Personality & Spirituality

83 Responses to “Stage 4: The Mature Soul”

1. 1 La Quishia N. 29 Apr 2010 at 7:39 am

   I think I may be a mature soul. I’ve noticed that when I was younger, I had a VERY hard time looking people in the eyes. But when I finally started investigating spirituality again (instead of forcing myself to be an atheist) my steadiness came back.

   This is a very in-depth description – much better than the 5 minute videos on YT. Thank you.

   Reply
   • 2 barry 29 Apr 2010 at 8:47 am

     Cheers. For what it’s worth, mature souls are caught mid-way between the blatant egotism of young souls and the relaxed wisdom of old souls – they experience tension or conflict between their outer achievement motives (“How can I get what I want from life?”) and their inner drive to be authentic (“How can I honour your truth?”).

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     • 3 La Quishia N. 29 Apr 2010 at 8:49 am

       That sounds like me, but I don’t want to be too arrogant when I may be just a young one.

       Thank you for responding so quickly. I just watched the video of K. Hepburn – hilarious!

       Reply
2. 4 John Corrigan 24 Jun 2010 at 1:04 pm

   I find the notion of developmental gradations between lives hilarious if I take them literally – we are born into one of these stages and inhabit one until death and exit into the next or (God/Buddh/Thingy forbid) previous stage on rebirth. Is it possible, may I be so bold as to suggest, that this is just your construct of a spectrum covering the stages of spiritual maturation of any individual who opens up at the appropriate ‘junctures’ in a single life? We could, if we are open to it, evolve across each stage as we mature and age physically. Many of us sadly for the planet do not get beyond 1-3. Delightful site by the way. You at least have taken the trouble to be intelligent in your musings.

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   • 5 barry 24 Jun 2010 at 2:35 pm

     Well, we all go through multiple developmental stages in a single life – infancy, childhood, puberty/adolescence and so on. We inhabit each one until we cross into the next one. Why should things be so different for the soul — i.e. for consciousness — albeit on a much grander time-scale? You can look at it as a spectrum or continuum, but it unfolds in discrete stages.

     This isn’t my construct by the way; these teachings have been around for at least 30 years.

     The teachings also include the concept of soul age manifestation which I haven’t gone into here, but in a nutshell: A newborn human being, regardless of its inner level or soul age, outwardly manifests consciousness equivalent to a level 1 infant soul. Through age and experience, each of us manifests progressively higher and higher levels of consciousness/awareness until we (optimally) plateau out at our soul’s current level of consciousness, typically some time in mid-life. If you’re a mature soul, then by the time you’re 40 or so you’ll be acting your age, so to speak – acting like a mature soul, not a baby or young soul, outwardly manifesting your true depth of awareness. Until then, you’ll probably be acting somewhat below that potential.

     When we are in physical incarnation, our soul’s level of consciousness is implicit or potential for the first half of life; the challenge is to manifest it explicitly in life through our personality. It usually takes about three or four decades in each lifetime because in each lifetime our physical vehicle starts from scratch.

     B

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3. 6 Lindsay 04 Aug 2010 at 5:53 pm

   I am just soaking up everything I’m reading on your website. THANK YOU for this! I think I’m a mature soul…teetering on the edge of becoming an old soul.

   Thanks again. I’ll be back!

   - Lindsay
   http://www.thedailyawe.com

   Reply
4. 7 hippichic 22 Jan 2011 at 2:42 pm

   I believe that I’m an mature soul..yet I’m not sure. I’m 20 years old about to be 21 and I feel as though I’ve been before. I’m curious though about this 5th stage..does it all end or do we continue the cycle? Hopefully that doesn’t sound silly..on another note I liked the comparison between MJ and Mozart. I think I truly believe that was a reincarnation..which is way cool. Well please respond and have a great day!

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   • 8 barry 22 Jan 2011 at 5:32 pm

     Hi hippichic

     Thanks for getting in touch.

     To answer your question: beyond the 5th stage (old soul) there are further stages which generally don’t involve physical reincarnation – but through the same process of choosing and experiencing we move towards greater and greater integration of our individual consciousness with the collective, or with mind of God if you prefer. Many become guides to younger souls, but others evolve in different ways. And as far as I know, we also have the option to start all over again. It’s all a matter of free personal choice – nothing is imposed.

     barry

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5. 9 Tõnis 22 Jan 2011 at 10:06 pm

   Thanks for interesting reading. Days ago i was told by a healer who is transcdental soul that i am at first stage mature. And few years ago i calculated my lifepath number and it is nine. About this lifepathe number it says that i have chance to accomplish my coals and done so i can go out from the cycle of so called birth and death. So is it possible to go through the stages after mature in one lifetime?Wishing love and harmony!

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   • 10 barry 23 Jan 2011 at 9:51 am

     Hi Tõnis

     No, it isn’t possible to complete the stages in one go. But yes, it is possible to leave the cycle of birth and death any time you want to.

     You are an evolving being, and you have chosen to evolve through reincarnation. You could (at the soul level) decide to stop reincarnating at any time, and continue your evolution some other way. We are all free to do that. But you will still be continuing from your current level of evolution – 1st level Mature or whatever.

     You cannot skip from being a 1st level Mature soul to an enlightened 7th level Old or Transcendental soul in one step, any more than an acorn can become an ancient oak tree in one year. The only way to evolve is through experience, step by step, and each step is a lifetime’s experience in itself.

     It is a human myth that “escaping” the cycle of reincarnation is a good thing. The soul is happy to reincarnate for as long as it takes — and of course, there is no time for the soul anyway, so duration as we measure it in years and centuries is irrelevant. Besides, reincarnation is the “quickest” way to evolve precisely because it confronts us with harsh experiences.

     The idea of getting out of the cycle of birth and death is generally rooted in human fear: the fear of death, the fear of suffering. But the soul knows what it is doing. It knows that there is no death, and that suffering is transient, caused by limited perception while human. And the more we evolve, the less we fear.

     I hope this gives some clarity to whatever you choose

     cheers

     barry

     Reply
6. 11 Tõnis 24 Jan 2011 at 10:45 pm

   Hei again and thanks for answering, it got me clearer. Indeed world is one interesting thing-and here is a lot to find out. When i was about sixteen years old then i started to question about meaning of the life. I started to read different philosophies and religions. Its interesting that i have read a lot and sometimes i think-ok thats all-there is no fresh material outside and then little bit time goes away and i will again find out something interesting and new for me-like this site-and the soul levels.

   And yeah you are absolutely right that people fear death and suffering. I have thought that nowadays there is lot to do with media also who shows and talks lot about death-but it shows just the outerside, dead bodies accidents, blood, and it scares people. But there isnt much information about how soul goes out from the body and that kind of stuff. But maybe most of the people isnt just ready to believe this kind of knowledge.

   I have many years struggled to quit smoking-it is like a dead circle-smoking. Nothing good but it has become so normal and it is hard to handle to let it go. It is also like somehow dieing, when to manage quit. Dieing from the habbit. In the gymnasium i judged lot people and friends around of me who smoked but now i am in the same trap. And have different view to the people who are smoking. And people fear changes also. But to think about it then world around us and in us changes in every second-so now it is new world-but we have that illusion that all is still. I am not sure but i think someday i will be happy for changings and evolving because the nature shows that and what are we different from the nature?

   And when to talk about changesthen there are lot of chatting about the 2012. What do you think, are there really something enourmous to happen all of us or it is just another year, when everybody is evolving their own way?Sorry for lot of talking but it seemed nice place to release thoughts.

   Wishing good changes for everyone,
   Tõnis

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   • 12 barry 25 Jan 2011 at 2:52 pm

     Hi Tõnis

     Smoking:
     From the soul’s perspective, one of the main reasons we get into addictions, vices, bad habits etc is to know what it is like to be in that place first-hand, and thereby develop compassion for others who are in the same place, especially those we may have judged negatively (without compassion) in the past. For example, I used to scoff at people with “chronic fatigue” or “M.E.” – what we used to call yuppie flu. Now I have it, and I “get” it. It’s a valid part of the human experience.

     2012:
     Personally I have no expectation of anything cosmically significant happening next year. No mass awakening, just the same continuing gentle rise in awakening as in 2011 and 2013. But the fact that the year 2012 is in a lot of people’s consciousness as a “significant” year could, by itself, cause more people to take awakening seriously – and that would be significant!

     barry

     Reply
7. 13 La Q. N. 26 Jan 2011 at 5:42 am

   What’s M.E.?

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   • 14 barry 26 Jan 2011 at 10:00 am

     The following terms all refer to more or less the same condition:

     Myalgic Encephalopathy or “ME”
     Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or “CFS”
     Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome or “PVFS”
     Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome or “CFIDS”

     It’s basically having a flat battery constantly, like when you have to the flu and are totally unable to get off the sofa. It’s NOT like depression where you feel completely unmotivated. People who get this, like me, tend to be HIGHLY motivated and like to keep themselves busy, but don’t usually take enough time to rest, and eventually when something extra happens – like catching a random virus – it’s the last straw and the body’s whole energy system collapses at once.

     Mine came on after a severe bout of pericarditis (inflamed heart sac) in May 2009, so I tend to refer to it as Post-Viral Fatigue.

     The cause remains unknown – some suspect there may be a virus. There is a definitely a breakdown in the immune system and how it relates to the nervous system. There are still some who suspect its “all in the mind” and that people with it are just lazy – which I can assure you isn’t the case!

     There is no known cure, but slow recovery to a manageable level is possible through learning to pace oneself. But even then, there are bad days as well as good days, and minor exertions like shopping can knock you back to square one if you’re not careful.

     - barry

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     • 15 Sai 28 Dec 2012 at 6:22 am

       Barry,

       CFS can be cured. Completely. Don’t believe the common theory that you can only go to a manageable level but not further. If you decide to believe that, then realize that that will be your first limiting belief.

