albion m. butters
A brief history of Spiral Dynamics
or nearly two decades, the theory of Spiral Dynam- Origins of the system ics has been used to dynamically model human In 1952, Clare W. Graves (1914–1986)2 began Fevolution and information systems. In that time, work on something he called the ‘Theory of Levels however, many different versions and applications of of Human Existence’. Its goal was to explain why the model have emerged. This article will diachronically people’s reactions and motivations are so varied. trace the history of Spiral Dynamics, from the founda- Fourteen years later, he published his first version of a tional theory of Clare Graves to its initial introduction by seven-level thinking model. With the continued col- Don Beck and Chris Cowan and subsequent adaptation lection of data over the next decade, there were sig- by Ken Wilber. A brief exploration of the various camps nificant changes in this model. By 1973, Graves was and their competing interpretations of Spiral Dynamics conducting mind–brain research in terms of mental will permit some critical analysis of the model itself. development shaped by neurological structures and networks, chemical agents and external phenomena. In many ways, Graves’ real contribution was his The goal of this article is to provide a historical focus on the collection of data and its application; overview of Spiral Dynamics, including its back- his system was not merely theoretical, but based on ground and history, its creators and their differences, over thirty years of close observation of subjects. The and the ways in which it has been and is being applied data collection methods that Graves used might be in the world. To do this coherently first requires an viewed as quite controversial by today’s standards. explanation of what Spiral Dynamics actually is – For instance, he used his students as test subjects, in brief, a system that describes conceptual models but without telling them that he was doing so, and that humans use to explain the world around them he spied on them through two-way mirrors and tape- – as well as attention to the various forms that recorded them without their knowledge (Rice 2014). have emerged over the course of its evolution.1 Ethical considerations notwithstanding, Graves Furthermore, as Spiral Dynamics is not without its (1974) finally published an eight-level system that critics, the article discusses several major objections consisted of two tiers; six levels in the first tier (sub- that have been raised. sistence) and two in the second (being):3
2 Archives of Graves’ work can be found at a website 1 Given the differing interpretations of Spiral Dynam- dedicated to his life and research (Graves 2001–5). ics, in some cases it seemed best to let the authors 3 Because the definitions given here express the codes speak for themselves. Sources included their books, of what will later become Spiral Dynamics, I do not articles on the subject, and interviews that are pub- repeat them again later. Although very basic, they licly available on the internet. My goal is to present a should also provide a sufficient foundation for the critical and neutral, if cursory, appraisal of the system. reader to understand what the different levels repre- I have not personally received teaching or training in sent. See also figure 2. For an in-depth presentation, Spiral Dynamics. see Beck and Cowan 1996.
Approaching Religion • Vol. 5, No. 2 • November 2015 67 1. Automatic (A-N): motivated by survival and cited in Graves 1970: 155). physical imperatives; What did ‘open’ mean in practice? Observations 2. Tribalistic (B-O): seeking social stability, use of of people who had made it to the highest level in totems and taboos; Maslow’s system (self-actualization) suggested that 3. Egocentric (C-P): individualism and the use of that state may not be the pinnacle of development after force to acquire objects of desire; all. In other words, further attainments and yet higher 4. Saintly (D-Q): recognition of the value of rules, modes of functioning remained. For this reason, it marked by focus on religion; was important to be able to introduce new categor 5. Materialistic (E-R): authoritarianism, dogma is ies (Graves 1971). Graves integrated this approach trumped by pragmatism; in his system, not only formulating the eighth level 6. Personalistic (F-S): concern with belonging, of H-U (called Turquoise in Spiral Dynamics) as a concern for others; further expansion of consciousness and reflecting the 7. Cognitive Existence (G-T): on threshold of true ability of humans to attain new coping mechanisms humanity; by means of new thinking systems, but also propos- 8. Experientialist Existence (H-U): beyond animal ing the potential existence of even another level (I-V, needs, drive to make life stable. or Coral) that represents a third tier of development. This last level was purely theoretical when Graves’ To identify these levels, Graves used a lettering students Don Beck and Chris Cowan wrote the system