This research challenges traditional theories of human development by emphasizing the centrality of embodied experience throughout an individual’s lifespan, arguing that psycho-spiritual maturation is deeply rooted in our physical experiences. The discussion suggests that the prevalent disembodiment discourse in Western culture may also permeate our developmental theories. To more fully integrate the role of the body in psycho-spiritual growth, it is proposed that spiritual practitioners, theorists, clinicians, and researchers should deepen their understanding of embodied sensibilities.
The presentation introduces “The Body Map” theory, formulated by Anderson in 2004, which outlines ten stages (axes) of bodily involvement in human development and compares them with Susanne Cook-Greuter’s nine stages of development. This comparison aims to illustrate different facets of how the body contributes to psycho-spiritual evolution. At the conference, “Embodied Writings” from various years are used as examples to exemplify each stage, highlighting personal and mystical experiences that reflect the theory.
This approach is presented as provisional, inviting feedback from conference attendees on three key areas: the significance of the body in psycho-spiritual development, how embodiment can enrich general developmental theories, and how research methodologies might embrace embodied reflections, often overlooked or discouraged by conventional Western practices and research norms.
10 Axis
The Body Map is a developmental model that spans from conception to death, emphasizing the biological drive that propels life forward until its cessation. This model outlines ten developmental stages, referred to as axes, each signifying a step towards greater integration and wholeness. Every axis is characterized by an increased awareness and a specific mode of embodiment that defines that stage. For instance, the second axis, Vigilance, focuses on an infant’s instinct to avoid pain and ensure survival, while the final axis, the Enlightened Body, represents the ultimate realization of embodiment. This progression illustrates a dynamic journey of physical and psycho-spiritual growth through life.
Axis 1: Archetypal Body – The Foundation of Human Development
The first axis in The Body Map theory, termed the Archetypal Body, is foundational, focusing on the earliest imprints that shape an individual from the genetic, neonatal, and perinatal phases. These imprints, which may also include karmic elements depending on one’s belief system, are crucial in forming our physical constitution, personalities, and life trajectories. From conception, each individual begins absorbing these profound imprints, which are inherently unique to each person.
Embodiment and Awareness:
Most of these early imprints remain subliminal, existing below the threshold of ordinary perception, yet they significantly influence our psycho-spiritual development. The term ‘subliminal’ is preferred here over ‘unconscious’ to denote that these imprints can occasionally surface into our conscious awareness unpredictably. Understanding and accessing these subliminal processes have been significantly enriched by psychoanalytic, Jungian, and tantric spiritual practices.
Healthy and Unhealthy Expressions:
Healthy adult expression involves recognizing and integrating these deep-seated imprints with a level of wellbeing. Sometimes, the sudden emergence of these deep impressions can be disorienting, requiring guidance from psychotherapists or spiritual advisors familiar with such experiences. Conversely, unhealthy expressions may manifest as obliviousness to these driving forces, as seen in certain public figures, or an overwhelming openness that impedes daily functioning.
Development and Transition:
Developmentally, this axis sets the groundwork for the transition to the Vigilance Body (Axis 2), typically around birth. Some infants, especially those with challenging births, may take longer to fully integrate their essence into their physical bodies. In later stages, individuals revisit and refine these archetypal patterns in the Return Cycle of Axis 10, the Enlightenment Body, preparing for the end of life and beyond. This final stage involves mastering and sharing the insights gained from a lifetime of navigating these archetypal influences.
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Axis 2: Wakeful Body – Navigating Vigilance and Exploration
Axis 2 Overview:
The Wakeful Body, or Axis 2, revolves around the primary activity of avoiding pain, distress, and potential threats to survival. In this stage, the body remains constantly alert and vigilant, preparing to respond to any signs of danger. This heightened state of awareness is essential for early development but must be balanced with the ability to explore and engage with the world.
Healthy and Unhealthy Expressions:
A healthy expression of the Wakeful Body is characterized by a relaxed yet aware physical demeanor. Individuals in this state can focus attention effectively when facing potential dangers, actively exploring their environment in ways suitable for their age. This healthful state is marked by curiosity and a capacity to experience wonder and delight, which are crucial for comprehensive development. Conversely, unhealthy expressions manifest as chronic hyper-vigilance and an overstimulated sympathetic nervous system. Such states can lead to symptoms akin to post-traumatic stress at any age, where somatic and psychic energies are overly consumed by self-preservation, leading to a restricted or distorted perception of reality. Chronic fear in response to external changes and a hesitance to explore can result from traumatic early experiences, significantly impacting adult behavior and emotional health.
