Carl Jung teaches that we all pass through four stages of life if we are fortunate enough to have a long enough life. When I look at today, there is enough proof in our society that he was right on in his assessment. Therefore, all thinking beings should be at least asking themselves questions about their current progress. Where are you in life?

Athlete Stage- Preoccupied with how you look, your body, and nothing else seems significant or as important as that. The media functions in this sphere by creating a particular body image that all people should strive to possess to be considered attractive.

As a culture, we pander to this stage, teaching them to become good consumers. Our society teaches that it’s not only looks that matter; you can still be acceptable by having the right possessions.  This shallow belief continues into the other stages. Many still believe that money can buy happiness. It can’t. What brings you joy?

Warrior Stage– During this stage of life, young people are driven to get out there and conquer the world. There is a constant movement to be the best, get the best, do our best, and do what warriors do and act like we think warriors should work.  This stage has you believing that by defeating others, you have more value for yourself.

So many organizations are built on the false lure of competition. That by winning at anything, you are a more intelligent, better, or more desirable person. The actual value of competitive sports is not the competition but the cooperation that success takes. If you learn the lessons of competition, it builds teamwork, the trust of others, the value of your teammates’ skills, and attempting to achieve goals as a group. So how do you view competition?

Statement Stage- People start to realize the warrior stage has a lack of real purpose in it. Life is more than acquiring material possessions and simply achieving for yourself and your glory. At this stage, all most want to do is stop being selfish and give to the world. It seems essential to leave the world a better place than it was before you arrived here.

People start to look to do good things in charitable works and looking for ways to give back to society rather than take from it. The valuable lessons of cooperation allow those that learn them to work better with others. What is your statement? 

Spirit Stage– Since the other stages are based on the exterior of things, our looks, accomplishments, and legacies, this stage focuses on who we are.  We are more than our bodies, and there is a spirit and soul inside that takes this journey. We are far more than our possessions, more than our friends, more than our profession, more than our country, etc. We are all spiritual beings having a human experience.

So as you look at the world, you will see your journey as something to be experienced, not something to be owned. As we pass through the stages, it is essential to look know each has a purpose. As we develop, it is all leading to a spiritual awakening. Some will never get to this point, but most will eventually. Some will find it through organized religion. Others will find it in the delicate and unforgiving movement of nature. One Carl Jung quote that defines this process well:

“Thoroughly unprepared, we take the step into the afternoon of life. Worse still, we take this step with the false presupposition that our truths and our ideals will serve us as hitherto. But we cannot live the afternoon of life according to the program of life’s morning, for what was great in the morning will be little at evening and what in the morning was true, at evening will have become a lie.”

We are all seeking our place in the world and moving through changes. Not everyone is going to experience everything the same, but your perspective will change. Those who are clinging to the past are wasting their years.  LIFE IS EITHER SADNESS OR EUPHORIA…………..