Spiral Dynamics

Whose Truth is the true Truth?

Greetings dear Family and Friends, and welcome:)

Last week I had so much fun exploring the geometric artistry of the spiral. I love how it relates to the many patterns of beauty that we can appreciate in the natural world. It was an enriching experience to seek out imagery to complement my writing. So satisfying.

Below is the image I made last week as a wee reminder.

I loved the conversations I had with members of our community. Thank you for your engagement with me. As always, I would love to hear how you are this week.

An Introduction to Spiral Dynamics

As I was preparing for this week's edition, I realised that I was not donewith the spiral just yet. As you probably have guessed by now, I am eternally curious. I love things that are novel or different and that challenge my thinking. In my early years, people would say to me, 'you think too much.'  I would be a bit bemused by that because it gave me great pleasure to think. LOL!

I would like to share a body of wisdom that has genuinely sustained my optimism over many years. It is called Spiral Dynamics. There is a simplicity and a complexity to this theory. It will be challenging for me to explain it as there is depth and breadth to it. And yet, it feels right to take this on. I hope you will bear with me.

Spiral Dynamics is a way of describing the evolutionary development of individuals, organisations, and societies. I can appreciate that this is a bit tricky to get your mind around. The way I make sense of it is that just like our physical form evolved over thousands of years, so has our consciousness. With the powerful image of the spiral, the model represents this evolutionary journey in an accessible way. It is an image of what has gone before and what is available to us now in a myriad of ways.

Clare W. Graves created the theory in the 1950s. Don Beck and Christopher Cowan further developed it. This model helps us to appreciate different worldviews, i.e., how people view their reality. 

What I find so powerful is how this theory explains, in a non-judgemental way, where behaviors and conflict can originate. I have chosen the subtitle for this piece as 'Whose Truth is the true Truth?' Spiral Dynamics helps us to see how each stage has its own truth. The understanding offered in the theory can help people to have an authentic appreciation of diversity. Don Beck during the 1990s brought Spiral Dynamics into apartheid conflict resolution in South Africa. It is an amazing story where people moved from seeing differences being about the colour of a person's skin to being about the beliefs and values held by different groups. 

Below is a 2D image of the spiral to get us started. Notice how we begin in the center with the colour beige, then progress through purple, red, blue, orange, green, yellow, and teal. The colours are a shorthand. that people use when working with the model. However, the colours need to be used with care so as not to pigeonhole people.

Four Questions about Spiral Dynamics

Why a spiral?. 

The answer to this is that there is a progression upwards as we move through each worldview. Each stage on the spiral ‘transcends and includes’ the previous one. Each new one brings with it an ever-increasing ability to handle complexity. We can move up and down the spiral. But, our centre of gravity is always on an upward trajectory. 

What does each stage hold?

Each worldview on the spiral has its unique motivations, values, and viewpoints about life. In a sense, each stage had its own truth and perception about reality. Spiral Dynamics provides details on each worldview. It clarifies how each stage can mature and progress to the next level in response to life conditions.

How does it work in practice?

There is a finesse to the model that weaves imagery and description to help us access this knowledge in a good way. We can then recognise the beliefs, attitudes, opinions, and aspirations held at different stages. We can then use the model for our personal development and hone our skills to appreciate other people’s worldviews. 

How does this sustain my optimism?

From this understanding, I can see where I have an ‘affinity’ with particular worldviews, and I can also see when I have an ‘allergy’ to a worldview. For me, it helped me to not tussle with other people or try to win an argument. As I developed my ability to recognise and understand different worldviews, I was much more able to manage my behaviour.

An Interview with Jon Freeman on Spiral Dynamics

A couple of years ago, I interviewed Jon Freeman about Spiral Dynamics. It was transformational for me to train with Jon. This interview gives you information about the model in an accessible way. Jon gave me the image below, which provides the keyword for each worldview.  Click here or the image below to watch the interview where Jon gives us an excellent and practical introduction to the theory.

Bumper Stickers

I find that most of the time, I encounter five of the eight worldviews. As part of completing with you today, I created the table below to give you a bit more of a summary of each worldview. You can see what is good about each stage (virtue), what may be out of balance at each stage (shadow). Finally, I thought you might like to have a car Bumper Sticker for each worldview.

I know this has been a bit more theoretical this week. I do feel this is an approach that can help us find our way to more personal balance. Spiral Dynamics has helped me to understand how other people view the world, and from there, to be more skillful in how I relate to them. I feel this is so needed in the world right now.

I would love to know what you made of this week's newsletter, so please send me a message.

Wishing you a happy weekend

Ann