Many Levels

Human and Other Awareness / The Development of Universal Awareness

This model focuses on how people engage with reality, self, others, and meaning, blending:

• Spiritual depth (Hawkins, Aurobindo)
• Psychological development (Kegan, Loevinger, Siegel)
• Action-oriented coaching lenses (behavioral/interventional models)

We divide consciousness into 7 nested tiers, each representing a core mode of experiencing and acting in the world. Each tier includes:

• Core Drive – from an evolutionary perspective, what is the motive controlling the intepretation
• Measures – how does the awareness know about the situation, what are the “sensors”
• Self-View
• View of Others
• Main Traps
• Path of Integration

Tier 1: Reactive Survival

• Resources: Effectors for acting in the environment, sensors for  measuring direct danger to life, primitive actions directly fired by the presence of danger (e.g., touch something very hot and spasmodically withdraw the hand)
• Drive: Goal: Live to the next moment.
• Methods:
  • Initial: Read system body sensors. Avoid harm, secure basic needs
• Self: I am what I fear / what I must defend
• Others: Threats or resources
• Trap: Hypervigilance, rigidity, blame
• Path: Safety, regulation, somatic awareness

Tier 2: Rule-Bound Identity

• Drive: Belong, obey, follow external authority
• Self: I am what I should be
• Others: In-group vs. out-group
• Trap: Shame, black/white morality
• Path: Healthy boundaries, autonomy, compassion

Tier 3: Self-Authoring Agency

• Drive: Autonomy, mastery, achievement
• Self: I define who I am
• Others: Competitors, collaborators
• Trap: Ego inflation, overwork, control addiction
• Path: Humility, shared purpose, inner stillness

Tier 4: Relational Wholeness

• Drive: Connection, empathy, mutual growth
• Self: I am a mirror of the whole
• Others: Co-creators in a shared journey
• Trap: Loss of self in others, burnout
• Path: Self-integration, emotional literacy, sacred boundaries

Tier 5: Systems-Aware Wisdom

• Drive: Stewardship, legacy, deep alignment
• Self: I am a node in a living system
• Others: Interdependent actors
• Trap: Paralysis by complexity, cynicism
• Path: Grounded action, discernment, mentorship

Tier 6: Transpersonal Insight

• Drive: Transcend ego, align with higher order
• Self: I am awareness; I am life observing itself
• Others: Expressions of the same Source
• Trap: Spiritual bypassing, detachment from grounded life
• Path: Embodiment, service, silent mind

Tier 7: Nondual Flow

• Drive: Spontaneous unfolding of being
• Self: No self, no other—pure presence
• Others: There is no “other”
• Trap: Difficulty functioning in dualistic systems
• Path: Integrate timeless presence with time-bound tasks

Unique Features of This Model

• Time-based coaching ready: You can “diagnose” a person’s predominant mode in a given domain (e.g., health, career, family) and offer action paths.
• Behavior-focused but spirit-aware: Blends “doing” with “being,” aligned with your model of coaching.
• Supports recurrence and multidimensionality: A person may be in Tier 5 for their professional role and Tier 2 in their romantic life.