with two helices – Helix 1 identifying ‘life con- first seminal book on Spiral Dynamics in 1996, and ditions’ and Helix 2 denoting ‘awakened capacities in that ‘mystery meme’ still remains mysterious today. the mind’ – respectively represented by the ranges Purportedly, very few people appear to be demon- A-H and N-U. These form the basis of the eight-level strating the attainment of such an evolutionary state, system of Spiral Dynamics. More than forty years making it difficult to describe even what character- later, this letter system continues to be used, with istics it may possess. An important point, however, people reporting that it helps keep in perspective the had been made: the system needed to be open – like relationship between people and the culture in which a spiral. they are embedded. Just as Graves’ work fundamentally informed what would later be known as Spiral Dynamics, he himself Spirals and rainbows was influenced by others in the field of transpersonal In Spiral Dynamics: Mastering Values, Leadership psychology. In particular, one can find parallels and Change (1996), Beck and Cowan use a number between his system and Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of wonderful examples grounded in nature – frac- of needs, which uses a five-level pyramidal structure tals and seashells, ribbons of DNA and galaxies – to to map the evolution of people’s needs: physiological explain why they named their system after a spiral: ones, safety, love and belonging, esteem and, finally, ‘Behold the eloquence of the spiral. Consider the self-actualization (later replaced by ‘transcendence’). internal integrity, the elegant architecture.’ And, In Maslow’s system, people are continually evolving, ‘Spirals are alive, magical, powerful, and multi moving from one level to the next. Graves and dimensional’ (Beck and Cowan 1996: 26). Spirals can Maslow’s relationship was not so simple, however. be said to reflect the nature of thought, sometimes In true academic fashion, they strongly debated the returning to the same place but eventually progress- merits of Graves’ system; Maslow reportedly argued ing. Being ‘expansive, open-ended, continuous, and for eight years before adopting it himself. The bone dynamic’, the spiral is a model that both visually and of contention – the nature of the ‘ultimate state’ of functionally represents the evolutionary develop- being – was actually very significant in terms of the ment of consciousness. future form of Spiral Dynamics. Maslow was deeply It is likely that Graves himself lent inspiration to committed to the idea of humans developing in an the name Spiral Dynamics. This is suggested by his ‘open’ way with no limitations. In his words, it was own description of the nature of his work: a matter of ‘non-interfering receptive perception versus active controlling perception, enlarging con- The psychology of the mature human being is sciousness, the ineffable experience’ (Maslow 1962, an unfolding, emergent, oscillating spiraling
68 Approaching Religion • Vol. 5, No. 2 • November 2015 process marked by progressive subordination of different colours to those of the rainbow. While each older, lower-order behavior systems to newer, such change has had its own logic, they have not been higher-order systems as an individual’s existen- without controversy. tial problems change. (Beck and Cowan 1996: During the earliest stage of the theory, the differ- 28; Wilber 2000: 5) ent levels of development did not have any colours at all. Colours were supposedly first introduced when Perhaps more important than the person who gave Chris Cowan was making slides to be used as teach- the name, however, is the way in which the system ing materials. He claims that colours were merely a was interpreted to also represent the evolutionary design element, being better than black-and-white to development of groups. Graves’ work was extended illustrate the different levels.4 Accordingly, he says, beyond the individual to the collective, resulting in they had no metaphysical significance, nor were they a much more rich interpretation of the spiral model based on the colours of the Indian seven-chakra sys- and a quantum leap in its potential applications. tem.5 In fact, a conscious choice was made to not In this way, Don Beck’s description of the spiral make them match the spectrum of the rainbow.6 would build on that of his mentor: But that is exactly what Ken Wilber would later do. Integrating the eight VMEME levels as ‘altitude A spiral vortex best depicts the emergence markers’ of ‘waves of consciousness’, he specific of human systems, or memes, as they evolve ally followed the ‘natural’ colour progression of the through levels of increasing complexity. Each chakras, which resembles that of a rainbow (Wilber upward turn of the spiral marks the awaken- 2006a: 66).7 ing of a more elaborate version on top of what Such a radical change of palette did not go unchal- already exists, with each meme a product of its lenged, and it serves well to