Going from Yellow to Aqua

[Gerhard]

Hi everyone. First off I'd just like to say great idea of making this forum Leo, great idea!

So the question I have summed up in a sentence is: in the Clare Graves & Spiral Dynamics theory (which I felt was so accurate in the first tier) from the perspective as a yellow, what is the transitional dilemma and what is aqua like?

So, I'm pretty scared of over-raking myself, but I feel like I am a yellow - I have done a lot of self seeking for years now, and when watching Leo's Clare Graves & Spiral Dynamics, I could follow the system right up to yellow, and I could see in my life how I went from blue, orange, green, yellow. I do associate myself with yellow quite a lot when hearing about their qualities, but as to what might be next seems alien to me, and what aqua could be for me. I want to aim to change myself for the better (obviously), but is there any advice for yellow except to be open minded (which is working really well lately)?

I have read about aqua but I'm not too sure about what I read - even the other colours seemed off in their descriptions.

Here is my theory, any thoughts?

Yellow is like enlightenment.1 in which you realize your ego, gain a strong and real sense of losing the self, seeing life as the pure-experience it is just in this moment. But, at this stage, as to what reality actually is, is still a bit of a mystery - and studying about quantim physics and science in general doesn't help that much. This seems to be where I am at I would say, and although I am learning new realizations steeply (as compared to before), I cannot tell where this is leading, and I just feel a bit lost as to what I should be changing into with these new realizations.

Aqua is like enlightenment.2, as a common example, what people say Buddha would have reached. This would be complete connection with reality (I have heard that is a theme).

Also, do you guys think there is anything more than aqua or even yellow? The brain should have some physical limit as to its comprehension, there must be a limit somewhere right

This was sort of hard to communicate with language but I hope that is clear and all. Thanks in advance for any relpies guys and girls!

PS I didn't put this in the Video Requests section, but if Leo made a video regarding my question I'd be pretty stoked

[Leo Gura]

Yellow is not enlightenment. Yellow is systemic thinking. Being able to see the world as a set of complex interacting systems. And the ability to think up and down-spiral. It's a very intellectual kind of activity. Yellow is stuck in his head a lot. But he's finally seen the spiral and therefor has tolerance for and understanding of all the other stages to some degree.

The transformational dilemma of Yellow is that systemic thinking is STILL not sufficient to solve the world's biggest challenges. Thinking can only get you so far.

Turquoise is not necessarily enlightenment either, but it could involve enlightenment and its various spiritual insights which make one compassionate towards the entire planetary ecosystem. Turquoise is concerned with ecology and is willing to sacrifice self in order to uplift the world. There is an emphasis of peace and love and deep respect for life. Genuine spiritual leaders fit into this category. Think: Buddha, Jesus, Gandhi, Ekhart Tolle, Yogananda, etc.

My guess is... you're probably not at all at yellow yet, or you're just scratching the surface of yellow.

You'll know you're solidly in yellow when the majority of your day is spent trying to solve big problems with systemic thinking. How much time do you spend planning how to save the polar bears from extinction by using technology to address the root causes within politics and society that's leading to their demise? << that is what yellow thinking looks like.

[Gerhard]

Ok, I think I understand your points. By "being stuck in the head too much", does that mean

a) he/she spends too much time in his head? As in he/she is contemplating too much and not letting go and living and experiencing life, and she needs to do that more often? or another way: meditating all day will not solve the world's problems, so get yo head and start doing?"

b) during general experiences, such as when reading something during work, then he/she is stuck in the head more? Is it an experiencial thing going on all the time?

If it is a), would you say what your thoughts are on Aqua's transformational dilemma? Can he only reach it once all the world's problems have been sorted out?

Also, do you think that enlightenment/aqua (either one) has a strong relation with being a part of reality? I have head people say this, but I truly cannot comprehend that being true, or what that would be like if it was true rather. I understand and have experienced myself as a consciousness, as pure experience unfolding right now - but that I would describe as "being a consciousness" rahter than "being reality". And then of course the claims of connecting with the universe, and being one with the universe are sometimes also claimed - which I find extremely hard to take seriouslessly. Experience to me doesn't seem at all like I have a connection with the other side of the universe, and there is no good mechanism in science that would begin to consider such a reality.

Hope you have time to reply to this one as well!

Thanks for your great service - honestly. I'm sure your work has already helped 1000's of people that will change the world for the better.

[Gerhard]

Not sure how the reply system works but I thought I'd keep streams of though on different replies. Well I am currently spending 8 hours on weekends with very ambitious projects - right now I am in the rasing capital stage with my own business, but I actually do have some pretty ambitious goals for the further, better-funded future - just for anyone's interest for me it is regarding how disgracefully we fund research we actually need for medicine and science, and instead we are blowing billions on military spending every year. I have a logistics-considering plan and all, but it is taking A LOT of work.

I find myself being "awake" very rarely however, as I am always reading about this or working on that. That relates to my previous question, as when reading on something technical for example, I am pretty much in a different world not attached to reality at all - if that makes sense. As in 3 hours would fly past without myself ever realizing that I am a consciousness at all, but instead my entire consciousness was just focused on the task. Is this the right way to be living as a yellow (if I am one), or should

I do feel strongly like I am in yellow, but that's to be expected right. I feel sure, but I'm skeptical that I am fooling myself of course. Any ideas on where I actually am anyone?

[Ian]

If you're in yellow, then tell us about your green stage and why you abandoned it?

[Emerald]

Be careful pinning yourself down in one category or another. Not only can the ego get in the way but Spiral Dynamics is a framework for understanding human evolution, but it can only ever be an approximation. It's helpful in the sense that it helps you be more aware because you can assign labels to where you are at, but don't conflate the label for the state of mind itself.

[Gerhard]

My green phase was getting really excited about sharing new ideas I had learnt that changed my views - such as atheism (as opposed to Christianity) learning of the ego, learning the other colours in tier 1 and how they are manifesting, etc. But it quickly became apparent that society does not care about my ideas. Hence the need for yellow where it is up to the individual to create results and not relying on society and ideas themselves themselves. I think green was easy to abondon in my particular case because I didn't have any good friends who were also green (most of my old friends were Christian and blue, and newer friends orange).

Good point Emerald - definitely there are parts of me well below yellow. Yellow is my highest level I would say that I can even grasp as to what it is, but perfecting it into my life is still an ongoing process.