CONSPIRE 2014 Richard Rohr Copyright © 2014 Center for Action and Contemplation

THE PRESENT CONSENSUS ON LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS

EGOCENTRIC EARLY LEVELS Archaic/Infantile Level: Unitive Innocence and Absorption (Beige)—.1% of adults Magical world of powers: Animistic world of magic (Purple)—10% Imperial order and glory: Might makes right/Feudalism (Red)—20% My Mythic Truth: Secure world of Unquestioned Truth/True Believers (Blue)—40%

MINOR DEATH OF EGOCENTRICITY REQUIRED TO MOVE FORWARD: SOCIOCENTRIC MIDDLE LEVELS

Rational/Organizational: Effectiveness, technique, intelligence (Orange)—30% Pluralistic Equality: Assumes “equal rights” is the highest level (Green). So close to the finish line that much of today’s sophisticated society stops here, if it even arrives here (“Boomeritis” a combination of arrogance and individualism which will not let go of its separateness and superiority—grace is required). It can be called “Flatland,” contemptuous of both lower and higher stages—10% of the world population, 20% of the USA, and 15% of the people in power in the West.

Major death of ego: Normally must be initiated by Reality/God/Circumstances. No one goes here willingly or with understanding. The true “Dark Night.” Wisdom or Non-Dual Consciousness: Early stage enlightenment (Yellow and Turquoise Stages). Only now can we have the freedom and ability to INCLUDE the value of previous stages and not need to hate or reject any of them. A “rediscovery of hierarchy” whereby you are fully open to stages beyond where you are now! Cosmic humility. First time this happens! True INTEGRATION—less than 2% of the population, less than 1% of those in power.

The Journey of Faith Development

Each movement forward tends to throw out the previous stages, and the immediately preceding stage it throws out with a vengeance! Most revolutions and reformations up to now. We must stop doing this.

Purple Level (Popular Catholicism through the Middle Ages) To Transcend: God as a spirit that I can coax and control by magic & superstition To Include: Perhaps wearing “a medal” or a cross helps my focus and attention.

Red Level (Crusader Mentality, Inquisition, and the early Reformation) To Transcend: Tribal belonging and forced membership to impose belief To Include: Loyalty to a Tradition and a group is also good.

Blue Level (The Reformation and Counter Reformation Catholicism) To Transcend: Faith as doggedly holding out and holding on to beliefs To Include: Patience, Perseverance, and the Humility of Belief

Orange Level (Mainline Protestantism today and Vatican II Catholicism) To Transcend: Propriety, reason, and process as the disguised meaning of faith To Include: A proper use of intelligence and group governance

Green Level (The postmodern mind in any group) To Transcend: Pluralistic Equality is the highest meaning of enlightenment. To Include: Protecting human rights and human dignity

SECOND TIER CONSCIOUSNESS

Yellow and Turquoise Levels (Mysticism in various stages) Only at this stage CAN YOU both transcend and include every previous stage as both bad and good, which means you have gotten over the arrogance and individualism of the “Mean Green” level and the self-sufficiency of all levels, and you can compassionately understand and support the good at every level.

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