illustrate the types of times and conditions. And these memes form contention that were introduced as Spiral Dynamics spirals of increasing complexity that exist within evolved. For instance, Cowan was very critical of the a person, a family, an organization, a culture, or move; ‘Because Wilber tries to apply but doesn’t actu- a society. (Beck 2002: 9) ally understand Gravesian theory, he confuses the levels/colors like a novice. He doesn’t know Green The use of the term ‘meme’ (Dawkins 1976, from Orange or Yellow’ (Spiral Dynamics 2001–12b). Csikszentmihalyi 1993) was a conscious decision The issue was not just about colours, of course. The here, evoking the scientific language of evolution colour scheme underlines a much deeper issue that and the cultural language of information transfer. To accurately convey Graves’ emphasis on values, that word was abbreviated in the Spiral Dynamics system 4 As will be seen below, this statement contradicts and appended to make ‘VMEME’, defined as ‘the Cowan’s adherence to the original colour scheme as magnetic force which binds memes and other kinds having great significance. 5 The assignment of colours to the chakras is some- of ideas in cohesive packages of thought’; extended times attributed to Western influences. However, further, VMEMEs ‘structure the thinking, value sys- while they certainly feature prominently in New Age tems, political forms, and world views of entire civili- interpretations of the subtle energy body, their ori zations’ (Beck and Cowan 1996: 30). In this way, Beck ginal appearance dates back to Buddhist and Hindu and Cowan mapped their grand theory of VMEMEs tantric texts in India. Cf. Guhyasamāja-tantra, Kālacakra-tantra, and Cakrasaṃvara-tantra, which directly onto Graves’ theory of levels of human exist- are more than a thousand years old; see also the ence, following his eight-level model of evolution. But sixteenth-century Sat-cakra-nirūpana and the they chose not to represent the different VMEMEs Pādukā-pañcaka, translated by Sir John Woodroffe with numbers. From the very beginning, they were (pseud. Arthur Avalon) as The Serpent Power in 1919. cautious about creating a hierarchical structure in 6 See Cowan and Todorovic’s NVC Consulting website which ‘higher’ automatically meant ‘better’. Instead Spiral Dynamics (2001–12c). For the sake of conveni- ence, quotes taken from that site are attributed to they used colours. Cowan himself. Over the course of its history, the face of Spiral 7 It is also worth noting the respective value differences Dynamics – that is to say, its colour scheme – has of the chakras: 1) food, sex, power; 2) heart and com- changed a number of times, from black-and-white to munication; and 3) psychic and spiritual.
Approaching Religion • Vol. 5, No. 2 • November 2015 69 Cowan had with Wilber’s synthesis. In his view, by was during this twenty-year period that they devel- picking and choosing different elements, changing oped the colour scheme and shifted to VMEME ter- names and focusing on ‘types and categories’, Wilber minology, and although their mentor was not with loses sight of the essence of Graves’ primary quest: them the entire time, they had his blessing to make ‘the engine that drives human emergence – why we such changes. As Beck notes, ‘While Graves supplied are and what leads us to change to be something dif- the original blueprint, he cautioned me on numer- ferent’ (Spiral Dynamics 2001–12d). The degree to ous occasions to continue the research, to branch which this is true is a matter of debate – and to be out far beyond what he could imagine, and pursue sure, it is extensively debated online – but what is “the never-ending quest” ’ (see Beck’s website, Spiral clear is Cowan’s attachment to typologies and being Dynamics Integral). faithful to Graves. For Beck and Cowan, the research quest meant Cowan further criticizes changes to the original applying the theory on the ground. Between 1981 colour scheme as ‘paintballing’, ignoring the thought and 1988, Beck made more than sixty trips to South that went into it. This does appear to be the case. The Africa. He and Cowan are credited with helping colours used in Spiral Dynamics are much more than Nelson Mandela to change the consciousness of South just a design element. They alternate between ‘deny- Africa – bringing about a peaceful end to apartheid the-self’ cool (even numbers) and ‘express-the-self’ – when much of the nation’s population was bent on warm (odd numbers), and there is a logic to the col- revenge against its former oppressors. As seen in the ours themselves (e.g. Beige represents the savannah movie Invictus (2009), Mandela devised the strategy where early survival-focused hominids lived, Red of using a rugby game to transcend racial and class evokes the colour of blood and violence, Turquoise is the colour of Earth seen in a holistic way from space). For his part, Beck continues to use the original colour scheme. He also refers to the alternation in terms of warm (I/ME/MINE) and cool (WE).
