The human being is always in a process of evolution. At every moment, a new challenge drives him, forcing him to seek new solutions, new paths. Each time he succeeds, he strengthens himself, conquers new skills, and gains awareness of the learning and personal transformation process. True transformations often occur from dissatisfaction, from an unresolved need. Failure, in fact, is a lever for success. In the history of human evolution, it is easy to see these levers, as from needs such as food, shelter, and procreation, for example, prehistoric man arrived at what he is today.
Being aware of the external and internal factors that influence the transformation process is essential for the success of any endeavor. And for there to be progress, it is necessary to implement actions in all areas of life, always keeping in mind the balance, as everything is interconnected. Life is one. There is no professional without personal nor body without mind, for example.
The approach to life in four distinct, yet not separate, areas was presented by Ken Wilber, an American philosopher and pioneer of Integral Studies. In this study, the four areas or Quadrants are referred to as: I, We, This, and These. I refers to what is happening inside you, your thoughts, your impressions, etc. We is related to your body and brain, your sensations, your health, etc. This represents the culture you are embedded in, and These reflects the society you live in.
In this transformational journey, with each cycle successfully completed, there is a awakening of your consciousness, and man begins to have a new and broader view of his reality, moving to another stage of consciousness.
There are different degrees of consciousness evaluation. Clare W. Graves, a psychology professor at Union College in New York (USA), described the process of human evolution in a system that became known as the “Gravesian model,” which Ken Wilber used to develop his study on the Quadrants. Other authors have also worked with the Gravesian model. Don Beck and Chris Cowan, for example, established a color correspondence for the degrees of evolution defined by Clare Graves and arranged the colors (each representing a degree of evolution and consciousness) in a spiral, as it is the graphical form that best allows visualizing the evolutionary process.
Thus, the evolutionary spiral begins with Beige, representing the primordial level of human consciousness; moves to Purple, which refers to life in tribes; passes to Red, marking impulsiveness and the strong presence of the ego; evolves to Blue, showing the spirit of sacrifice, obedience, and righteousness; and continues in Orange, which reveals a taste for power, competitiveness, and autonomy. Next, we have Green, revealing the need for harmony between man and nature; Yellow, indicating flexibility to act in paradoxical situations; and Turquoise, pointing to individuals with a complex cognitive degree.
In the world, people belonging to all degrees of the color scale coexist simultaneously. Beggars (Beige), indigenous people or African tribes (Purple), thieves or murderers (Red), workers or peasants (Blue), managers or leaders (Orange), Greenpeace agents (Green), and so on—all are in a process of evolution.
I started this article by saying that man is a being in evolution. Therefore, if you want not only to keep up with your species but to stand out, invest in your growth, evaluate your personal, social, and professional life, and surprise others by making a difference in the world!
DR. LAIR RIBEIRO
Cardiologist, speaker
www.lairribeiro.com.br
lrsintonia@terra.com.br