Ego Development

(Model is turned, see the post Basic Concepts)

What I like most about the zodiac is that it shows a development in a development. Every sign can be seen at every level. And I think life, as it is an ongoing proces, goes through al stages all the time. But that does not mean that all goes smoothly and without problems. There are that do, but there are several that are difficult to transform.

The signs can be used for every development in nature, but here I like to focus on the human development. And the zodiac as a whole can be used as a model for all stages of age. I want to do that in another post, but here I want to focus on a very important part of the development, the development of the ego.

In very general it starts with the sign leo. It is what I will call the ‘subjective individual spirit’, in short Expression.

Ego development, setting yourself apart from the rest of the world. Becoming your own person. Self-expression, being true to your inner nature, acting from the heart. Dawning awareness of self in relation to others. Ego, self-centred, arrogant. Artistic or creative expression. Needs to be a center of attention, likes to be noticed and appreciated, ego-strokes. Personal integrity, true to self, honorable, trustworthy, self-assured, confident.

It is the phase that theoretically belongs to the age of 14. The phase where a person discovers a very unique inner drive that makes him different from his surroundings. Of course the age of 14 is very general and there are many who discover it earlier. And there are many who discover it much later. Or maybe even have died without ever discovering it.

Apart from the individual, humanity as a whole goes through these phases too. In integral theory there is a very interesting model, Altitude, that describes the phases of development in different cultures over time.

What I love about the zodiac is that it makes visable how something like the development of the ego goes through different phases. There is a very early and selfish phase where the whole world is just about me, me, me. But there is also the very developed phase where the ego uses his uniqueness to serve the world. And everything in between.

But the most important thing is that the ego IS discovered. Because if it is not, the individual might just as well come into the very developed phase where he wants to serve the world. But without a strong inner power that is very hard.

Annemieke

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