Differing interpretations As already seen above, Spiral Dynamics would end up taking different forms. Generally speaking, one can speak of three dominant interpretations, all of which continue to be propagated today, based on the teachings of the two followers of Graves and Wilber. Although the work of Clare Graves was also picked up by others (e.g. Hughes and Flowers 1978, Lynch and Kordis 1989), it was developed and promoted the most by a pair of social scientists: Don E. Beck and his graduate student, Christopher Cowan. They first met Graves in 1975, and their co-operation continued until his death in 1986. Beck and Cowan worked on the theory for another decade before publishing Spiral Dynamics: Mastering Figure 1. Levels and colour schemes. Modified with permission from Values, Leadership and Change (1996). It PiALOGUE
70 Approaching Religion • Vol. 5, No. 2 • November 2015 identification and unify the country. In actuality, this 2) Spiral Dynamics proper (1996–2001), including was Spiral Dynamics being used, not to alter peoples’ a relatively brief period after his split with Cowan; value systems, but to highlight and bring into focus a and 3) Spiral Dynamics integral, or SDi (2002–).10 In value system that was already there. creating this new iteration, he cited the influence of In 1999, Beck and Cowan ended their profes- Ichak Adizes and John Peterson. Most importantly, sional relationship. The bitterly contested issue he was drawn to the work of Ken Wilber, whose between them was apparently Cowan’s decision to A Theory of Everything (2000) presented an eight- register and trademark the Spiral Dynamics name, level system with four quadrants (4Q/8L). while Beck wanted to keep it open for academic use. In a statement announcing their partnership, A further point of conflict was Chris Cowan’s deci- Beck showed clear appreciation of what Wilber’s sion to join forces with Natasha Todorovic (formerly integrative work could bring to Spiral Dynamics. In a stock market trader, with a degree in business particular, he cited the ability of the All Quadrants/ administration) to create NVC Consulting, which All Levels/All Lines (AQAL) model to ‘further extend made further collaboration difficult.8 Cowan’s new the functionality of Spiral Dynamics on personal, partnership led to an edited book of Graves’ papers, a organizational, and societal levels’. The two systems welcome contribution given the vast body of material share a quantitative systems thinking approach with that Graves produced but never published (Cowan an emphasis on openness and evolution, and in this and Todorovic 2005), and until July 2015, Cowan sense they were ideally suited to complement one and Todorovic offered training in Spiral Dynamics® another. Beck was also appreciative of the way in at their Santa Barbara headquarters and around the which ‘this relationship with Ken and his vast follow- world.9 As a result of this work and further study ing has created a quantum leap of interest in Clare of Graves’ writings, Cowan found ‘glaring errors in W. Graves and Spiral Dynamics and, more than previous renditions of [the book] Spiral Dynamics any other influence, has projected this conceptual which we are trying to address’ (Spiral Dynamics system onto the global screen’ (Integral World nd). 2001–12d). After his recent death, however, the cur- Such exposure had financial benefits, to be sure, but rent status of this project remains in question. Yet it connecting with Wilber’s wider network also meant is important to note that from Cowan’s perspective, potential synergy with other thinkers and meetings there is not ultimately such a divide between Graves’ with global power brokers: the White House, leaders theories and Spiral Dynamics; some of the term in Congress, and 10 Downing Street. inology may have changed, but the core remains the It did not take long for tensions to arise, however. same. By thus positioning himself in relation to the The first signs of disagreement between Beck and Graves’ canon, Cowan was able to level a critique Wilber already appeared in 2002. As Beck stated in against heterodox interpretations. 2008, ‘While I did some work with Wilber, that all Treating the system more diachronically, Don began to wane six years ago because of his constant Beck divides the development of Spiral Dynamics distortion of the Spiral Dynamics/Gravesian model’. into three phases: 1) Graves technology (1975–95); A further example of the differing worldviews of Beck and Wilber is found in the former’s interest 8 Personal communication with Don Beck (interview in continued scientific research of Graves’ theory, 11 via Skype, 29.7.2015). It is worth remarking here including fMRI studies. Beck notes that this was a that the main developers of Spiral Dynamics were all clear point of divergence between him and Wilber: white males until this point. A discussion of gender in ‘My friend Ken wouldn’t even talk to me about it relation to Spiral Dynamics, both historically and in because he had such adversity to anything that is not relation to the system itself, is unfortunately outside spirit based’ (Beck 2008). the scope of this article, but represents an important area for future research. 9 I wrote to Christopher Cowan in June 2015 for the purpose of this article. I received no reply, but in 10 See Frank Visser’s extensive website dedicated to August I received an email from his partner Natasha Integral theory, Integral World nd. Todorovic, wherein she informed me that he had 11 For a detailed study of fMRI on Graves’ value theory tragically just passed away. I also wrote to Ken Wilber (that subjects react more swiftly to stimulus words in through his publisher and his websites, but received alignment with their worldview than those that are no reply. not), see Caspers et al. 2011.
