbers Boomeritis

Spiral Dynamics
2nd Tier

Turquoise Yellow Green Orange Blue Red Purple Beige

1st Tier

Archaic (Beige): Survival/Sense

Automatic, autistic, instinctual Centers around satisfaction of human biological needs Little awareness of self as a distinct being (primary narcissism) Lives off the land much as other animals

Satisfies physiological needs

Basis of survival clans

Magical-Animistic (Purple): Magical Powers

Bond together to find safety

Use of rituals to gain magical power

Placate spirit beings Honor enchanted places, objects, rituals, ancestors Allegiance to tradition, custom, tribal leaders Basis of ethnic tribes

Egocentric (Red): Power Gods and Goddesses

Gratify impulses and senses immediately

Fight aggressively and without guilt to break constraints

Dont worry about consequences that may not come Live for the moment, be here now Cause of all failures and difficulties is outside of self (Its not my fault) Grandiose/impulsive self, omnipotent regard

The world is full of powerful, God-like figures, Zeus atop Mount Olympus
Basis of strong rulers and feudal empires

Mythic-Membership (Blue): Conformist Order

Bring order and stability to all things
Control impulsivity with guilt

Impose law and order

Enforce principles of righteous living

Divine plan assigns people to their places

Basis of ancient nations

Egoic-Rational (Orange): Scientific Achievement

Strive for autonomy and independence Seek out the good life and material abundance Progress through searching out the best solutions Play to win and enjoy competition Enhance living for many through science and technology Authority lies with experience and experiments, not dogma

Utilitarian, pragmatic, results-oriented

Basis of corporate states

Pluralism (Green): The Sensitive Self

Explore the inner being of self and others Promote a sense of community and caring Share a societys resources among all; embrace diversity and multiculturalism Promote gender equality, childrens rights, and animal welfare All values are pluralistic and relative, so dont marginalize anybody Do away with all hierarchies; they are oppressive Liberate humans from greed and dogma Reach decisions through consensus Refresh spirituality and bring harmony to all beings of Gaia Basis of value communities

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Tier Leap!

Holistic (Second Tier): The Integral Embrace

Intuitively grasps the entire Spiral of development, and thus understands that each meme is important

Grasps big pictures, global flows, universal networks

Discovers personal freedom without harm to others or excesses of self-interest

Sees integrative and open systems, holistic meshworks

Reintroduces vertical hierarchy (or ranking) along with horizontal heterachy (or linking)

Works for both the enjoyment of the self and the good of the entire Spiral of development
Basis of integral commons

Spiral Dynamics
2nd Tier

Turquoise Yellow Green Orange Blue Red Purple Beige

1st Tier

Information on Spiral Dynamics from: Wilber, Ken. Boomeritis. Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc., 2002 www.shambhala.com