Did you guys figure out Spiral Dynamics before hand?

[integral]

Growing up, I frequently encountered people with completely different mindsets, operating systems, and value systems, and I struggled to understand what was happening. Every time I met someone, I would try to figure out how their mind worked and assess their way of thinking

I was lucky enough to be exposed to every stage on the Spiral at a young age whether through media, books, or direct conversations. My parents were hippies who read turquoise books, while my businessman grandfather gave me stage yellow books (without even realizing it). I saw mafia movies, engaged in debates with religious students in high school, and Became an atheist myself when I was a child.

I was constantly trying to figure out what was happening,  they all grouped in certain categories. Like there was the intellectual types and the hippie types And I was trying to figure out what was going on. Like, why were the turquoise people able to produce such amazing wisdom? And yet they had something about it that I had no idea what they were talking about. And then the hippie types Who claimed they were spiritual, but it was clear that they were nowhere near the level of mind that wrote those turquoise books.

"Hippie Spirituality" and then the spirituality I was reading those books were clearly completely different but they were both being grouped together by everyone I was coming to contact with and I couldn't understand what was happening but there Was a strong intuition Telling me that there's different levels of intelligence.

Then I discovered integral theory, which introduced me to Spiral Dynamics. It was an immediate, MASSIVE epiphany, 

The thing I was searching for my entire life was THIS.

Then I found Leo's content which took it to a whole other level.

I didn't figure it out beforehand, but my intuitively was constantly trying to resolve the pattern in a away that it was the top question on my mind for years.

Did you guys have an experience like this before you found Spiral Dynamics?

Edited 13 hours ago by integral

[PolyPeter]

yes.

but it was more subtle. like a vague intuition that people operated from specific "types" of people. 

i noticed that there was a massive difference for how people understand reality, based on where they were born.

then spiral dynamics came, and it made more sense to frame it that way. consciousness related.

Edited 12 hours ago by PolyPeter

[aurum]

I understood Blue and Orange pretty well, because that was the environment I grew up in. So when I found out about SD, those made sense.

Green was harder to understand. I didn’t have as much exposure to it. And certainly I did not understand anything beyond Green. 

[integral]

It looks like you need to get lucky to be exposed to the entire spiral early.

From books/movies/people. its random luck.

Edited 12 hours ago by integral

[LoneWonderer]

VERY similar journey to yours friend. When I saw Leo's spiral dynamics and ego stages of development I was mindblow and suddenly things just fell in place.  All these dissconenected things I was so consufed about I saw in society finally made sense. I'd say where I differed to you is I've been very reclusive and people averse most of my life so I didn't seek people out per se but saw them and experienced the different ideas of spiral stages from a distance through books, documentaries, somewhat limited interactions with my mom's friends and school classmates. I was mostly raised in a stage green envrioment at home while my whole school upbringing was typical stage orange western style education. I saw the limits of both green and orange at a young age (16-17) and then got hooked on green hippie culture through many books and channels like Infinite waters. I transitioned into some yellow ways of thinking only thanks to actualized.org.

I never heard of spiral dynamics before Leo and most likely would have never found it withought him. Before Leo and his teachings I was very confused about all these varying perspectives. Which is the right one? Who's is most correct? Who do I listen to? This thing this person says I resonate with but then I don't with these other things they say? It was all so confusing!  I was unable to connect the idea that there was partial and limited truth in every one of the perspectives, to take the important parts of each as a way of forming your own holistic worldview.

When I was younger I was also more dogmatic (on green and orange matters from my upbringing in school and at home). Spiral dynamics and all of Leo's work has helped me gain elevation and drop much of my doggedness. Now my biggest problem is actually being dogmatic about things that matter! It's become very hard as I just can't take many things seriously anymore! Some things do require that seriousness however and for me it has become a judgment of standing up for things that help make the world a more loving and caring place for all living being and trying to align my life and my work in such a manner. Ultimately at the highest frame (The god frame) it doesn't matter what you do, who you help or don't, it's all perfection unfolding forever (I saw infinity of LSD). However I'm not there yet in my development. I still want to strive to make the percieved world a better place for all and help in my infinitessimaly small way to bring love and balance about in my short stint on this earth.  

Yes, I still prob have stage red and blue shadow as I nearly never interact with such people in society and avoid them if I can. I did flat for 6 months with a born again christian lady and it was ok except for the fact she was completly paradigm locked. We never spoke of religion or her and my beliefs. Kept the relationship nice and cordial...Like "hey that's some great weather we're having today". Same at work. I work for a stage orange/green buisness and I just conform to survive. Can't be spewing mystical smishtical teachings at work...ya know.

*I almost never write lengthy post like this on the forum, must've felt inspired today or something...

Edited 11 hours ago by LoneWonderer