As human beings we go through stages of growth and development. Many of these stages are easily recognized when we are young, moving from infancy through childhood, to adulthood. Less easily recognized is our spiritual growth and development. Often our spiritual growth remains unexamined and reflection upon these stages may reveal a path that is typically NOT linear, sometimes very convoluted. There are even times when we are "frozen". While each of us discovers our mature spiritual self through a life time of living, the moments when we experience "growth spurts" can be both joyful and challenging. Many have described times of great spiritual growth as times when they just "escaped" to a new way to thinking and being. It was ecstatic and at the same time extremely life changing. It is the lovely paradox of being able to feel all dimensions from fear to joy that marks a period of growth. The hallmark of maturation is to not be driven to label the experience, but to instead to just be in it, and feel it. Pretty hard for most of us to resist the temptation to label the experience as good or bad.A phenomenon that has become evident is when those of different spiritual maturation are mixed together (say in the workplace) some confusion (stimulation for an evolutionary leap) is bound to occur.
One of the underlying tenets to all spiritual development theories is the more maturity one has attained, the more able one is to "see" the bigger picture. Those less developed are unaware of the higher dimensions. Adds to the saying "you don't know what you don't know, til you know it".
Not knowing, risks being judgmental, quick to label.
It is a worthwhile endeavor to release being a judge, rather examine your values, your beliefs, learn to wake up to other ways of knowing and being.
Just as sometimes you can be frozen, there is always the chance of waking up!