       Have you looked at a book called ‘From Fatigued to Fantastic’ by Jacob Teitelbaum? If not, please do have a look at it. It was one book that sounded very promising to me during my own CFS journey, but I never bought it because I found help elsewhere.

       I have suffered from very severe CFS for the past 6 years (on most days I wasn’t even able to manage myself out of bed – at its peak, walking very slowly just for 5 minutes would require me to rest for hours before I could do anything else and a TON of other problems, not the least of which was stabbing pains throughout my body – fibromyalgia.) I have been through all of the ‘its in your mind’ stuff from doctors because my blood panels were almost perfect – and I guess it only contributed to increased frustration and depression which feeds CFS further.

       I am way better now and for an interim period of about 1 year I was almost cured. Yes, really – absolutely no fatigue whatsoever – full of energy throughout the day, day after day – deep and refreshing sleeps – then I got CFS back + a few new problems, thanks to myself not heeding my naturopath’s warnings (who asked me to follow a modified daily routine for a year or two more but I didn’t) and my lifestyles. I am on my way to recovery again now.

       I fully intend to talk to you about “how I got cured” when that happens along with all the findings I have made. I took the help of alternative doctors, put lots of things together in my head, followed my intuition, made guesses, got somethings wrong and some right as well and that’s how I helped myself. And would you believe it – mind work. A lot of it. To the point that it almost seems as if this wasn’t accidental at all. As if this CFS (+other problems) was one very profound way for me to find myself. I have never felt happier than I am currently, never so calm, so satisfied, so centered, so hopeful and purposeful. Life seems exciting.

       At the same time, don’t mistake me saying mindwork to mean that while my body suffers pain, my mind is at peace. My body is getting pain and fatigue-free while my mind is calmer nowadays. Even if my mind temporarily becomes chaotic, my bodily pains or fatigue don’t come back easily. I can progressively do things that I once wasn’t able to. I mean healing in all ways

       I wish you all the very best and hope that you’ll come out of CFS soon. I’ll be here to give you a helping hand if I can. Love and blessings!

       Reply
8. 16 Anna Log 02 Jun 2011 at 5:12 pm

   Great read! Comprehensive, to the point…I definitely identify with this stage Glad to be here!!

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   • 17 barry 02 Jun 2011 at 5:15 pm

     Thanks Anna

     Reply
9. 18 Maritza 24 Jun 2011 at 5:51 pm

   Hi Barry. Like your blog. Thanks. I’ve been soul searching within the last 20 years of my life. Im 54 now; came to a hungry desire from within at age 32 more or less. Don’t know my level, really not important to know, as long as I know I’m going. Love spiritual souls and gentle souls, with intelligence to see the beauty in the rainbow and all trying together to make a more beautiful rainbow each day, brighter. My question to you is this; where does the force behind the compelling of soul enlightment comes from?, is it our human conciousness, our divine counciousness, or destiny? The reason for this question is because if we all know deep inside this reencarnation process, how come we all not select to avoid all the delusions in a stronger way, so we don’t deter too much from our path of purity?, does it has to do with intelligence or emotional intelligence should I say.

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   • 19 barry 25 Jun 2011 at 10:15 am

     Hi Maritza

     The question is often asked: Why would a perfect being enter a realm of illusion and suffering? Or in a more personal way, why on earth would I have chosen this horrid path of evolution?

     The best answer I know is as follows:

     As sparks of the divine, we are pure and perfect from the moment of our creation. The thing is, we don’t know what that means. We come into being with fresh consciousness – knowing nothing.

     It is our greatest thrill and desire to know who and what we truly are, what existence is all about, what we are capable of. As beings of light, we intuitively ‘know’ that we are perfect and eternal and so on. But we don’t consciously understand what any of that means because we have nothing to compare it to. (A bit like someone born into great wealth who has no appreciation of what life is like for the rest.)

     So we venture out from the constant, unchanging perfection that is our Home to find out what life is like from every possible perspective. For example, we experience the death of a loved one and know what it is like to undergo terrible loss and grief. But then the process of reincarnation also gives us the experience of repeatedly dying and then discovering that we still exist. So we come to understand that grief and loss are valid from one perspective, but from a wider perspective there is no such thing as death. As we grow into old souls, we will understand this duality of perspectives – the basis of wisdom.

     As a more ‘positive’ example -
     In human life, we exist very much as separate beings who feel great loneliness. By choosing to relate to others, we can experience contact and intimacy and love. Of course, as spiritual beings (between lives) we are immersed in love the whole time. But we don’t really get what love is until we come into the realm of separation and fear and then *choose* love.

     So we deliberately set up lives which confront us with the opposites of whatever we are wanting to understand through experience. If we want to understand power and specifically the abuse of power, for example, we might set up a series of lives in which we alternate between being powerful and being powerless. In one life you could be ruthless gang leader and in the next life the victim of an abusive husband. Such lives look and feel terrible from our earth-bound perspective – and that is totally valid. But usually they are also part of a bigger plan. As we evolve, the ‘contrasts’ become more subtle, less brutal. As a mature soul, for example, I hate violence — but that’s precisely because I went through the exploration of violence many centuries ago. (I have recalled the moment I renounced it!)

     If you want to explore this further, I would strongly recommend Robert Schwartz’s book, Your Soul’s Plan – see
     http://personalityspirituality.net/2010/02/19/your-souls-plan-book-review/

     barry

     Reply
10. 20 Nikki 16 Jul 2011 at 4:16 am

    I personally find the stages of reincarnation to be fairly plausible. I’m sure if anyone thinks about their daily lives and the people in them, they could very easily see people at each of these stages. Sure, people make choices in their lives on a daily basis that potentially could have a significant impact on their lives and change the person that they are; but, that is the point of life; or lives, depending on your view. It is time to experience things and learn from them to advance to the next stage.

    I personally feel I am a mature soul. I am 25 years old and have always been very mature for my age; I feel and always have felt, that I really can’t relate or identify with other people my age. I have assumed myself to be an old soul until I had read this information. And I am not some overzealous mystic (no offense to anyone), but my personality is literally spot on the Mature soul in every aspect listed. I am very preoccupied with everyone elses’ feelings. I feel very intune to their emotions and try my best to ease them; yet I have a difficult time reconciling my own emotions, and tend to repress them.

    Life is very stressful and overwhelming and emotional. I have social anxiety and find stage 2′s and 3′s (and boy, do I know plenty of both!) and I don’t really particularly care for any of them because they are obliviously ignorant to the bigger picture and unyielding in their convictions, radical as they may be. Unreasonable, selfish, rude, mean, immature–ugh,I could go on–are among some of their other qualities that aren’t very becoming. Yet despite all that; I can’t help myself but remain polite and accepting (cuz I will keep my negative opinions to myself so I don’t hurt their feelings.)

    The only time I ever stray from the sensitive, passive, type is when all my emotions come to a head and I explode. How right you are when you say Mature souls can’t hide their dissatisfaction on their face! I have a real hard time hiding my ire.

    I love reading different theories and philosophies about life and there after. I feel I am thirsting for knowledge right now. I have a new found interest in spirituality and what it all means. I am definitely embracing more of a cosmic universe approach to spirituality, as opposed to a religious sector. I believe in reincarnation; enlightenment; energy and karma; astrology and celestial influences on individual lives.

    I find it all fascinating and regardless of its validity; it evokes personal reflection and self awareness and in turn self empowerment.

    I realize this post is rather loquacious in nature; but I appreciate the opportunity to ramble and get these words out…although I am curious; how does a soul come to being as anything? Energy; light; a “blob”? How does it come to be, before it decides it wants to personify itself journey towards enlightenment?

    Reply
    • 21 barry 16 Jul 2011 at 7:28 am

      Great to hear from you Nikki. My early childhood experience had a similar quality – sensing that others around me were just not on the same wavelength, yet feeling compelled to accommodate their harshness because of my own sensitivity. At the time it seemed really unfair!

      - barry

      Reply
11. 22 Sarah 22 Aug 2011 at 8:24 pm

    Barry, have you come across anything in the Michael Teachings about what happens if a planet becomes uninhabitable while souls are still incarnating on it? Are there any protection mechanisms in place (from the astral or causal planes), or is it all still about “free will”? ‘Cause it doesn’t seem very “free” that the a certain group of souls (mostly Young and Baby Souls, from the sounds of it) are allowed to decide the fate of our physical home with their rampant consumerism and unconcern for the environment. They can do a lot more damage today than they could in centuries past.

    So what happens if this planet becomes uninhabitable? Are there other places where we can finish off the cycle? Or do we have to start a cycle all over again because of the choices of others? How is that fair?

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    • 23 barry 22 Aug 2011 at 9:12 pm

      Hi Sarah

      Yes, I have seen numerous references to planets becoming uninhabitable due to rampant pollution or destructive warfare during the Young soul phase. But there are plenty more to choose from, should the worst come to the worst. Not that we would want to go there, of course. Personally, I would be terrified of such an outcome and the very thought of it is appalling.

      But the loss of an entire planet isn’t the end of the world (ho ho). A valid concern, certainly. But the fact that a wave of souls of a certain age can, by their own free will, cause the loss of a planet is perfectly consistent with freedom of choice. We as mature and old souls — who would never be so blind as to mske that choice — have to look to our own choices : how do we respond to the risk of environmental annihilation? Judging that it is all “their” fault and not “ours” is one response. Trying to inspire a global shift in consciousness is another. Both are perfectly valid choices and neither is right or wrong. There are many other possible choices.

      Planetary existence is an intensive workshop in free will. If protecting the environment is a hot issue for some of us, then I would suggest that it is no accident that we are here at this time.

      Reply
      • 24 Sarah 22 Aug 2011 at 11:14 pm

        Thanks for your response, Barry. That makes sense. I think I’m still in the judging stage with this… though maybe that’s because it seems that there’s still so much hardheadedness with regards to environmental concerns among certain groups.