Development and Transition:
Most infants exhibit characteristics of Axis 2 during the first months of life, with “hatching” from fused identity with the mother, as described by Margaret Mahler, marking the beginning of differentiation. This process typically starts between months 5 and 9, leading to Axis 3, the Pleasure Body. Full realization of Axis 3 involves emotional and libidinal differentiation from the mother, typically occurring between 15 and 24 months. Forward development from Axis 2 to Axis 3 is characterized by a gradual reduction in hyper-vigilance as the child learns to navigate and trust their environment. The transition allows for a more relaxed physical stance and fosters an exploratory approach to life, broadening perceptual realities and enhancing interactions with the world through novel stimuli and reciprocated affections.
Return Cycle:
The transformational task of overcoming the impressions and urgencies of vigilance from Axis 2 is addressed in Axis 9, the Awakening Body. This phase involves mastering the ability to transition from a state of high alert and concern for self-preservation to a more integrated and expansive engagement with life’s experiences.
Axis 3: Pleasure Body – Embracing Delight and Resilience
Axis 3 Overview:
Axis 3, known as the Pleasure Body, revolves around actively seeking pleasure, delight, and engaging in playful activities. This stage is characterized by a readiness to experience joy and the ability to use internal sensations as informative and intuitive guides. Healthy expressions of this stage include a relaxed demeanor, graceful movement, and the capacity to feel secure and comfortable, even under challenging conditions. Individuals in this phase are adept at comforting themselves physically and emotionally during stress, embracing affection, and exploring the world with curiosity and wonder.
Healthy and Unhealthy Expressions:
In a healthy state, individuals learn to discern what is pleasurable, fostering somatic and psychological resilience and establishing emotional and physical boundaries. These boundaries are crucial for evaluating trust and navigating interpersonal relationships. Conversely, unhealthy expressions manifest as an inability to relax, feel secure, or derive pleasure from life. Profound threats like inappropriate physical contact or sexual abuse can severely impact one’s sense of safety, potentially leaving the world feeling perpetually dangerous.
Developmental Transition and Comparison:
Emotionally and libidinally differentiating from the mother is a pivotal transition in this phase, moving from the “paradise” of undivided maternal attention to a realization of separateness and vulnerability. This developmental milestone is achieved as children around 2 to 3 years old learn to feel secure and comfortable independently, establishing foundational emotional and libidinal self-boundaries. Axis 3’s development parallels Cook-Greuter’s Stage 2/3, Self-defensive, and concludes with the mental picturing of the world as separate from oneself, marking the progression to Axis 4, the Belongingness Body. This next stage reflects a shift from a focus on personal security and comfort to incorporating the needs and desires of others, signifying a mature ability to find pleasure in love, affection, and attention beyond oneself.
Return Cycle:
The transformation task of Axis 8, the Awareness Body, involves transcending the ongoing demands for physical and emotional pleasure that define Axis 3. This stage calls for a broader concern beyond oneself, engaging with the world and others in a more inclusive and empathetic manner. Addressing and overcoming the deep-seated preoccupations with personal pleasure is crucial for advancing towards more integrated and outwardly focused stages of development.
Axis 4: Belonging Body – Nurturing Self-Worth and Social Integration
Axis 4 Overview:
Axis 4, the Belonging Body, centers on developing a sense of self-worth and social belonging through the acquisition of “TLC” (tender loving care) and recognition from others. This stage is characterized by a heightened sensitivity to the opinions, feelings, and impressions of others, guiding individuals in their social interactions and personal development.
Healthy and Unhealthy Expressions:
A healthy expression of the Belonging Body manifests as satisfaction with one’s physical appearance, comfort and security in movement, and pleasure in physical activities. Individuals develop a robust sense of self-worth, feeling at ease in social situations and aware of social rules and conventions. The maturing child learns to coordinate body movements, such as using utensils or controlling bodily functions, gaining a foundational sense of belonging in the world. This stage is also marked by learning to share, reciprocate, and manage emotions effectively within the family and later in broader social contexts. Conversely, unhealthy expressions include dissatisfaction with one’s body, insecurity during physical activities, hypersensitivity to social expectations, and discomfort in social settings. Such issues often stem from neglecting aspects of self-care across physical, emotional, psychological, or spiritual domains.
