Thanks Jenny, I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Which stage(s) you were in during your time in Asia would depend on which parts of your experiences you focused on, and your reasons for seeking those experiences. If your direct experiences were aimed simply at satisfying your needs, that would be stage one. Likewise if they were aimed at simple physical enjoyment without any introspection other than concern for your safety. But if they were aimed at improving your understanding, and led to self-reflection, then it would have been stage three. Finally, if you approached your experiences with a total lack self-consciousness, immersing yourself in the environment itself without reservation, that would be stage four.

And yeah, your last two questions are correct. It is quite likely that you’d cycle between stages three and four, rather than just staying at four.

I guess I’m curious if people cycle through some of the stages more than once in their lives. What came to mind immediately for me and why I ask the question as when I lived in Asia it felt like a repeat of stages one and two again in my life. Everything in my environment was new from technology to cultural norms and the only way to understand that was to experience it directly. Or would an experience such as this be part of the process of personal differentiation?

I also question the long-term stability of the personal differentiation and universal integration stages as wouldn’t/shouldn’t they continue to be fluid as well if a person is continuing to experience and learn new things? Wouldn’t the resulting growth lead to ongoing cycles of inward focus and redefinition of self and adjusted levels of integration?