The Spiritual Journey: Meaning, Examples, & Books

Gross (Physical) > Subtle (Mind) > Causal (Spirit) > Non-Dual (Turiya)

Here are the characteristics of our awareness at each developmental stage (e.g., Cook-Grueter, 2014; O’Fallon, 2010-b):

• Red – awareness focuses on the self or body – Gross/Physical awareness
• Orange – awareness focuses on social interactions – Gross/Physical awareness
• Yellow – awareness focuses on behaviors or actions – Subtle/Mental awareness
• Green – awareness focuses on achievements or outcomes – Subtle/Mental awareness
• Teal – awareness focuses on thoughts or perspectives – Subtle/Mental awareness
• Blue – awareness focuses on beliefs or patterns – Subtle/Mental awareness
• Indigo – awareness focuses on concepts – Causal/Spiritual awareness
• Violet – awareness focuses on oneness – Causal/Spiritual awareness
• White – awareness focuses on nonduality – Nondual awareness

While developmental stages are rarely thought of as part of the spiritual journey, the later stages (Indigo, Violet, and White) involve a type of spiritual awareness. So, in addition to the spiritual states, we have to at least consider how these developmental life stages are involved in the spiritual journey. 

Here is a truncated overview of the process that one is likely to go through during an awakening (e.g., Ingram, 2028; Sayadaw, 2016; Goode, 2016). To learn more about one version of these steps and their details, check out our article on vipassana mediation. 

• Illumination – an experience of connection to All That Is
• Dark Night of the Soul – an experience of disconnection to All That Is
• Equanimity – contentment or acceptance of All That Is
• Enlightenment – Transcendence

It seems that this process is triggered when we move between the subtle to causal states OR when we move between the subtle to causal stages (i.e., from blue to indigo).

With more psychological development, we move through the stages. And we can’t skip stages because each one builds on the previous one. So the lens we view our spiritual journey through depends on which developmental stage we’re in.

States
However, according to Wilber (2024), we can experience all spiritual states (i.e., gross, subtle, causal, and non-dual) at any time, and therefore, we can experience spiritual awakening, at any stage. 

State Awakening Versus Stage Awakening
My hunch is that we can experience a stage-based spiritual awakening (by moving from subtle to causal stages) or a state-based spiritual awakening (by moving from subtle to causal states). Given only about 1.5% of the adult population has moved into a causal stage (Cook-Grueter, 2014), the majority of awakenings are likely state-based. And that helps explain why awakenings are so different—people can have them in all of the developmental stages, and each stage views the world differently. ​

*Note: I will use the word God in this section for ease, but please interpret this word however it resonates with you (e.g., the universe, All That Is, etc…)

• Red – Our spiritual journey seems to focus on ourselves. We, alone, are awakening and special. I think the documentary “Love Has Won” depicts a red-stage awakening. The woman in the documentary has an experience where she realizes she is God. Because of her developmental stage, she interprets this experience as an indication that she is the One God because she is unable to see how other people might have similar experiences. 
• Orange – Our spiritual journey seems to focus on our close group. I recently watched a TV show, Forbidden Love, where a church leader speaks in tongues. He believes that only people who believe in Jesus can have the spiritual experiences that he has. Indeed, at this stage, it’s nearly impossible to imagine that people of other faiths might also connect to God.
• Yellow – Our spiritual journey seems to focus on behaviors. I recently heard an interview where a woman described her spiritual journey as “taking responsibility for myself”, which is a very yellow stage experience. Others who awaken at this stage might talk about their “powers”, because skills, abilities, and knowledge are all important to people at this stage. A person who awakens at this stage is likely to believe that they are the “doer” and that what they do is great or special (and it may indeed be impressive). 
• Green – Our spiritual journey seems to focus on outcomes. I believe that awakening at this stage explains why so much of the spiritual community focuses on manifestation and the law of attraction. We see spirituality as a tool for improving our outcomes. Others who awaken at this stage might talk about their soul mission or the important role they will play in bringing about the New Earth. From this stage’s perspective, it seems that the purpose of awakening is to create better outcomes.
• Teal – Our spiritual journey seems to focus on perspectives. It seems to me that many of the people running successful awakening podcasts and YouTube channels (e.g., Next Level Soul, Guy Lawrence) are awakening from the teal stage. They understand that awakening can mean many different things to different people and are eager to hear other people’s perspectives and learn from them. 
• Blue – Our spiritual journey seems to focus on beliefs or patterns. My hunch is that the spiritual coach, RJ Spina, is awakening from the blue stage. He clearly understands how his beliefs were conditioned and how one can un-condition themself. I also think the spiritual coach, Mary Mueller Shutan, may be in the blue stage, as her understanding of shadow work is quite impressive.
• Indigo – At indigo stage, we move from a subtle to a causal stage. Thus, we can no longer avoid spiritual awakening. If we have missed the opportunities for a state-based spiritual awakening, we find ourselves awakening through a stage-based spiritual awakening. Given we are likely unfamiliar with spirituality (having likely not mediated or practiced other spiritual techniques), this type of awakening can be a huge shock. Woods describes her experience in this stage as a combination of Illumination and the Dark Night of the Soul (Woods, 2020) while Cook-Grueter (2024) suggests that almost this entire stage can be a Dark Night of The Soul. 
• Violet – At the violet stage, we exit The Dark Night of The Soul and enter what some have called equanimity or unity (e.g., Ingram 2018).
• White – Our spiritual journey shifts to non-duality. According to O’Fallon (2010-b), only a few sages and saints have reached this stage, so there is not much we can say about it here. (Keep in mind that we can reach non-duality as a state).