Developmental Transition and Comparison:
Developmentally, this stage corresponds with Jean Piaget’s preoperational and concrete operational phases, transitioning to formal operational thinking as the child moves to Axis 5, the Competence Body. Axis 4 aligns with Cook-Greuter’s Stage 3, Conformist, highlighting the evolving complexity in the child’s cognitive and social understanding. Skills developed during this stage, such as autonomy, self-worth, and emotional control, are crucial for progressing to higher levels of competence and independence.
Forward Development and Return Cycle:
As individuals mature, they gradually shift from a focus on self-nurturance and seeking approval to developing a sense of presence and autonomy, as outlined in Axis 7, the Presence Body. This transition involves overcoming the deep-seated need for external validation and integrating a more self-sufficient and confident approach to personal and social challenges. The journey through Axis 4 is transformative, requiring individuals to balance their needs with the ability to extend beyond themselves, fostering relationships that are reciprocally supportive and respectful.
Axis 5: Competence Body – Mastery and Its Challenges
Axis 5 Overview:
Axis 5, known as the Competence Body, is centered on the acquisition of mastery, skill, and competence. This stage is marked by a push towards self-confidence and conscientiousness, where individuals take pride in completing tasks efficiently and striving for excellence. This drive often stems from the positive reinforcement received from authority figures like parents, teachers, and supervisors, which bolsters self-confidence and facilitates the willingness to tackle increasingly challenging tasks.
Healthy and Unhealthy Expressions:
A healthy expression of the Competence Body is characterized by enjoying challenges and feeling a sense of bodily competence and pleasure in accomplishments. Building on the emotional foundations established in Axis 4, individuals at this stage effectively communicate and maintain relationships, working towards shared goals with peers and community members. However, the quest for competence can also lead to unhealthy extremes, including feelings of grandiosity or incompetence, over-ambitious or ambivalent attitudes towards tasks, and stress-related diseases like hypertension or diabetes. Such extremes often arise from a disregard for personal limits and ignoring signs of stress, fueled by a belief in ‘mind over matter.’
Developmental Transition and Comparison:
Developmentally, Axis 5 aligns with Jean Piaget’s formal operational thinking, which involves mature reasoning and self-reflection, and is somewhat parallel to Cook-Greuter’s Stage 3/4, Self-Conscious. This stage is crucial for learning to balance personal ambitions with physical and mental health. As individuals master various skills, they prepare for the transition to Axis 6, the Compassion Body, which focuses on integrating these competencies in meaningful ways that contribute uniquely to one’s life and the lives of others.
Forward Development and Return Cycle:
Advancing from Axis 5 involves embracing higher mental functions such as integrative thinking and appreciating meta-values like beauty and meaningfulness. This transition marks a shift from focusing solely on personal mastery to embracing a broader perspective that includes compassionate relationships and societal contributions. The movement to Axis 6 is characterized by a reduction in the sole focus on personal achievement, fostering a more holistic approach to personal and professional life. Overcoming the absorption in tasks of competence and control becomes the transformational task in Axis 6, opening pathways to deeper connections and empathetic engagements with the world.
Axis 6: Caring Body – Embracing Altruism and Service
Axis 6 Overview:
Axis 6, termed the Caring Body, is characterized by a genuine concern for others and a commitment to heartfelt action in the world, reflecting a significant opening of the heart in spiritual terms. This stage is marked by the emergence of mind-body awareness, where individuals become increasingly tuned to the needs of others and the environment around them.
Healthy and Unhealthy Expressions:
Healthy expressions of the Caring Body involve altruistic activities and reaching out in service to others, recognizing the transience of life and prioritizing care over personal success, fame, or achievements. However, this drive to do good can also lead to unhealthy expressions, such as overextension in efforts to “fix” the world’s problems, often at personal or others’ expense. This can result in stress-related ailments similar to those experienced in Axis 5, the Competence Body, where the zeal to serve overwhelms personal capacity.
Developmental Transition and Comparison:
Developmentally, Axis 6 parallels Maslow’s notion of healthy self-actualizers and Wilber’s vision-logic cycles, focusing on the evolution from self-centered goals to community and globally oriented visions. The transition from Axis 6 to Axis 7, the Presence Body, is marked by a deeper appreciation of Being Values, like seeing beauty in all and simplicity that penetrates to the essence of life effortlessly. This stage aligns closely with Cook-Greuter’s Stage 4, Conscientious, which also emphasizes the importance of conscientious living and ethical integrity.