        This is the kind of issue that makes me wish that more people accepted reincarnation. It might help counter some of the short-sightedness that gets us into trouble. (Or maybe not. You never know, given “human nature”!)

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12. 25 emerald 08 Oct 2011 at 9:04 pm

    I’ve just found your site, and as a mature person ( I’ve noticed you ‘re all thinking you’re older souls), this all seems to point back to a book by a guy called Michael Newton written in 1994 called “Journey of Souls”. I would suggest all of you read this book and then consider your situation. Most humans on this planet are starting the long journey. By the way, old souls don’t reincarnate as pop stars or politicians, they are people like Buddha or Jesus or even mother Teresa or Gandhi. I think you all should watch your egos. sorry!

    Reply
    • 26 barry 08 Oct 2011 at 9:31 pm

      Hi emerald. If or when you read the rest of this website you will see that (a) I for one definitely know that i not an old soul, (b) I am very familiar with the Michael Newton books and i do advocate everyone to read them. I do not recommend that you criticise other people’s egos.

      Reply
      • 27 emerald 08 Oct 2011 at 9:48 pm

        I meant them to be humble.

        Reply
13. 28 Jamie 26 Dec 2011 at 3:20 am

    What a load of crap. We are all individuals and we can only be who we want to be. This idea is childish and forgets that people are made of infinite shades of infinite colors. There are common patterns that surface but one can never predict their own true nature or another person’s true nature. Any attempt at telling another person what their true nature may be is an attempt to entrap that person.

    Reply
    • 29 barry 26 Dec 2011 at 11:42 am

      There was a time when I would have violently agreed with you, so I would like to take this opportunity to explain why I am now presenting all this information.

      I once rejected all superficial classificatory systems and firmly believed that I was my own invention. I resented and rejected any outsider trying to tell me who I am. Then I did a degree in psychology and learned that (according to most psychologists) “who I am” was supposedly a fiction, a figment of my own imagination, determined by my social environment.

      For a while I bought into that, but eventually it led to a sickening existential crisis. Thinking about it, I decided that this idea – the social construction of the self – was just another superficial idea, not necessarily the truth. But rejecting it left me even further adrift without any ideas at all. For a while I was a nihilist – nothing made sense, so the only truth is that there is no truth, no meaning, no purpose, no self, no world, nothing.

      Then I came across a process called the enlightenment intensive, a way to discover your true nature in as little as three days through intense self-enquiry. I was sceptical, but I felt compelled to do it, and it actually worked. In a moment of indescribable joy I found ultimate, absolute truth within me. I cannot do it justice by describing it here, but in a nutshell I discovered that who and what I am is pure identity, and essential to the very fabric of reality. Paradoxically, at the ultimate level of reality, at which we are all one with the essence of all being, I am uniquely me. And I recognised that the same applied to everyone else. I came to accept the validity of all other beings as unique expressions of all-that-is.

      At first, I found that rather overwhelming – what does it mean to recognise the ultimate validity of someone like Hitler? If we are all valid expressions of the same essence, why do so many people act otherwise?

      So I had discovered some ultimate truth, but (not having any background in spirituality) I found applying it at the everyday level to be pretty confusing. It’s like I had found the big picture that the jigsaw of life reveals, but now I was struggling to find the right pieces of the jigsaw and make them fit. I began to read voraciously through all the spiritual teachings and philosophies. Having had my own experience of ultimate truth, it soon became clear that there are many teachers who do not know what they are talking about; they are just speculating. But there are others who do know, and my radar for truth drew me to them.

      The first breakthrough for me lay in the concept that consciousness, on a grand scale, is constantly evolving. At an individual level, each of us is a unit of evolving consciousness, and collectively we are the universe evolving. So some individuals are inevitably more evolved than others, while the Hitlers among us are pretty “unevolved” compared to the rest — and that is not a judgement, but a compassionate observation. The more evolved we are as individuals, the more we act in harmony with one another.

      So as an evolving consciousness, I am more evolved than some and less evolved than others, and no matter how much I evolve it will always be that way.

      This is all very liberating as it allows me to accept where I am and accept all others in where they are. I do not punish myself for not being totally enlightened yet. And I do not criticise others who are clearly less evolved than me, since they are simply being where they are.

      But how can some people be born more evolved than others? That didn’t make sense until I did a birth regression exercise in which I discovered, much to my surprise, that my main feeling as I was being born was “Oh no, here I go again.” I realised that I had been born not just this once but many times before. So that opened my eyes to the underlying reality of reincarnation – we evolve as units of consciousness, or souls, by undertaking one life after another.

      The next thing that made sense to me was that life is all about choice. We evolve by making choices in life, and experiencing the consequences of those choices, and then choosing again. Thus we develop in awareness, love and freedom as conscious individuals.

      The final piece of the jigsaw for me was the idea that, although we are ultimately infinte in essence, being at one with all-that-is, with infinite variety within us at our disposal, we cannot manifest all facets of being at once. Not in a physical body. So in each life we choose those facets which we will outwardly manifest – and it is this that makes up our human personality (plus all the socially constructed stuff which is added to that). This personal individuality is crucial to the evolution of consciousness. It would not serve evolution if we were all clones with the same personality. Rather, it is by manifesting as different individuals and interacting with each other with our different perceptions, expectations, reactions and so on that we evolve collectively. Now and again we might spend a quiet lifetime as a hermit, but really it is in the great mix of personalities rubbing up against each other that evolution is best served.

      These concepts, added to my own direct experiences of essence, have enabled me to accept all individuals exactly as they are, knowing that their way of being is perfect just as it is, being but a tiny part of the great tapestry of evolution.

      The concepts I present on this website are my attempt to convey all this is a way that those who are ready to receive them will be able to grasp and apply.

      Reply
      • 30 Carlos Monteiro 06 Jan 2012 at 10:21 pm

        Very insightful text. Your site is really wonderfull and i can’t get enough of it. My twin brother is already hooked

        Cheers,

        Carlos Monteiro

        Reply
14. 31 pranav 29 Feb 2012 at 12:32 pm

    great post.. i think i am a mature soul. once i had tried self hypnosis and i saw myself as w.b. yeats.(my subconsious might have choosen that,, and self hypnosis are not trustworthy are they. i cant afford for an actual plr..too costly.. but i can relate wid that.. am interested in arts and music not good a nothing.. what troubles me these days is i am too lonely.. cant talk to no one.. seareching for my identity or purpose whatsoever.. i sometimes gets depressd too.. i chose management to study which doesnt interest me becoz of my family.. i feel like o am torn apart.. i try meditation but easily get distracted.. what sould i do to gather myself?? and how can i know my tre purpose in life?? any techniques?? please help!! and does spirituality and enlightment play a role for faster development of soul..

    Reply
    • 32 barry 09 Mar 2012 at 3:03 pm

      Hi pranav

      I can relate to much of what you say and ask. I had similar dilemmas in my youth. (I’m 50 now.) In my childhood, I found others extremely difficult to talk to. There were various reasons for this, but one was basically that I was a mature soul surrounded by young souls who saw my sensitivity as a weakness and didn’t comprehend my depth. It could be that you are having a similar experience on your course.

      Searching for your identity and purpose is a classic mature soul concern and suggests you may also have goal of Growth (like me). With Growth there is a constant urge to find out about life, which often leads to spirituality and philosophy. I spent my twenties getting my outer life together (job, house, spouse), but as soon as I started feeling outwardly secure my inner lack of certainty about meaning, purpose and identity threw me into an existential crisis. I started going to various meditation groups, often feeling like a fish out of water, and always wary of buying into some dubious set of rules and beliefs.

      The breakthrough for me came when I attended something called an Enlightenment Intensive. You can read about this and my experience here: http://personalityspirituality.net/articles/enlightenment-intensives/ The aim is to discover ultimate Truth within yourself in as little as three days through intensive self-discovery in a group context. The bottom line is, I grasped my true identity in one fell swoop – I directly experienced me being me.

      Doing the process more times, I got deep direct experiences of life’s meaning and purpose. Having long regarded myself as anxious, dark and self-centered, it has been miraculous to directly experience the pure love and joy that really animates us all. So much of my earlier uncertainty has evaporated, I feel like a different person. I cannot recommend Enlightenment Intensives highly enough.

      Yes, spirituality and enlightenment are great for personal development and maturity. Do they help the soul accelerate in its evolution? Yes, but in a way the question is meaningless. No soul is evolving too slowly – there is no timescale or deadline for evolution. Evolving faster is not better than evolving more slowly. It’s just an option – there are some lives in which a soul might choose to focus directly on its evolution (by taking on the goal of Growth), and in other lives there are other goals it can choose from, such as Dominance or Acceptance. But all goals and all lives lead to evolution in some way.

      Certainly I would recommend meditation. Be aware that there are many forms of meditation, but essentially there are two approaches: will and surrender.

      Some advocate harnessing the will to break through the mind’s habits by intentionally focusing on something (the breath, the heartbeat, a word, an image, a candle). Whenever you drift off, (about every 20 seconds in my case!), you just decide to pull yourself back to it.

      Others advocate letting go – arguing that using the will can arouse the ego. The surrender approach is one of doing nothing but letting nature take its course.

      In Zen, for example, there are two meditation approaches, soto and rinzai – I forget which is which, but one uses will and the other uses surrender. And traditionally they have been in conflict, each arguing against the other.

      My take on this, based on my experience, is that (a) they are complementary and (b) it depends on the individual which is best. Wilful meditation is great when you are a beginner and need the experience of mediation. We in the west live in a very wilful society, so harnessing that towards meditation is a good way to get going. However, once you get into it, surrender is (for us) the more fruitful path as it is our personal will that needs to be dropped if we are to open up to the greater Reality.

      When I meditate, I usually spend 5 or 10 minutes wilfully re-focusing on something like my breath, and then, once I’m in sync, I let go and let the Energy take me where it will. If you explore my Spiritual Journal entries here you will see numerous descriptions of this.