Approaching Religion • Vol. 5, No. 2 • November 2015 71 Figure 2. SD and the AQAL Model. Formless Mountain
The two were now on clearly separate paths: don’t include both, you will likely never under- Beck founded the Center for Human Emergence in stand human beings or their relation to Reality, 2004 and Wilber established the Integral Spiritual divine or otherwise. (Wilber 2006a: 38) Center in 2005.12 They both continued to teach Spiral Dynamics in relation to Integral Theory, but The relationship of Wilber’s integral/external in different ways. Wilber’s Integral Spirituality (2006) and internal/social four-quadrant model to Spiral simultaneously redefined and marginalized Spiral Dynamics is a tricky one. For Wilber, Graves’ levels Dynamics while also outlining its limitations for belong in the lower-left ‘WE’ quadrant (cultural spiritual application: development) and correlates appear in the upper-left ‘I’ quadrant (psychological development); Integral Here’s the point: you can sit on your medita- Theory by and large integrates – or assimilates – tion cushion for decades, and you will NEVER Spiral Dynamics within these two. see anything resembling the stages of Spiral This divergence of interpretations can serve to Dynamics. And you can study Spiral Dynamics illustrate an important difference in approaches to till the cows come home, and you will never transformation: ‘inner-directed’ (more focused on have a satori. And the integral point is, if you the individual) versus ‘outer-directed’ (more socially focused). Wilber’s work clearly falls into the former 12 Wilber would have much greater commercial success, category. This is evidenced, for example, by his but he has never provided compensation for his use psychological and spiritual attention to conscious- of Spiral Dynamics. Beck confesses some resent- ness (and interest in Eastern religious traditions), ment over what he sees as Wilber’s exploitation of if not by his use of first-person pronouns to define the system. Personal communication with Don Beck (interview via Skype, 29.7.2015). the quadrants in his model. Although personal
72 Approaching Religion • Vol. 5, No. 2 • November 2015 transformation is included in Beck’s presentation Dynamics (as well as Integral Theory), why so much of Spiral Dynamics, his model is more interested in contention? The overall impression one gets is of an social structures and cultural values.13 extremely intelligent set of people sharing the moti- Cowan completely rejects this positioning on the vation to advance the world yet still enmeshed in basis of Graves’ theory actually ‘integrating’ them very human (and not ‘second-tier’ human) dynamics. all. Given the distance between his camp and that of While the system is described as being very applicable Wilber, this type of contest (i.e. whose level of ‘inte- to external situations and patterns in the world, how gration’ is greater) and functional disconnect is not is the outside observer to measure its success in terms surprising. Cowan is not a fan of Wilber’s interpret of personal growth? ation of Spiral Dynamics in the first place. Indeed, he states that his criticism of Wilber is primarily based on what he perceives to be a misrepresenta- A spiral soteriology? tion of that system, such that followers ‘have been led There has been integration of Spiral Dynamics down a rabbit trail into a labyrinth of all quadrant, and religious systems, despite the fact that Spiral all level nonsense. For the people who really know Dynamics does not in and of itself consist of a reli- the Gravesian theory, reading it is a cringe a minute’ gious or spiritual dimension, other than as a tool (Spiral Dynamics 2001–12d). to describe various belief systems in relation to the Beck’s response is very different – and, well, inte- VMEMEs. Grounded in empirical research, it is not grative. Even years after his self-declared distancing a belief system in and of itself. From the outset, Clare from Wilber, he still sees the value of Spiral Dynamics Graves did not appear to have a spiritual agenda. As and Integral Theory being used together. He is still noted by Cowan: committed to SDi. Positioning remains an issue, but in this case a logical argument is made for why the Dr. Graves probably couldn’t have meditated spiral should occupy the centre of the quadrants of himself out of a paper bag and was not especi the AQAL model instead of being partitioned inside ally interested in the esoteric consciousness them. According to Beck (2012), having the spiral studies that fascinated many of his humanistic span the four boxes helps to remove the concept and transpersonal-oriented peers. His curios- that they are self-contained entities, and it shows