• Red 
  • Illumination – A profound experience of the physical body connecting with God. 
  • Dark Night of The Soul – A profound experience of physical disconnection (for example, we might see our body move and feel like that’s not us).
• Orange 
  • Illumination – A profound experience of the group-based identity connecting with God (we experience ourselves as God’s chosen people). 
  • Dark Night of The Soul – A profound experience of social disconnection or not belonging (we feel different than the people we used to identify with).
• Yellow 
  • Illumination – A profound experience of the doer, or agentic self, connecting with God (we have the power, abilities, or knowledge of God). 
  • Dark Night of The Soul – A profound experience of non-doership or lack of agency (we lose our powers or feel that we have no control).
• Green 
  • Illumination – A profound experience of the achiever self connecting with God (we can create outcomes as God would). 
  • Dark Night of The Soul – A profound experience of being unable to create desired outcomes (our goals and plans fall apart). 
• Teal 
  • Illumination – A profound experience of the pluralist self connecting with God (we understand ourselves and others as God would).
  • Dark Night of The Soul – A profound experience of being misunderstood (our closest friends no longer get us).
• Blue 
  • Illumination – A profound experience of the story-based self connecting with God (we understand our roles in the ‘game of life’).
  • Dark Night of The Soul – A profound experience of emptiness in the roles we play in life (we may notice ourselves acting out a role, like in a play, without connecting to the character, which used to be us).
• Indigo 
  • Illumination – A profound experience of the conceptual self connecting with God (we see concepts as God would. For example, perhaps we see forgiveness is moot because all is as it should be).
  • Dark Night of The Soul – A profound experience of conceptual emptiness (we notice that concepts, themselves, are meaningless, including the concept of self).​

Note: We are always in multiple stages at one time (usually hovering around one stage). So if we awaken at green stage, we are likely to experience some aspects of yellow stage and teal stage. 

• Cook-Greuter, S. (2014). Ego development: A full-spectrum theory of vertical growth and meaning-making. mimeo, Wayland.
  
• Goode, G. (2016). After Awareness: The End of the Path. New Harbinger Publications.
  
• Ingram, Daniel. (2018). Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha: An Unusually Hardcore Dharma Book – Revised and Expanded Edition. Aeon Books.
  
• O’Fallon, T. J. (2010-a). The Collapse of the Wilber Combs Matrix: The Interpenetration of the State and Structure Stages Terri J. O’Fallon Developmental Research Institute May 1, 2010.
  
• O’Fallon, T. (2010-b). The evolution of the human soul: Developmental practices in spiritual guidance. Excerpt from Masters in Spiritual Direction.
  
• Sayadaw, M. (2016). Manual of insight. Simon and Schuster.
  
• Wikipedia. (2024, November 2). Spirituality. Retrieved 11/9/2024 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirituality
  
• Wilber, K. (2000). Integral psychology: Consciousness, spirit, psychology, therapy. Shambhala Publications.
  
• ​Wilber, K. (2007). Integral spirituality: A startling new role for religion in the modern and postmodern world. Shambhala Publications.
  
• Wilber, K. (2024). Finding Radical Wholeness: The Integral Path to Unity, Growth, and Delight. Shambhala Publications.
  
• Woods, H. (2020). The Golden Thread: Where to Find Purpose in the Stages of Your Life. New Degree Press​