      As for purpose in life, your deepest and truest interests are your compass. Your life will unfold in the direction of your purpose anyway, but your uncertainty and anxiety about it is – I would guess – precisely one of the things you are here to experience and overcome. Things tend to reach a climax around the age of 40 – we go through a transition at this point from being who we thought we were to being who we are here to be. It can be painful or it can be smooth – self-awareness certainly helps.

      I hope you find something useful in what I have to say, but do feel free to ask more. This is MY purpose in life.

      Barry

      Reply
15. 33 Alex 09 Mar 2012 at 7:58 pm

    I wonder if celebrities like Obama and Clint Eastwood know what their soul levels are. It’s obvious Michael Jackson did, but does Obama know he’s Fredrick Douglas and Constantine reincarnated and does he even believe it?

    Reply
    • 34 barry 09 Mar 2012 at 8:34 pm

      I seriously doubt it… But who knows?

      Reply
16. 35 Alex M 10 May 2012 at 12:53 pm

    This is a really good site, thank you for that. I think I am a mature soul in a later stage. I am a 24 year old musician and I have critisized more until the age of about 18. Since then, I started to take “sillyness serious”. The artists I love the most are the ones who just come across as plain crazy and do whatever they want, but still do it good and are embraced by many people. I am pursuing some kind of a big career (and I am confident that I can do it) but I know that in the end it will give me nothing. I feel like I’ve done this before..maybe I was famous and respected in the past life, and in the end I realized that it gave me nothing. Now I know it, but I still kinda want it. Just for the hell of it

    Reply
    • 36 barry 10 May 2012 at 12:59 pm

      Thanks Alex. Do you reckon you might be an Artisan type as well?

      Reply
      • 37 Alex M 11 May 2012 at 12:19 am

        if musician means artisan, than i guess so

        Reply
17. 38 Eli 07 Jun 2012 at 11:30 am

    Hi barry,

    I love this site and I am deeply interested in these issues.
    But tell me something. I think I am a mature soul but I am so helpless in life that it hurts. I am almost 30 but I don’t have a profession and I don’t even know what I want to do. I have a severe social anxiety and it is hard for me to go outside or even more, talk to someone. I am not interested in history, politics, economics and it is hard for me to find a topic for a conversation. I don’t know how to act while among people generally.
    And how can I be a mature soul and others, that are smart, have jobs and responsibilities, who express themselves and know how to live so much better than I do, be young souls? I am reflective and so not superficial, but as helpless as a child.
    And another questions – in most cases people like me come from families where they were too stressed and criticized or humiliated. I feel that my inability to enter life comes from my family. So are we the way we are because we are mature souls or because we come from dysfunctional families that broke our wings…

    Reply
    • 39 barry 08 Jun 2012 at 7:33 am

      Hi there, and thanks for getting in touch.

      I completely understand. I know several people in your position without a career going – all mature souls, I’m sure. I also have had similar social anxiety throughout life. It is utterly unpleasant and terrible for one’s self-confidence and self-esteem. I’ve found ways to get over a lot of it though – and I think that’s the underlying “purpose” behind it.

      To get to your last question first: “So are we the way we are because we are mature souls or because we come from dysfunctional families that broke our wings…” The answer is Yes to both. Bear in mind that our parents, family environment and early upbringing are things that we carefully choose before incarnating. We tend to give ourselves “harsh” experiences early in life as a stimulus or incentive to grow and change in specific ways. One might be born very poor, for example, as a stimulus to grow up seeking wealth. This could be both a good way to stretch oneself (finding inner reserves) and a good way to learn the lesson of taking responsibility for one’s own financial independence.

      I chose a relatively impoverished (materially and intellectually) family environment with people whose outlook on life was incredibly narrow … as a result, I have deliberately grown into someone who is reasonably well off and with a wonderfully wide outlook. I had a dominant, sarcastic mother which instilled in me a sense of inadequacy – but I have got to the point at which I feel grateful for her pricking my self-esteem and inciting me to find my own true worth from within myself, rather than just have people outside me tell me I am worthy.

      You see how it works? So your dysfunctional family environment would almost certainly be part of the Plan. Those souls agreed to criticise and humiliate you early in life – perhaps precisely to stimulate you to seek your true nature, which is an essential part of the Mature soul path. (Alternatively, it could be karmic – that you were critical to others in the past and are experiencing it from the other side in this life – but given the way you feel about it, I doubt that is the case.)

      When I was about 30, I asked a channel (Emmannuel, not Michael) why I’ve always felt so utterly useless. The answer: As a child I was occasionally made to feel useless (less than adequate/capable/competent). As I grew older, I tried to take some degree of control over myself by saying to the world, or rather to my mother: “So you think I’m useless, eh? Well I’ll show you just how useless I can be!” In other words, part of my teen rebellion was to “own” my (supposed) uselessness and magnify it – unconsciously of course. So my perceived incompetence and inadequacy became ingrained in my psyche as “fundamental truths” – I agreed with it! – and once that takes hold, it affects your entire life and behaviour. You feel like there is no choice to be other than the useless, pathetic self that you are.

      Until, that is, some other (pre-planned) stimulus comes along in later life that incites you to seek a deeper truth within yourself.

      The contrast between Mature and Young soul focus in life has a LOT to do with why “they” (Young souls) just seem to get on with being productive and successful while “we” (Mature souls) can sometimes fritter our lives a way in deep thought. The Young soul stage brings out the extravert in us, as it is about outward advancement, pushing oneself into the world at large. The Mature soul stage is inherently more reflective and introspective, as it is about inward advancement, finding depth and meaning behind the outer façade of life (and self, and others). Because Mature souls don’t work hard at pushing themselves into the world from day 1 the way that Young souls do, they go through life with less experience of outward interaction, so there is less socialising and social learning. (I’m generalising – a Mature Sage with goal of Acceptance will still be largely “out there”). Young souls are by nature ambitious, so they also build up a lifetime’s experiences of being productive and audacious. Mature souls, on the other hand, think and feel deeply … “What does it all mean? How do I relate to existence? What is the point?” The questions have to begin in order for the answers to be found.

      Now, I don’t know what soul (essence) type you are, but if you happen to be a Scholar soul, then being a Mature Scholar is like a double-dose of introspectiveness. (I speak from personal experience.)

      Personality overleaves are also a factor, especially the Mode (way of moving onto life). If you have mode of Observation in this life, then at the personality level you would be the type that quietly stands back and watches how things unfold rather than gets stuck in. If you have mode of Reserve (aka Repression), then you would be the type that holds themselves in, preferring not to interact unless/until it feels energetically right, and then keeping it all under control. If either of these are the case, you would have had a tendency in childhood to feel like an outsider if you were surrounded by more proactive, extravert types (as is often the case).

      I hope this makes some sense for you, but feel free to get back with more.

      Reply
18. 40 Eli 08 Jun 2012 at 7:06 pm

    Thank you for your response, barry!
    You have a profound understanding of this matter and it is so inspiring that there are places like this site and people like you.
    We are happy to be living in today’s world as knowing life from the reincarnation perspective is so important and awakening.

    Reply
    • 41 barry 08 Jun 2012 at 7:18 pm

      

      Reply
19. 42 aerynmartin 22 Jul 2012 at 12:08 am

    I’ve only just started to look into reincarnation, even though I’ve believed in it for a while. And now I am absolutely sure of it. You describe me so perfectly on this page and others.
    Even as a kid I already had a great sense that all the materialism and separatism in this world is warped and wrong and felt like I had a memory of peaceful togetherness, which I long to recreate for myself and everyone on Earth, but of course it’s just not happening fast enough! I became an actor because I had the conscious desire to live life from various perspectives and one life time just wasn’t enough! It was downright unfair! So maybe acting would come close. It doesn’t. Because now I just want to learn to be myself, which stands in conflict with my serving nature as I am busy accommodating everyone else’s wishes and needs. There’s a martyr in here, too.

    A couple of years ago I was looking for my personal “superobjective” (actor speech for goal) and it came to me in the shower that I simply want to be the best I can be. I’m also impatient about things and people in my way of achieving that so I could relate to most of your personal examples.

    Most important though was the paragraph on empathy. I feel like I can identify with everyone around me, which definitely has confused my sense of self. In astrological terms I identified the source of this phenomenon to be Neptune conjunct my sun. But I’ve never read it described as something so perfectly normal! And the relationship style: I love you for who you are… I’ve never met someone who understands that concept! I feel like most people’s capacity to love and forgive is shockingly limited and the experience of that again triggers the longing for that peaceful togetherness!

    I could go on and on…

    Thank you for a wonderful website!

    Reply
    • 43 barry 22 Jul 2012 at 12:25 am

      I’m delighted that you find so much to relate to.
      Cheers!
      B

      Reply
20. 44 Nancy 06 Sep 2012 at 8:42 pm

    I don’t want to label myself and suggest at which level I may be, I am trying to avoid being competitive about this whole thing. All I know is that I have been here many times before but still have a lot to learn.

    I have now seen a number of my past lives through either regressions an experienced practitioner has led me through or while in some state of meditation and some I have been told about by healers or psychics. Anyway, in this current life the same issues are really replaying over and over again from the past lives and I just don’t know how to break these cycles. I think I am simply too close to the situations to see a solution with clarity.

    Do you have any suggestions for breaking these cycles? I am very interested in this field and thank you in anticipation of your response.

    Reply
    • 45 barry 06 Sep 2012 at 10:19 pm

      Well, Nancy, your very first sentence makes it pretty likely that you are a Mature soul. At the risk of generalising, Young souls are attracted to the idea of being “older” in a competitive way, while Old souls are more blasé about the whole thing. Mature souls tend to be uncomfortable with anything that apparently smacks of inequality, hierarchy and differences in “status”, even if it is purportedly a higher truth.