the ity was more as to why they were so fascinated, movement taking place between them. After all, the how they thought about psychological health spiral is not static, but dynamic. and the mature human being, and whom Wilber’s response to all this has been to belittle transpersonal approaches might help and why. Spiral Dynamics and its creators. In his infamous (Spiral Dynamics 2001–12d) ‘June 8 rant’ in 2006, he would state ‘I personally love SD as an intro model (seriously), and we will defin Nor did Beck and Cowan add a religious layer when itely continue to use it…’. This is followed by anad they adopted Graves’ model. If anything, Cowan’s hominem attack on both Cowan and Beck: ‘And what sense is that doing this – using Spiral Dynamics as do you make of the fact that the two guys who devel- a ‘spiritual ladder’ or ‘grading scale to assess apostles oped SD, nobody really wants to work with?—and and sort the elect and deserving from the rest of in fact, they even refuse to work with each other, as the herd’ – is cultic and should be avoided (Spiral if to put an exclamation mark on the point’ (Wilber Dynamics 2001–12e). It is not clear whom Cowan is 2006b). talking about, but cases do exist. For example, as one This remark does raise an important question. Christian author writes: ‘By virtue of the fact that you Given the emphasis on personal evolution in Spiral reading this book, you are somewhere on the upper levels of the spiral’ (Meier 2009: 4). Over time, Spiral Dynamics would come to inform 13 The distinction between these approaches to trans- a systemic rethinking of Christian mission and com- formation is helpfully presented by Ronnie Lessem munity. Over the years, dialogue has been achieved, in his presentation of a new modality that combines and to some extent this process has been facilitated the two, which he calls Integral Dynamics. Lessem’s by the founders. Although Chris Cowan was an athe- system also addresses the linear nature of Spiral Dynamics. See Lessem et al. 2013: 8–9. ist and his attitude primarily scientific, he saw value
Approaching Religion • Vol. 5, No. 2 • November 2015 73 in the way that Spiral Dynamics outlines how reli- struggle to make sense of their faith, some churches gious matters tend to be approached by people at dif- have also turned to Spiral Dynamics (e.g. Integral ferent levels. Ken Wilber has shown interest in engag- Christianity, The Emerging Church, Seventh-day ing with Christian leaders on the topic of Integral Adventism). The system is being used to provide Life, which includes Spiral Dynamics. Don Beck has people with a broader perspective of Christianity and, been much more active with faith organizations (as more specifically, their relationship with it. The system demonstrated by his willingness to give workshops can even be used as a lens to be turned on God – or at the progressive Unity Church of Dallas, Texas constructed belief systems vis-à-vis different types of or the Northbrae Community Church in Berkeley, divine presence and agency. As an example, one can California).14 point to Bruce Sanguin’s readings of Christ through Despite his academic background in theology the lens of Spiral Dynamics: the traditional Christ and Koine Greek, Beck’s interest in religion is not as Scapegoat (Blue); the modern demythologized about religion per se, but ‘memetics’; by this he Christ, as seen in the work of Bultmann, or Christ the means the value systems that undergird religion and successful leader (Orange); the egalitarian or post- are expressed in rituals. In his view, Christianity is modern Christ (Green); the cosmic Christ as the ‘pat- in need of resuscitation, and Spiral Dynamics can tern that connects’ (Yellow), as seen by Teilhard de help illuminate the crisis in which value systems are Chardin; or the mystical Christ (Turquoise), in which being lost in the modern world. To use an example, the entire universe is perceived as the body of God. he finds that children today are not being presented This is not a theological overview as much as a com- with challenges of sacrifice and discipline (aspects of parative reappraisal of Christian teleology, which has Purple and Blue). Lacking the neurological equip- potential consequences for Christians and the nature ment at that age to make subtle nuances of judgment of their faith. This becomes apparent in Sanguin’s about values and ethics, until they learn the code of own story of transformed understanding: ‘When obedience at the Blue level, there’s no chance that I was introduced to the map of Spiral Dynamics, I they will understand the globally integrated level of began to see the Christ as metaphor for the spiritual, Turquoise. In Beck’s view, the