Forward Development and Return Cycle:
Over time, individuals in Axis 6 may come to realize that despite their efforts, fundamental global issues remain unchanged. This realization can diminish ego attachment to outcomes, fostering humility and preparing the individual for transition to Axis 7, the Presence Body. This stage involves acknowledging the inherent complexities of the world and accepting that change may not always be achievable through individual or collective action alone. If this acceptance leads to despair or lethargy, there may be a risk of fixation at Axis 6 or even regression. However, if one’s spiritual or religious perspective supports a balanced view of one’s role in the world, it paves the way to explore the lessons of Axis 7. The principal task in Axis 6 involves overcoming the focus on mastery and control that dominated earlier stages, embracing a broader and more inclusive view of one’s place in the world.
Axis 7: Presence Body – Embracing Authenticity and Flow
Axis 7 Overview:
Axis 7, known as the Presence Body, focuses on the expression of personal uniqueness and being fully present in the moment. This stage is characterized by a seamless integration into the flow of life, allowing for spontaneous and authentic expression of one’s talents and truths. Individuals in this phase are notably engaged in their environments, often exuding a presence that is both enviable and elusive to others.
Healthy and Unhealthy Expressions:
A healthy manifestation of the Presence Body includes living a creatively rich life, with frequent experiences of being “in the flow” during creative endeavors, and a robust ability to handle life’s challenges with grace and resilience. People at this stage exhibit a deep sense of connection to the world that transcends personal desires, showcasing unique talents and openly sharing unconventional views when necessary. Conversely, unhealthy expressions may involve neglect of practical life aspects such as health and finances, feelings of emptiness or depression when not engaged creatively, frustration during periods outside the flow, and feelings of isolation or despair regarding the unchangeable aspects of life.
Developmental Transition and Comparison:
Axis 7 aligns with aspects of Maslow’s concept of transcendent self-actualizers and is similar to Cook-Greuter’s Stage 4/5, Individualistic, highlighting a focus on personal growth and self-expression that transcends conventional achievements. This stage is pivotal for developing a profound connection to universal values such as truth, beauty, and simplicity, enriching one’s personal and professional life.
Forward Development and Return Cycle:
The transition to Axis 8, the Awareness Body, is marked by a shift from an active expression of uniqueness to a contentment with being and a lesser focus on personal distinctiveness. This evolution reflects a deeper acceptance of life’s experiences as they are, without the compulsion to alter or intensely personalize them. Overcoming the earlier stage’s focus on self-nurturance and the need for external belonging (Axis 4) is crucial in this transformation. This stage teaches the relinquishing of ego-driven desires and moving towards a more universally connected mode of being, preparing individuals for deeper spiritual and existential insights.
Axis 8: Awareness Body – Embracing Life in Its Purest Form
Axis 8 Overview:
Axis 8, known as the Awareness Body, encapsulates the essence of being fully present and finding joy in life as it unfolds, without attachment to progression or regression. This stage is defined by an embodied stance of spontaneity, equanimity, and effortless engagement with life’s activities. Individuals in this phase experience life moment by moment, appreciating whatever arises without preference or prejudice.
Healthy and Unhealthy Expressions:
In its healthy expression, Axis 8 fosters a profound sense of pleasure and delight in the present, irrespective of the situation. Compassion for others and a serene demeanor are prevalent, accompanied by a deep trust and hope that pervade all circumstances. Individuals naturally eschew the need for public recognition, focusing instead on contributing their time, energy, and skills to noble causes selflessly. The fulfillment of personal needs occurs effortlessly, not only due to diminished personal desires but also through the joy derived from enhancing the happiness of others. However, unhealthy expressions may include vulnerability to manipulation, withdrawal from societal engagement, bitterness towards the world, or a reluctance to share personal resources due to fear of exploitation.
Developmental Transition and Comparison:
Axis 8 aligns with Cook-Greuter’s Stage 5, Autonomous, where individuals attain a high degree of independence and authenticity in their interactions with the world. This stage is marked by an absence of striving; individuals no longer seek enlightenment or wisdom as a goal but live it as their reality. The Zen Buddhist principle of finding one’s path by looking at one’s feet epitomizes this state of being.