      It should be emphasised that differences in soul age do not at all imply differences in personal worth or achievement or what have you, any more than being in your 40s implies that you must somehow be “doing better” than people who are only in their teens.

      It is also ironic that we so often assume it must be”better” to be an old soul than a young soul, while at the same time imagining that being physically old sucks, and wishing we could remain forever young.

      Cycles: This is, as I understand it, a fundamental process in soul evolution. We try out all kinds of relationships in our many incarnations, and in the process we develop issues (or “self-karma”), such as being too nosy or lacking self-confidence, which we might repeatedly work on until we achieve a resolution.

      One kind of cycle that goes on is when we experience a relationship dynamic (such victim and perpetrator), first from one side (e.g., the perpetrator) and then, perhaps in a later life, from the other side (the victim).

      But the sort of cycle you are referring to is the type in which we get stuck in a pattern, and keep repeating it until we reach a breakthrough.

      Between lives, it is fairly clear to us what the breakthrough is, what it requires of us. For example, one might be stuck in a repeating cycle of marrying abusive husbands. The tendency to do so is carried over from one life to the next. Why? Because there is something in one’s unconscious emotional structure that is either irrationally attracted to such a life or, perhaps, is in terror of ending such a relationship.

      The pattern will repeat until, say, the incarnate soul consciousness finally discovers, accepts and utilises its power to say “No! I deserve better than this!”

      So, if you are in a repeating cycle, the thing to ask yourself is what choice have I not been making? How do I need to step up in awareness and responsibility and compassion to move beyond this fruitless pattern? What am I doing, perhaps unconsciously, that keeps perpetuating it?

      The tricky thing is, the cyclical pattern – however negative or destructive it is – will somehow feel more comfortable than taking the path that breaks out of it. This is likely because the alternative path — stepping up in responsibility and awareness and compassion, making a new choice — is uncertain and unfamiliar, and this evokes anxiety. The old way is the “safe”, familiar way. We invariably fear taking any big step forward in growth, partly because we don’t know where the path will lead, and partly because there is no turning back.

      I’ll give an example from my own youth. I moved to a big city after being raised in a tiny village. Whenever I used to walk around town, I found that I seemed to get a lot of abuse from people on the street. People – mostly young men – would give me dirty looks, say things that were offensive, swear at me, front up to me, and so on. This actually didn’t surprise me; it just fitted my ingrained fears and expectations of city folk being overtly hostile. So I used to walk around constantly on guard, giving off a vibe that said “don’t start on me with your shit.”

      But eventually I noticed that this abuse wasn’t happening to my friends. It was just me – I was attracting it.

      After a bit of soul-searching I discovered that I had the whole thing back-to-front. It wasn’t that I had to be on guard against inevitable abuse on the streets. It was that my negative expectations caused me to give off a very hostile and challenging vibe, which some people picked up and reacted against.

      So I stopped blaming “city folk” and accepted that it was me. I dropped my hostile persona and – lo and behold – I was never again subjected to abuse. The breakthrough was letting go of blame and figuring out my role in creating the situation, and then deciding to act more naturally and consciously. In taking that step, I had to let go of my “shield”, my hostile vibe, and that meant (to one part of my psyche) exposing myself to more abuse. But I knew by then that my defensive image and behaviour was what was actually creating the situation.

      Reply
21. 46 Kelly 02 Oct 2012 at 9:52 pm

    Barry,
    Do people of different soul ages mix? Like are they friends and/or lovers? Just curious if it will work or eventually split due to differences. Are some soul ages more compatible with others? Just curious. That’s all. Thx.

    Reply
    • 47 barry 02 Oct 2012 at 10:16 pm

      Well, the closer two souls are in terms of soul age, the more they will feel like they are on the same wavelength. As a rule of thumb, those who are within one whole stage of one another (i.e. seven steps or levels) will be fairly compatible, but beyond that you are just clearly on different wavelengths.

      For example, a 4th level Mature soul could just about get on with a 4th level Young soul and a 4th level Old soul, but a 1st level Young soul will seem quite irritating and a 7th level Old soul will seem awe-inspiring but unfathomable – there will be very little common ground for a relationship to be built upon.

      That said, it is apparently quite common for Mature souls to become parents to Baby souls. There will be no common ground at all, but the challenge is for the sensitive Mature soul parents to reach out anyway to their rigid-minded Baby soul child with compassion. “I love you even though you cannot really understand what I mean by that.”

      There will also be cases where “incompatible” souls team up as life partners to have certain experiences that aren’t really to do with being a married couple. For example, an Old soul wife might serve as a mentor to a Young soul husband.

      It might also serve one soul to live with an incompatible soul for a while, the challenge being to eventually choose to leave them, to experience incompatibility as a means to recognise their own level.

      Reply
22. 48 rudy wilson 10 Oct 2012 at 1:21 am

    i sense/feel i am a mature soul…details aside…but have fallen into addiction…drugs and alcohol for 12 yrs alcohol now only…why? how??? and cant seem to stop…..any response…maybe im a baby but i know im not…….will alcoholism take me to a terrible astral plane afterlife????

    Reply
    • 49 barry 10 Oct 2012 at 6:42 am

      Hi Rudy
      I would guess you are a mature soul using mind-altering/numbing substances to cope with the inner stresses of going through that stage. Are you also, by any chance, someone with higher than average intelligence? Some recent research has shown that those who are most likely to end up becoming alcohol dependent were particularly smart as kids. I suspect being smart and a mature soul brings questions about the meaning and purpose of life to the fore, and this existential angst can be pretty pervasive. Alcohol numbs the tension of life.

      Reply
    • 50 barry 10 Oct 2012 at 6:51 am

      Ps – I think your astral plane entry will go much like any other: first you will experience whatever you expect to experience, however illusory and painful, then as you become willing to experience only unconditional love, which is always there, it will rush in to embrace you in abundance with open arms.

      Reply
23. 51 rudy wilson 10 Oct 2012 at 1:25 am

    i have spent many years with masters and meditated since 69 and etc no brag but i feel very very awake ….and yet the alcohol demon has a grip on me!!!!!!!! Im at a loss… AA doesn’t help..i did treatment 2x’s…nothing…..its a BIG ONE……any thots????thanks rw

    Reply
    • 52 barry 10 Oct 2012 at 6:55 am

      Have you tried a single large dose of LSD? Seriously, this is the best known cure for alcoholism yet discovered. The transpersonal experience apparently erases the existential issues. Do it in a supportive/therapeutic setting though, not on your own.

      Reply
24. 53 Mimi 30 Oct 2012 at 6:36 am

    Dear Barry,
    I have started to study the archetypes of the souls a few years ago and once had the privilege to meet Varda Hasselman who also channeled information about the archetypes.
    I assumed to be a sage or priest so I was truly schocked when she mentioned that I was a King archetype…Over time, the universe did bring me enough situations to realize that it is true indeed that I have many of its aspect ( not wanting to ask for help,wanting to do things perfectly and be in control, tending to be pushed forward by others to speak up for them, wanting to take the lead in a situation and not be patient to allow others to bring their input etc) but at the same time, i am someone who doesn’t want to be seen (and this at many levels and for several reasons).
    I was blessed to find your site today as I was in search for guidance and I have just re-read the description of the mature soul and that corresponds 90% to who I have even more become in the last 10 years, leaving everything behind ( financially, family etc) to move to Bali and start introspecting my life and what my purpose is. There have been many blessed ups and downs and I do feel that I am coming closer to the “end of the tunnel” yet still manifesting lack of financial abundance and mostly “fighting” inner struggles to accept my divine purpose as a healer (even speaking it up make me cringe bc it sounds arrogant and self detemining)..hence sabotaging by procrastinating ( the famous “not good enough” bit) while having my soul yearning to serve others for the Greater Good and actually attracting many of those who do seek my support. Yet I am still not stepping up because I still identify it as arrogant and lacking humbleness (is this King or not. This is where I am confused)
    I am looking for ways to balance the two aspects of the King so that I come in what the Buddha called the “Middle Path” and hence not fall into tyranny or arrogance once the “emotional buttons” are pushed or challenges come into my life as a result of me attracting them. Is there anything in Michael’s teachings that could guide me on how to bring more equanimity and equilibrium so that I can act from a space of love most of the time rather than falling back in a space of fear when I feel attacked in my “soul nature” of King. I truly feel as if the universe is now asking me to take a big leap into the unknown, truly trusting that all will be well but I do not know how to make the step truly..for when I meditate and ask my guides to help me truly surrender, I keep creating “hooks” that keep me in a similar place ( even if some layers do fall off, I sense that I have been running into circles). Yet I realize that it is time to grow beyond this “comfort zone”… So any hint or guidance would be truly appreciated.
    Thank you ever so much for your website and all the so supporting information contained. It is not always easy to find such reliable and sound information. Namaste!

    Reply
    • 54 barry 30 Oct 2012 at 9:06 am

      Hi Mimi

      Glad you like the site.

      First of all, bear in mind that there is no such thing as a perfect channel and they all sometimes get the wrong information or at least mistranslate it. My feeling of you is definitely closer to Priest than King, but that’s just a feeling-impression based purely on how you write and express yourself. I could certainly be wrong! The important thing is to self-validate: your sense of truth is important.

      Another impression I get is that your “chief feature” or main character flaw is probably Self-Deprecation: the drive to be invisible and self-critical out of a fear of exposing one’s fundamental inadequacy.