recruitment of people evolutionary impulse itself, which is expressed dif- into fundamentalist organizations (e.g. ISIS) reflects ferently at different stages of development’ (Sanguin the type of vacuum that arises when people’s needs at 2014). If it sounds like Sanguin has forsaken a trad the level that they are at are not being met.15 itional form of faith for Spiral Dynamics, it’s because To further contextualize the way in which Spiral he has. On his personal website, he announces that Dynamics can be applied to spiritual modalities, it is after 27 years he has resigned from congregational important to note that it differentiates between the ministry (Sanguin nd). things that people think about and how they think about them. The former is comprised of objects of analysis, while the latter involves the mode of analy- Critiques of Spiral Dynamics sis itself. Thus, Spiral Dynamics locates atheism and Criticism has been directed at Spiral Dynamics on theism on the Blue (D-Q) level, both of which include a number of levels. Some criticisms are largely aca- ‘true believers’ whose worldviews are absolutist. demic, but much more serious allegations have been Religious expression is exhibited in other modalities brought as well. Is it a cult? A money-making scheme? as well. For example, aggressive proselytization can A hierarchical system designed to control the masses? be seen as a Red attitude, in contrast to Green’s ecu- One charge brought against Spiral Dynamics is menical pluralism. that its language lends itself to people not being aware As Christianity today faces multiple crises of of the context in which it arose and operates, at least identity and attrition, and contemporary Christians not in a way that influences are explicitly represented on its map. Are other meanings implicit in the map- ping? More specifically, does Spiral Dynamics support 14 This relationship has matured to the point that all of outdated colonialist attitudes, such as associating the the ministers in its Kansas City seminary are trained primitive Beige level with the savannah (i.e. Africa)? in Spiral Dynamics. Beck’s past work in South Africa provides a poten- 15 Personal communication with Don Beck (interview via Skype, 29.7.2015). tially rich case study to examine these questions.
74 Approaching Religion • Vol. 5, No. 2 • November 2015 His current work on increased racial polarization in Palestine) (Beams and Struts 2011). Whether or not the United States, however, can be seen as a reflec- this criticism is valid deserves further discussion tion of his deep concern for issues of race and power. (especially considering Graves’ express intent for Ultimately, he argues, ‘Race is not about race – it’s the system to be open and the emphasis of his suc- about value systems.’16 cessors on its ‘dynamic’ nature), but it requires an In terms of those value systems, it is impossible to understanding of Roy’s process model as informed by deny that Spiral Dynamics uses a hierarchical model, Herbert Guenther’s writings on the Tibetan Buddhist yet it is critical to stress here that Spiral Dynamics is tradition of Dzogchen (rdzogs chen). Such a discus- not just about ascending the ‘ladder’. Each level has sion will have to wait. a shadow aspect – or what Wilber calls a ‘mean’ side The writings of the researcher Michel Bauwens – of unhealthy manifestations, and each level has its include some of the most scathing criticisms of Spiral own set of challenges to be worked through. Spiral Dynamics to date, despite the fact that they are almost Dynamics attempts to tackle the issue of hierarchiza- a decade old. Bauwens begins by declaring that Spiral tion by locating it as a human tendency, both over- Dynamics is being used as a cloak for ‘neoconserva- all and arising within the system itself. For example, tive interpretations of reality’, quoting Beck as having one of the dangers explained by teachers of Spiral praised George W. Bush as a ‘great leader’ (Bauwens Dynamics is the tendency of people to climb to the 2005). In fact, the involvement of Wilber and Beck Green level and then think that they are above or with politicians extended to Bill Clinton and Al Gore ‘beyond’ others. A related problem at this level is as well as Bush (and his brother Jeb) (see Wilber reductionism that seeks to deny hierarchies! When 2000: 83).18 Furthermore, in Spiral Dynamics, con- power structures and educational systems are viewed servative ideology is identified with Blue values and through the lens of Spiral Dynamics, different types liberalism with higher values; on this basis alone, it of discourse are highlighted in terms of their respec- is difficult to believe that Beck or Wilber would be tive values. The