Forward Development and Return Cycle:
As individuals advance within Axis 8, their compassion extends increasingly outward, encompassing a broader swath of humanity and the natural world. This expansion often brings a profound personal grief for the suffering in the world, coupled with a soulful resonance that others can palpably feel. True compassion in this stage is detached from personal needs or desires to fix situations, reflecting a mature embodiment of Tibetan Buddhism’s concept of bodhicitta as a steady state of being. In navigating this phase, individuals align more with global needs than personal desires, illustrating a significant shift from earlier stages focused on personal gratification and security. The transformational task of Axis 8 involves transcending the desire for ongoing pleasure and security, as experienced in Axis 3, the Pleasure Body, thereby fostering a deeper integration with the universal aspects of existence.
Axis 9. Awakened body
Primary Activity: Masterful and soulful presence in the world.
Embodied Stance: Simultaneous flow of time and space, spontaneous action, lack of self presentation, and enveloping sense of gentleness and compassion. Healthy Expression: Union with others as they are. Union with the world as it is. We create new forms and capacities in the world that are uniquely expressive, masterful, and beyond skillfulness or expertise themselves. As awakening
human beings, we are at one with the world as it is. We suffer and pleasure with the sorrow and joys of the world. We suffer and rejoice for others spontaneously
and effortlessly. We serve the world with genuine compassion and without restraint. We welcome everything and everyone. Our actions are fluid, resolute, and powerful in the moment. Our body is spacious and open. We feel aligned and compassionate toward the events and people around us, both locally and globally. Because our actions enact the greatest potential possible in the moment,
We affect local and even world events without any intent to do so. We are no longer outside the world trying to change it. United with the world, we are the world that changes form to form, so the world follows us. Perhaps the Buddha and Jesus were “awakened” long before their words were recorded in scripture, completely transforming the habits and patterns connected to their own archetypal imprints.
we create possibilities and capacity for others. Because we are no longer separate from the world, our actions “redeem” the world. Moment to moment, we feel at ease and comfortable in the world precisely as it is. Unhealthy Expression: Danger of being misunderstood, vilified, or killed, depending on the brutality of the culture and times. Developmental Comparison: Axis 9 is more or less parallel to Cook‐Greuter’s Stage 5/6, Construct‐aware.
Forward Development:
Probably more than any of the other hierarchical transitions, the transition from Axis 9 to 10, Enlightenment Body, is more a matter of grace or mystery than anything else. Who can predict who will “die” before they die? Return Cycle: In order to awaken, we must transform the survival and safety needs inherent to human existence (Ruumet, 1997, 2006). Believing that death and suffering are illusory is not enough. Death and suffering must take the form of experiential knowing, that is, fully embodied in awareness as experience. Overcoming the impressions of constant vigilance and concern for the self imposed in Axis 2, Vigilance Body, is the transformational task of Axis 9.
Axis 10: Enlightenment Body – Embracing Transcendence and Impermanence
Axis 10 Overview:
Axis 10, known as the Enlightenment Body, represents the pinnacle of psycho-spiritual development where individuals embrace the emptiness and impermanence of existence. This stage is characterized by a profound integration with the concept of death while still engaged in life, leading to a deep union with the ever-changing nature of the world.
Healthy Expression:
In its healthiest form, the Enlightenment Body experiences and re-experiences that death and suffering are merely forms of change, prompting a return to the fundamental imprints of one’s life to refine and reclaim them. Individuals in this stage no longer feel a need to change the world, recognizing that it continuously evolves through actions that arise spontaneously. They influence both local and global events without any direct intention, embodying the world’s flux from one form to another, suggesting a state where “the world follows us.” This embodiment reflects the enlightened states attributed to figures like Buddha and Jesus, who are believed to have achieved enlightenment well before their teachings were formalized.
Developmental Comparison and Forward Development:
Axis 10 parallels Cook-Greuter’s Stage 6, Unitive, where individuals achieve a unitive experience with all existence. At this stage, individuals understand that all will face death and can choose to approach it consciously. This acceptance enables a revisitation and refinement of life’s archetypal patterns established in earlier stages, particularly the Archetypal Body (Axis 1). The realization that death and suffering are transitory states encourages a reconfiguration of these deep-seated patterns in what is termed the Return Cycle of psycho-spiritual development.
Implications and Insights:
This stage does not imply that many will reach the stature of historical figures like Jesus or Buddha but suggests that being led by future possibilities rather than being driven by the past can offer profound insights into one’s path and purpose. By embracing this forward-looking perspective, individuals may recognize and appreciate the sacred moments in life that echo the capacities of enlightened beings. This recognition fosters a deeper awareness of life’s transient beauty and the interconnectedness of all things, allowing for a life lived with greater awareness and presence.