      Just to clarify: whether you are a King or Priest or whatever, you can/will adopt different personality traits in each human life, just to experience different ways of being. You also cannot get through a life without developing some weakness of character which is essentially an ego defence. Arrogance is one, while Self-Deprecation is its opposite. People with Self-Deprecation assume that they are not good enough and dread being seen, found out and criticised, so they continually judge themselves and criticise themselves before anyone else can do so. You might want to see if you resonate with the description on this page: http://personalityspirituality.net/articles/the-michael-teachings/chief-features/self-deprecation/

      I am not sure of your (physical) age, but it also sounds to me like you have been going through what the Michael teachings call the 4th “internal monad” or inner life transition. To quickly summarise:

      - The 1st is birth, where we make the transition from being spirit to being physically embodied.
      - The 2nd is in the toddler years, where we make the transition from being a helpless infant to being a walking, talking, little person.
      - The 3rd is the transition from being a child (whose sense of self has been defined by external roles and circumstances) to being an adult (who defines and asserts their own identity).
      - The 4th corresponds to what Jung called individuation: the transition from being a regular, self-determined adult to being a more authentic individual who is exploring their own potential and inner sense of purpose.

      This is the point in life at which we level out at our true soul age and shake off any false aspects of our personality (baggage from the 2nd and 3rd periods). It’s also the point at which we seek to manifest our “true work”, which is the main task we came here to do in this life. And this is what makes the 4th the most difficult, especially for mature souls who are already steeped in conflicts between inner and outer demands. For the conscious personality it is a leap into the unknown. I hated it at the time – the constant nagging sense that I was “supposed” to be seeking and doing something true to myself, instead of “wasting” my time just doing what I had always been doing.

      You describe running in circles, and that is precisely what this phase is about – you keep circling around issues to get to the bottom of them, continually revisiting and revising, until you reach a point at which your new outlook just feels right. One of those issues will be the character flaw that is holding you back – you might want to ask yourself what the deepest underlying fear is, and then explore how you can be true to yourself without that fear getting in the way. If your weakness is Self-Deprecation, for example, it may be that you fear that stepping up into your true role in life will attract negative attention from others – that you will be criticised harshly, or judged as being “too big for your boots” or whatever.

      It took a bout of serious illness to get me to really focus on exploring my sense of purpose and how it interacts with my chief feature. In my case, that is Impatience, which has an underlying dear of running out of time, dying before everything is done. So I literally asked myself, “If I were to die a year from now, so I only had one year to do whatever I was here to do, then what would that be?” That’s how this website started.

      But what I also picked up is that nothing else *needed* to change – I didn’t have to step wholesale out of my comfort zone – I wasn’t “required” to give up my day job or leave my family or live like a hermit. The work and life of previous decades was a foundation to build upon, not a wall to be knocked down. It’s your choice as to what you decide to change and what you decide to keep making use of.

      Once you know and feel that you are following your true path, it’s as if the universe starts flowing along with you. It might take another decade or two or three, but the life task is never a quick job. It’s a project that ultimately leads to fulfilment of self and service to others.

      So the bottom line, I would say, is to meditate on and contemplate your innermost sense of true purpose. Trust that there is a good reason as to why you are here, and that it will be whatever makes best use of your talents as a service to others. Also trust that it will unfold anyway whether you get it or not – it’s just easier and smoother if you can consciously align with it

      Reply
25. 55 Mimi 30 Oct 2012 at 9:31 am

    Dear Barry, thank you so much for the so timely response and sharing how you have been “through those times”. I am 43 years of age and I would acknowledge that since I started on my “search” 10 years ago, I have indeed shed many layers of the previous ingrained beliefs, behaviors etc to allow more and more my intuition to manifest and guide me, among others.
    Thank you also about the hint about the archetype: I will read again the priest one and tune in whether it feels more in alignment with my personality. In any case, you are totally right about the chief feature being self-deprecation. I would also add that my soul has definitely chosen in this life-time to experience this ( your comments in one of the previous exhcange above totally resonnated with me. Yes we do attract dysfunctionnal families to work through the gunk and come to ou true nature. So for me it manifested as being controlled/belittled/always told that nothing I did or achieved was good enough and being abandonned/rejected. I have forgiven those aspects of my life to the very best of my ability so far and continue to look into it until they will be fully disolved and transmutted into light and love. So the “rejection” bit is absolutely in the field regarding the fulfillment of my true purpose. I have a very strong sense of empathy and compassion towards others but am not yet allowing myself the same levels of such empathy and compassion ( however working on it through wonderful tibetan meditation practice). So that indeed also falls into the self-deprecation part.
    Thank you evey so much for your wise insights. I will keep you posted )

    Reply
26. 56 Roger 30 Nov 2012 at 9:19 am

    Hi Barry,
    I’m having trouble figuring out what stage I’m in? In my early 20′s I was able to fulfill my dreams by accidentally finding my life’s calling and now in my late 30′s I feel as though I’ve been here before. I was very ambitious in my 20′s and now in my 30′s I question everyday the meaning in every relationship and what I can do to make life more meaningful. I’m constantly looking within myself which becomes very stressful for me on a personal level. As a child I lived most of my life through observing others as I was extremely shy due to a traumatic childhood. This has helped me to relate and be empathetic towards others as everyone has something different and unique to offer based on their own life’s experiences. As an adult I’ve been an extroverted, happy go lucky, easygoing person, but often times become depressed for absolutely no reason other than I feel I need to find more ways to grow and learn about myself and others so that I can continue on to the next phase in my life’s purpose. I’m a very spiritual, passionate king cast artisan with a goal of dominance with chief features of impatience and martyrdom.
    Thanks for any input you can give me,
    Roger

    Reply
    • 57 barry 01 Dec 2012 at 8:19 pm

      Hi Roger

      Yes, what you are describing is, I believe, consistent with a Mature soul. Hmmm… I get the impression you have had a channelled reading but are feeling that the soul age that was given doesn’t fit?

      Reply
27. 58 Randy 27 Jan 2013 at 10:02 pm

    I am loving this blog.Thank you so much for your perspective. Question: i have a friend who is at a critical juncture. I was told that her deciding to stay or go is a spiritual choice. What does that really mean? That she can choose to endure the pain? To what gain?I want to send her the loudest thoughts of ” come on and rally one more time”. I dont know what to do. How can i best honor her? Namaste.

    Reply
    • 59 barry 27 Jan 2013 at 10:12 pm

      Hi Randy
      Just to clarify, do you mean that your friend is contemplating suicide?
      B

      Reply
      • 60 randy 29 Jan 2013 at 8:10 pm

        NO!! She is choosing to stay and fight the cancer that is eroding her body. She is in a lot of pain. So I was told that it is her choice to stay or go. That it is a spiritual choice. She still has work to do here.

        Reply
        • 61 barry 30 Jan 2013 at 9:16 am

          Well there you go – context is everything. I assumed you were referring to a friend who was thinking about leaving her husband, but my wife said no, it’s obviously a potential suicide.

          So if i’ve understood this time, your friend is in a lot of pain with terminal cancer and she’s choosing to hang around despite the pain rather than let go? And you’ve been told (by whom?) that it’s her choice and its a “spiritual” choice… I guess my question now is, is this a choice you know she had made consciously – has she discussed it with you? – or is it more implied?

          Reply
28. 62 Annie 29 Jan 2013 at 6:53 pm

    I’m really happy to have found this, thank you so much for posting! I have been searching for answers for awhile now. I was told by a psychic that I was an old soul about a year ago. I also study numerology and believe it is a part of life’s puzzle. I have wondered what it meant to have all 9′s in my numbers which is how I stumbled upon this blog. I read that all 9′s could mean that I’m in my final life as human. But after reading this, I feel more like I’m right in between a mature and old soul. I wonder if I’m now in my final mature soul life and moving to the 7th plain in my next life. It makes so much sense! Thanks again!

    Reply
    • 63 barry 29 Jan 2013 at 7:02 pm

      Thanks Annie

      Reply
      • 64 Annie 29 Jan 2013 at 7:58 pm

        D’oh! I don’t mean 7th plain. 5th plain!

        Reply
        • 65 barry 29 Jan 2013 at 8:12 pm

          Plane!

          Reply
          • 66 Annie 29 Jan 2013 at 8:41 pm

            Ha! That’s funny. You know what I mean. Just curious, do you have any belief in numerology?

            Reply
            • 67 barry 12 Feb 2013 at 11:17 pm

              It’s not something I’ve ever studied, actually.

              Reply
              • 68 Annie 12 Feb 2013 at 11:44 pm

                I find it extremely fascinating and right on. I’ve been told that astrology and numerology are “blueprints” of our self which made sense. I recommend looking into it!

                Reply
29. 69 mae 10 Feb 2013 at 7:45 pm

    I have some of the characteristic of the mature soul and yes it is indeed quite stressful being with others, I don’t get why material objects (like money) is so important to them that they almost worship it…..
    I found this thread very informative and interesting as well…
    May peace and harmony reign in your life.

    Reply
    • 70 barry 11 Feb 2013 at 11:06 pm

      Thanks Mae

      Reply
30. 71 niels 12 Feb 2013 at 1:31 pm

    Ladies and gentlemen, the author may be on to something, but the very fact that he lists Tony Blair and Obama as mature souls (priests, are you kidding me?), shows that he is actually clueless. These people do not have any empathy at all, as shown by their predator 1-click-on-a-button mass killings through drone strikes, socialistic authoritarian control, twist the law and constitution according to their desires, invade and conquer other countries/cultures under the banner of peace, democracy and freedom, etc. .

    These people are liars, jokers, fakers, killers, self-lovers and dictators. So good are they at joking and faking, that people actually list them as empathetic mature souls and give them noble peace prizes. I’ll give you a characteristic of narcissists and psychopaths: They expoit your emotions. So good are they at it that they make even spiritual people such as the author believe that they are the good guys. They are not! They are predators! Predators of your emotions! And they cannot be changed, atleast not in one lifetime! These are the people that the man Jesus Christ referred to as hypocrites, the wicked, and of the devil. (Quote: “You belong to your father, the devil (the gnostic archons), and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer (mindset which lacks conscience) from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him (without conscience, truth does not exist). When he lies, he speaks his native language (wear a mask 24/7, and you become the mask. And if you’re not showing who you really are, then you are lying, so lying becomes your new reality.), for he is a liar and the father of lies (adept in the art of deception).”)

