The Human Growth Continuum
APPENDICES

à Tables illustrating the growth continuum page 23

à Resources for study page 40

à Glossary of terms page 43

à Credits page 47

à Biographical background page 48

SPECIAL NOTE

For maximum benefit, any Table with an up-arrow should be read from bottom to top –
beginning on the last page of the Table.
Tables without an arrow may be read normally – from top to bottom.

Appendix A: TABLES

Table 1: STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT – Life Passages

This Table traces human development in the external Realm of Life Passages. Life Passages are the external phases of accomplishment or achievement that occur as we progress through the biologic life cycle. The human life cycle can be divided into ten Stages (colored rows), plus two more for before-birth and after-death. Between each two Stages is a Transition (italicized grey rows). Life Passages is the only Table that uses as a benchmark (vertical axis) the actual Stages of biological development – rather than the psycho-spiritual Stages of the FDS (see Table 2).

Life cycle step	Stages/ Transitions	Age of Emergence (approx. years)	Characteristics
25	Legacy	After-death	Genetic, cultural, psychological & material endowments passed to succeeding generations
24	*Death*		Physical functioning stops
23	Senescence	95-100+	Diminished capacities
22	*Debility or illness*		Significant physical or mental setback
21	Elderhood	75-95	Communicating experience and wisdom to next generation
20	*Passing-the-baton*		Recognition of mortality. Shift of attention to next generation.
19	Mature adulthood	55-75	Shift to internally-validated identity. From success to significance
18	*Mid-life passage*		Breakdown of externally-validated identity
17	Middle adulthood	35-55	Stability of stature and position
16	*Making-the-grade*		Peak of external life achievements.
15	Young adulthood	21-35	Striving for external life achievements
14	*Nudged from the nest*		Completing school. Finding real job, permanent partner
	[college]	18-22	Independent identity, while supported by home
13	Adolescence [high school]	13-18	Formation of independent identity, while living at home
12	*Coming-of-age*		First adolescent traits – physical, psychological
	[upper grades]	9-12
11	Older childhood [primary grades]	6-8	Early schooling. First enrollment in society outside the home.
10	*Entering school*		First days at school
9	Young childhood	3-6	Partial independence within home environment
8	*Onset of Terrible 2s*		First actions independent of mother
7	Toddler	1.5-3	Early efforts at self-initiative and self-support
6	*Crawling/ walking*		First mobility
5	Infancy	0-1.5	Total sustenance and bonding outside the womb
4	*Birth*		Emergence from the womb
3	Gestation	Pre-birth	Total sustenance and support within the womb
	*Conception*		Sperm meets egg
1	Heritage	Pre-conception	The genetic and cultural endowments we inherit

Table 2: FUNDAMENTAL DEVELOPMENTAL SEQUENCE (FDS) / CHAKRAS

For the internal Passages of Psyche, Body, and Spirit, the entire series of alternating Stages and Transitions is called the Fundamental Developmental Sequence (FDS). Derived from the Tables of Ken Wilber,[1] the FDS consists of 38 distinct steps. These steps can be consolidated into 12 developmental Clusters, – consisting of 12 Stages, separated by 11 Transitions. Step numbers are shown in the left-hand column; Stages and States are indicated by bands of color comprising several rows; Transition rows are italicized in grey.

Within those 12 Clusters, the seven central Stages are known in Eastern philosophy as the Chakras. From a Western perspective, the Chakras are a consolidation, condensation, or simplification of the FDS into seven basic Stages. From an Eastern perspective, the Chakras are energy phenomena that manifest themselves simultaneously in the three internal Realms of Body, Psyche, and Spirit. The simplified Chakras are shown in the right-hand column (with Wilber’s version in Column 3), using the colors traditionally assigned to each level.

FDS Numberp	FUNDAMENTAL DEVELOPMENTAL SEQUENCE (Wilber)	Definitions of FDS Terms	Chakras Ken Wilber version (IP 16-17, 199)	Chakras Simplified & New Age versions
38	[Beyond consciousness/ Divine]	[Beyond consciousness]		7. WISDOM (crown of head)
37	- transition -	[Relinquishment of consciousness]
36	Non-dual: Late	Constant consciousness
35	Non-dual: Middle	Spirit and World Process
34	Non-dual: Early	Non-dual mysticism – union of form and formless	(Release of all Chakras in the Real)
33	- transition -	Merging of consciousness with Creator
32	Causal: Late	Cessation -- union with the source of all manifest realms
31	Causal (formless): Early	Formless mysticism – awareness of the source of consciousness
30	- transition -	Emergent consciousness of the holy essence of the Creator	(Higher Chakras to cessation)
29	Subtle: Late	Union with creator of gross realm
28	Subtle (archetype): Early	Deity mysticism – awareness of divine source of creation
27	- transition -	Departure from the material realm. Emergent consciousness of the Creator	7. Sahasrara: Transcendental consciousness, light
26	Psychic: Late	Union with the world process
25	Psychic (vision): Early	Nature mysticism – awareness of divine embodied in the material
24	- transition -	Emergent consciousness of supernatural realm beyond the material	6. Psychic mind: vision (Ajna)
23	Vision/ logic: Late	Integrated perspectives: Holistic, unified, integral thinking		6. VISIONARY THOUGHT (brow, third eye)
22	Vision/logic:Middle	Interacting perspectives: Dialectical, comparative thinking
21	Vision/ logic: Early	Multiple perspectives: Relative, pluralistic, contextual thinking
20	- transition -	Emergence from mechanistic to fluid, multi- dimensional thinking	5. Verbal-rational mind
19	Formal: Late	Broad, complex abstract and logical thinking		5. EXPRESSION (throat)
18	Formal: Early	Small, simple abstract and logical thinking		5. EXPRESSION (throat)
17	- transition -	Emergence from myth and superstition to generalized, abstract logical thinking	4. Community-mind: love
16	Rule/role: Late	Large, complex social structures – elaborate rules and roles		4. LOVE (heart)
15	Rule/role: Early	Small, simple social structures – basic rules and roles		4. LOVE (heart)
14	- transition -	Emergence of god-centered social structures (rules and roles) and concrete, literal thinking
13	Concept	Capacity to derive abstract principles from related experiences	3. Intential-mind: power	3. POWER (solar plexus)
12	Endocept	Grasping or apprehending the internal, hidden characteristics of an object		3. POWER (solar plexus)
11	Symbol - transition -	Capacity to use signs, characters, objects to represent something else Emergence of the individual identity
10	Image	Capacity to visualize or otherwise experience something not present		2. SEXUALITY (genitals)
9	Impulse/ emotion	Capacity to experience self-centered urges, drives, desires	2. Emotional-sexual	2. SEXUALITY (genitals)
8	- transition -	Emergence of capacity to respond
7	Exocept	Apprehending the external appearance of an object		1. SURVIVAL (floor of pelvis)
6	Perception	Capacity to receive information from environment through sense organs
5	Sensation	Capacity to feel undifferentiated stimulation of sense organs Emergence of life
4	Matter: Molecular, polymer	Atoms bonded into molecules
3	Matter: Atomic