Stepping Stones to Greater Awareness

Is there any greater achievement than to gain understanding of that which we wonder about? Greater awareness with the ultimate goal of enlightenment has always been humankind's most noble and spiritually worthy pursuit. There is a characteristic pattern of orientation in pursuing greater and greater understanding – a pattern of archetypes that humans may be said to fit into along the pathway to enlightenment... models of personality or behavior that mark a person's progress in spiritual awakening.

One's current archetype reveals precisely where you are in the ascension process in your life. Each is a stepping stone to higher spiritual consciousness, awareness, and intuition. They also reveal where others are along their journey. Being aware of others' journeys inspires compassion for others who share our path of opportunity to grow and challenge to learn. Whatever archetype one embodies, it is helpful to be aware of the succession of archetypal motives to show just what the next step is. Below are the six archetypes on the path to enlightenment, from least to most aware.

EDEN – the primordial archetype, where everything is absolutely whole and perfect. You are considered innocent until you leave to explore whatever else there is.

ORPHAN – where you experience pain and feel wounded after the separation from Eden. Out of a sense of that pain, you seek to know the truth. Once you discover a truth that you believe in, you become a warrior to protect and defend that truth.

WARRIOR – but the truth you believe in may not be absolute; often the truth that wounded and motivated you to become a warrior may at the same time motivate those that oppose your belief. This may move you to become a healer.

HEALER – those embodying this archetype often get stuck attempting to heal that which they believe is opposite to their beliefs, making them little more than warrior healers. When you come to realize that which you don't believe in and stand against is but a reflection of that which has always been within, you become a healer. Only when the warrior can abandon judgement can he bring about healing of the divide between beliefs.

ALCHEMIST - at this stage, one begins to consciously alter the surrounding world by subtly accessing the very fabric of reality. All division disappears and the rejuvenation process may begin.

SAGE – by this stage one is genuinely able to move the consciousness of others as a communicator of wisdom and truth of spiritual ascension.

During the transition from one archetype to another, at some point we leave behind essential parts of ourselves to embrace new ways of thinking and new ways of interacting with the world. We are born again and renewed. As with the cycle of death and rebirth, this process of letting go and embracing something new seems to be unremitting.