    They wear a mask 24/7. This mask is a sheep’s mask (we are the sheep), but inside they are wolfs. But the sheep do not notice the wolfs until they rise and become bizons. For the first time ever you will be able to see the wolfs clearly, and how they clearly differ from the rest of us. (The wolf is experienced enough with sheep, but has no idea how to handle an exotic bizon.)

    That aside, I also do not agree with your young soul age description. Well ,actually, your description is pretty good, but it’s not a description of an age. You basically equate young souls with materialistic self-obsessed career-oriented wackos, and make it sound as if this step is essential and cannot be skipped. (Fact: the universe does not work in a fixed lineair manner, it is multi-dimensional. Therefore the soul ages do not work in a fixed lineair manner.) What you are actually doing is describing the beginning of the service-to-self or left-hand path. Almost every serious esoteric literature (Law of One by Ra for example) describes two soul paths, the service-to-self and service-to-others, but you somehow do not. I guess you still fear the truth.

    You blame young souls for being all black-and-white in their perception. But you are doing the same, for believing that all young souls are black-and-white. Black-and-white thinking is nothing more than negative soul orientation. So no, young souls are not more negative than old souls. That is just your desperation speaking, desperation for wanting to fit everything into the soul age model, including positive and negative orientation. So you ended up equating negativity with younger souls and positivity with older souls. I’ll give you the real reason why younger souls in general are so negative: Because our planet is and has always been under the control of service-to-self wolfs (these wolfs are not young souls, but old, since they are so adept at masking their negative orientation). So the sheep (us) are exploited, and exploited sheep become bitter, selfish, negative and materialistic themselves (Psychology says that the victim often ends up emotionally bonding with their oppressor, and so adopting the behavior). But as prophesized everywhere, their reign is now ending, beginning with their exposure (revelations).

    Reply
    • 72 barry 12 Feb 2013 at 2:19 pm

      So you’re saying that on the one hand there are negative, cunning, deceptive, self-serving people such as Blair and Obama who rule the world and are like wolves or “bizons” (bisons?) in sheeps’ clothing, and on the other hand there are positive, altruistic people who, because they are so nice and gentle, are like sheep, easily ground down and exploited by the other lot?

      And you’re also saying that I blame young souls for black-and-white thinking..?

      Actually, I say that black-and-white thinking is characteristic of baby souls, not young souls; the latter’s thinking is more characterised by asserting their own perceptions as true perceptions.

      But I do not “blame” anyone for how they think. If that’s how it has come across to you, it was certainly not my intent.

      Anyway, niels, thanks for your perspective.

      Reply
31. 73 Annie E 15 Feb 2013 at 6:03 am

    Barry,

    Very interesting site you have here! Thank you for sharing this information. I’m a twenty year old college student and though I’ve been yearning for higher meaning throughout my life, it hasn’t been until recently (within the past two years) I’ve actually began exploring different philosophies. I could go on forever about how it’s all come about and I’m sure you could too! Really though, what I need to ask you is; how do we save ourselves from all of these conflicting emotions ? I almost feel like I am too conscious of the reality that I’m totally clueless.. Clueless as to what this life is, what it’s all for. I am too conscious of the probability that my capacity to understand this all is within human limitations.. and even those limitations are inconceivable figures. What I find most difficult in my current stage/experience, is living my own life of meaning (not that I even know what it is yet) without hurting all those I love most dearly. My family, friends, etc. find my mentality to be quite difficult to understand. They perceive me as a somewhat “troubled” individual, understandably so I suppose. But it just seems like they are very consumed with traditional expectations we tend to hold within our society, you know? I feel like I am going backwards by conforming to it.. but it is heart wrenching knowing I am causing grief to those I care about. Do you have any insight you could share with me? If so, would be appreciated. Thanks!

    Reply
    • 74 barry 16 Feb 2013 at 10:17 pm

      Hi Annie

      Good to hear from you. You haven’t said specifically what grief you are causing others around you but at a guess you are questioning/rejecting traditional beliefs, values and assumptions which to them are sacrosanct. And you are conflicted because of your desire not to see them in pain or distress, especially if it’s over something you are saying or doing.

      It sounds like you are probably a mature soul in a young or even baby soul environment.

      Asking deep questions is typical of mature souls, especially for those who come into life with the goal of Growth (http://personalityspirituality.net/articles/the-michael-teachings/goal/growth/). That means, living a life that emphasises insight, learning and wisdom — the sort of understanding that comes from intense or contrasting experiences on the one hand, and from studying philosophy/spirituality on the other.

      Often, especially for mature souls, this also involves studying the self (either directly through introspection, self-enquiry, psychotherapy, or indirectly through art). And when we have a goal of Growth (as I do, by the way), we often have conflicting and incomprehensible childhood experiences as a stimulus to get us seeking Growth.

      By the time you’re 40, you will probably look back and think, yeah that childhood situation makes perfect sense actually – it got me to where I am now.

      You ask “how do we save ourselves from all of these conflicting emotions”? I would say that conflicting emotions are the “symptoms” of having conflicting goals, needs and inner commitments. For example, I want to spend more time with my family but at the same time I want to enjoy more of my own space. So on the one hand I feel selfish and even ashamed that I want more personal space, but also anxious that I might never get it, or that if i do get it I will feel guilty, or I just worry that my family won’t understand, and then I feel frustrated with myself for not tackling the issue but just putting it off… Yada yada… This sort of emotional/relationship quandary is “situation normal” for mature souls.

      So for you it might help to reframe the issue as: what can I learn about myself through all of these conflicting emotions?” What does each emotion reveal about my deeper goals, desires and fears? Treat it as an opportunity for deeper self-awareness.

      Yes, your capacity to understand is constrained by human limitations, but put it this way – the wisest and most enlightened beings we know of have all been human beings. And as 20 year olds they probably worried that they would never understand enough. But you can’t possibly learn and understand everything there is to know about everything. That’s not your job. Your task, if you like, is to continually satisfy your curiosity by seeking and finding new knowledge, and by looking within yourself.

      Every now and then deep, meaningful questions will come to you and you will likely feel troubled until you find some kind of satisfying answer. Then you go a few months or years and then more, deeper questions occur to you. That’s all part of the plan – seeking higher knowledge, truth and wisdom is a key way in which we unfold and evolve in life.

      As a quick word of advice – you can find zillions of answers in books and under various teachers, many of them perfectly good, but use your own experience and your own sense of truth as your yardstick. It does not serve you to buy into belief systems that don’t feel harmonious inside you.

      Another thing to think about: I guess you are probably at the point in life where you are undergoing a particular life crisis/transition known in the Michael teachings as the 3rd internal monad. There are seven major turning points in life, each of which can be a difficult crisis to undergo:

      1. Birth (transition from spirit self to physical self)
      2. Toddlerhood (from physical self to family self)
      3. Leaving the nest (from family self to adult social self)
      4. Midlife / Individuation (from social self to authentic self and working on the true life task)
      5. Retirement (from life task to leisure)
      6. Dying (awareness of impending death)
      7. Death (from human to spirit)

      The “typical” life change at the third transition is to leave home – leave the family nest – and develop your own independent adult life. This releases a huge surge of energy, a free-spiritedness. I don’t know if this is do-able in your specific life situation, – if so, great! – but if not then it is possible to leave the nest psychologically rather than physically: just honor your own thoughts and feelings, including your desire not to harm those around you, but also especially including your desire to figure life out your own way.

      I don’t actually know if I’ve said anything helpful here, but feel free to get back.

      Barry

      Reply
32. 75 Annie E 18 Feb 2013 at 3:53 am

    Wow thank you so much for your generous reply!! That information is certainly very helpful, and you picked up on a lot of things I had not even realized myself. From further exploring what you mentioned here, I would guess that I’m also an Artisan, definitely with a goal of growth! Much of my dilemma is applying myself to mainstream society with all of my ups and downs. I’ve never been a school-type person, instead I’ve always preferred artistic endeavors and more creative means of challenge. I realize now this is typical of people with a goal of growth, but my most frustrating habit, if you will; is bouncing from one extreme to the other. In high school, I was always causing anxiety for my mom. I’d much rather choose to be a straight failure, rebellious teen than simply an ordinary, mediocre student- even though I was more than capable of doing so. I still don’t really know why exactly. At this point, though I’ve grown immensely since graduating high school three years ago; my life still remains to unfold in phases of one extreme to another. I did leave home (boston) to come to Florida for college, studying graphic design. Last spring, however, I began to really explore different philosophies and reading many books. I became extremely involved in the study of Kabbalah, and I ended up withdrawing from college in order to be at the Kabbalah Centre every single day. That summer my family thought it was best for me to come home and I ended up staying home until this past January, when I was fortunate to have the opportunity to return back to school. Now that I am back, I am doing better than I ever have in regards to school, work, and maintaining a consistent routine. I hardly ever see friends though, because I fear that if I partake in a social life, I’ll lose focus on everything else, as has always been the case with me. I go from periods of solitude to periods of extreme social engagement, without being able to find a balance in the middle. Right now I’d say I’m just a little worried. I don’t want to disappoint myself or my family again by ruining the things I have so recently managed to get back. Of course there are so many factors to my situation, and by no means are you expected to be a psychologist here!! But if I am right about this being common of people with this goal, I’m sure you have once found yourself in similar conflict. Thank you again, Barry!

    Reply
33. 76 Aaron 24 Mar 2013 at 9:30 pm

    Hi Everyone,
    I just wanted to see if anybody knew of mature cities or towns in North America (Canada, U.S., Mexico) I’ve read that Sedona, Arizona is mature and this page mentions San Francisco. Does anybody know of any other places. I suspect locales like Santa Fe and maybe Austin are too but I’m not entirely sure. Thanks!

    Reply
34. 77 stephsanders24 02 Apr 2013 at 5:55 pm

    Hey Barry,

    I stumbled upon your website last night and not only found it very applicable but also quite helpful. Many of what was mentioned has directly related to what I have been experiencing. It shed a lot of light on things but then I awoke this morning to even more emotional turmoil.

    Lately I have felt hypersensitive to others and myself which can make getting through the day quite difficult. I manage an wonderful organization in a village in Africa that is creating great change within the community. But i have been experiencing intense emotional ups and downs. I trust that I am where I’m meant to be…I go through periods of light and clarity to be followed by darkness an intense “ego excavation.” During these period I have felt like just withdrawing inside, alone so I can enjoy what is felt like much needed space to myself. I feel like I have nothing to give to others, I feel depleted and just want to be alone to nurture myself and not affect others with my energy.

    To accept that I am a mature soul is somewhat comforting but at the same time what I am experiencing makes it seem nearly impossible to manage, mentor and lead others; others that are from a completely different culture. I feel alone as if in between dimensions. At least today, I have feel no connection to my outer world and just want to retreat within. I get to go home for 5 weeks in May but I have signed up for another 6 months in Africa. Sometimes I worry I won’t be able to give myself to that time, or that I’m not good enough for this job, despite being told that I’m doing well. Have I made a mistake?

    Almost all of these emotions I keep to myself since I really don’t think anyone here will be able to comprehend what I am going through. At the same time I don’t want to negatively affect anyone with my emotions so I try to keep a good face.

    I guess I’m just looking for some insight. I know this too shall pass but it can be excruciating to be in the present. I’m at a loss for what my purpose is and what I can do to keep moving forward, to release what no longer serves me and live within the light.

    Thanks in advance. Keep up the great sight!

    Reply
    • 78 barry 04 Apr 2013 at 10:38 am

      Hi Steph

      Thanks for getting in touch. I’m glad you’ve found it helpful reading these pages. I’m also very admiring of your work, but I do appreciate your inner conflicts about it.

      (That’s a lovely photo of you on the website by the way … and of course I like the organisation’s name!)

      “Hypersensitive to others and myself” sounds like a typical mature soul issue. A key question springs to my mind – what is your physical age? (You don’t have to admit to it publicly!) The reason I ask is because it sounds like you are probably going through what is known in the Michael teachings jargon as “the 4th internal monad” – that is, the 4th major life transition.

      There are said to be seven major transitions in life, each one like a mini death-and-rebirth crisis, where the challenge for the soul (consciousness) is to commit more of itself to show up through the human personality.

      1) The first transition is physical birth, where the soul commits itself to inhabiting a body.

      2) The second is ‘psychological birth’ or ego development, at some point in the toddler years. The soul commits itself to adopting a social identity, defined at first through its family role and other relationships. This is where baby souls feel most at home.

      3) The third is another psychological birth known as coming of age, around 15-20-ish. The soul commits itself to breaking out of the family home safety net and becomes an independent actor in the adult world. As part of this, the ego starts to define itself on its own terms, rather than just through predefined roles. Young souls peak after this point.

      4) The fourth is another psychological birth which is sometimes experienced as a mid-life crisis, starting around 35-40-ish. This is the hardest of all transitions, and it can take years to get through it. The soul now feels that the time has come to commit itself to manifest its true essence (soul type and soul age), and work on its planned life task, that which it came here to do, the “true work” of this life. However, this might mean dis-identifying from anything false or irrelevant in what has gone before: any false aspects of the ego, any wrong turns in career. It can mean undoing decades of “hard work” on being a certain way in the world. It could mean, for example, dropping a “nice” mask and unleashing the power within (or conversely, dropping a “powerful” mask and unleashing the inner niceness!). It depends upon how far “off” the growing personality has become from the true character of the soul.

      Mature souls find this fourth turning point particularly excruciating because they really feel the importance of the challenge of being true to themselves, even though they have become steeped in the complex ways of the world, but at the same time they are very sensitive to their commitments to others and don’t want to let anyone down.

      So this transitional process is largely one of internal questioning, introspection, self-doubt, seeking for some personal sense of meaning and purpose. “Ego excavation” is a very nice way of putting it! “What am I doing with my life? What should I do with my life?” That’s not to say that all the work we’ve done before the transition is all wrong and pointless. Rather, the first half of life (from 0-40, say) tends to be a “training program” for the life task that is to be taken on in the second half.

      But what is that life task?

      It is different for everyone, and you can only find it in your heart through introspection… Or stumble upon it by chance (or rather, by some “chance” event that was planned and set up before birth). Or you can ask a Michael channel!

      I did all three. The chance event for me was a serious illness that left me out of work for a year. During this time I undertook a period of very focused reflection on “What do I really want to DO with my life? What am I here FOR?” What I came to eventually was “To find something that I feel is truly worth saying, and then say it to the world clearly and beautifully.” This was a bit of a challenge as I’m generally quite an introvert and very reticent to express myself. When I asked for my life task through a Michael channel, I was told “To gather knowledge for the sake of joy and then share it in a spirit of fun.” Incidentally, I was also told that I have a pre-life agreement (contract) with the Michael entity to share their teachings in my own style. So it all fits rather neatly! And while my 4th transition period (c. 2000-2008) was grim and stressful and utterly confusing at times, I do feel now that I am bang on track – I can actually feel my true purpose being fulfilled, and that’s extremely satisfying. So all that doubt and introspection does pay off in the end!

      One small point: working on your life task/purpose does not necessarily mean changing career. It CAN mean that, or it might simply mean doing the same thing in a different way. Just keep an open mind.

      I don’t know what your life task is, or what purpose is prompting you to question everything, but the need to withdraw and wade through emotions does sound very typical of this transition. Take heart: see it as a tunnel you’re going through – a birth canal, perhaps – and of course there is light at the end. The more you can excavate and get a grasp of your innermost sense of meaning and purpose in this life, the more you can enjoy consciously being here and doing that which you are designed to do best.

      “…to release what no longer serves me and live within the light.” Perfectly put!

      Cheers, and good luck. Feel free to let me know how you get on.

      Barry

      Reply
      • 79 stephsanders24 04 Apr 2013 at 7:21 pm

        Thanks for such an insightful reply. I turned 27 in November, a big year as 27 has always been a very significant number for me. Your reply provided a lot of clarity for me…much appreciated. I’m going to let it all settle, but I’ll keep reminding myself that there is a light at the end of this tunnel…I have no doubt that it will be worth it. In the mean time, I’m just going to try and enjoy the ride. As much as things feel very uncertain right now, there are fast growing and on-going passions, like writing and traveling, that I want to see become more a center in my life.

        Plus, if I get this 4th stage ‘out of the way’ earlier in life, it sounds like I’ll have more of this lifetime to really focus on my true purpose. In that way, it’s all very exciting.

        Thanks again!

        Reply
        • 80 barry 05 Apr 2013 at 8:36 am

          Ah, 27… In that case I would refer you to Victoria Marina’s writing on the astrological aspects of the life transitions – read about the first Saturn return on her blog here:

          http://flightofthehawk.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/astrology-and-third-transition-book.html

          Cheers

          Reply
35. 81 Ann Petermeier 04 Apr 2013 at 1:42 pm

    Hi Barry,

    Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge, I find it all extremely helpful! I believe I am in the 4th transition as well and have struggled through it but realize it won’t last forever. I’m curious what the 5th, 6th and 7th transitions will bring?

    Thanks,
    Ann

    Reply
    • 82 barry 04 Apr 2013 at 7:25 pm

      Ha, I just knew someone was going to ask that! So here we go…

      Internal Monads (Life Transitions) 5, 6 and 7

      (Note: the first three were “births” of different types; the last three are “deaths”; the fourth, in mid-life, was a bit of both. )

      5) The fifth transition is essentially one of retirement – not necessarily retiring from your job, but the psychological process of retiring from actively working on your life task (or, if you didn’t get down to it, then whatever you have been preoccupied with instead). It’s time to step back and review what you have accomplished in your life relative to what you had hoped to accomplish. You might decide that a few loose ends need tying up first, but at some point there is a sense of “There. I’ve done all I can do. No more.” That commitment has ended. So then you might decide how best to live out the rest of your days.

      6) The sixth transition is the conscious recognition that your body has gone into terminal decline, and that death is now coming. This could be horrible and scary, or it could be pleasant and welcome, depending upon the circumstances and your attitude (including how you feel about your life as a result of the 5th monad). It could also be very quick, such as having a heart attack or being shot, or it could be slower, such as with terminal cancer. Either way, you are no longer the active player you once were. In fact (at least if it’s a slow process), you may become increasingly dependent, thus reverting to life before the third monad and possibly also the second.

      7) The seventh transition is, of course, physical death itself, the point at which the soul exits the now defunct body. As soon as you recognise and accept that you have actually “died,” at that point you move from the physical to the astral. As yet, however, you might still be identified with your human personality. So first you will encounter whatever heaven, hell, or blank nothingness you envisage death to be. This is just a projection, a temporary “virtual environment” to fit your belief system. Then, with the help of spirit guides, you come to recognise that this is just a construct of what is left of your human mind. Now, as soon as you let go of that, you enter the realm of light, our true Home between lives.

      To move “up” a step in soul evolution requires successful (i.e. mainly positive) completion of all seven monads. This might take several lives, particularly given the inherent difficulty of the 4th which is directly related to one’s soul level.

      But not every life will be planned to include all seven. A relatively short life would probably skip the 4th and 5th – someone who dies in their twenties, for example, would do 1-2-3 then 6-7. A very short life – someone who dies within a few months of birth, say – would do even less than that, maybe just 1 then 7. Short lives are not usually designed for the growth of that soul, unless it is just revisiting a particular monad to finish it off positively. But often short lives are chosen to support the growth of others who will be affected by the early death (such as distraught parents).

      Reply
36. 83 Ann Petermeier 04 Apr 2013 at 7:55 pm

    Thank you Barry.

    Reply