keywords associated with Green championing the former. – pluralism, multiculturalism, etc. – are used by a Yet Wilber has expressed dismay with liberalism, number of academic disciplines (e.g. cultural stud- finding it internally flawed and self-contradictory for ies) to lump things together. Wilber problematizes its denial of the stages which led to it. For this reason, this as the ‘Mean Green Meme’ of the cultural elite he has seen American politics to be ‘a sick version of (Wilber 2003, 2006a), but he is careful to stress that a higher level versus a healthy version of a lower level’ there are also healthy aspects of Green (e.g. the civil (Wilber 2000: 88). It is important to note, however, rights movement, feminism, environmentalism). In that he is not satisfied with that state. Ideally there short, there are two aspects to every level, healthy would be a healthy version of the higher level. But and unhealthy, and a method of hermeneutical self- Bauwens continues: reflexivity is used in order to identify where the latter may be expressed in the system itself. More generally, SD operates as a business, From the point of view of comparative philosophy, aggressively defends its sole use of terminology the epistemology of the system may be called into … ; and is marketed to business and political question. As Bonnitta Roy notes, Spiral Dynamics leaders as a means of social manipulation. Now and Wilber’s structural view (e.g. AQAL frame- imagine the world vision of someone using SD work) use Western modalities of thought that can in that fashion: he moves through the world as ignore process-oriented understandings of reality.17 a superior being, seeing poor sobs [sic] around In brief, the danger involves trying to impose rigid him, in need of enlightenment, knowing that categories and language on a dynamic state of affairs. only a tiny few have the potential to become Beck responds to Roy by inviting her to examine how like him. Just like Ken Wilber, who has decided Spiral Dynamics works in practice (for example, in a priori that the Hindu-Buddhist Advaitic
16 Personal communication with Don Beck (interview 18 A discussion of political orientations and Integral via Skype, 29.7.2015). Politics extends far beyond the scope of this present 17 For a full treatment of this topic, see Roy 2006: paper. However, for Ken Wilber’s discussion of a 118–52. trans-partisan ‘Third-Way’. See DeVos 2008.
Approaching Religion • Vol. 5, No. 2 • November 2015 75 non-self doctrine is the final word in spiritual Furthermore, one reads again and again that the evolution, this making interreligious dialogue gradation of the spiral is only part of the process. in fact impossible, quite a few Beck supporters Cowan clarifies that ‘this is not a hierarchy of wisdom hold similar but more secular views about the a or decency or even intelligences, much less happi- priori superiority of their form of being in the ness and worth’ (Spiral Dynamics 2001–12a). When world. Unbelievably (at least to me), I have even goals are provided for the different eight VMEMEs, encountered SD-influenced people, who main- they are horizontal within each level; rather than tain that the poor people in the Third World asking people to evolve out of where they are located, ‘have a right to experience hunger and poverty’, practical solutions involve growth in that very level.21 as it corresponds to their developmental level! For example, those with a predominantly Purple (Bauwens 2005) VMEME should aspire to protect tribal ways and rituals, honour traditional festivals and ceremonies, To take these points one by one, it is certainly true preserve the sacred places, protect the bloodline and that Spiral Dynamics does have a business model. propitiate the spirits of the ancestors by preserving People engage in training sessions, they are certi- the ways of the folk (Beck and Linscott 1991: 14). fied, and they pay for this. This is true for both Spiral When Beck uses such language as ‘cleaning up the Dynamics® and SDi, as well as enrolment in Wilber’s spiral’, not even remotely does it mean a cleansing Integral programme. It may be noted, of course, that of people at different levels of development (akin to many types of specialized training involve financial racial cleansing) or even dispensing with those levels. investment and trust.19 Rather, it refers to applying focus to them and shift- The ‘superior being’ critique again raises the issue ing their expression from negative to positive aspects of hierarchization. After all, it is perhaps impossible in order to promote movement and evolution. A con- for values not to be attached to a system. Recognition crete example can be seen in terms of demagoguery that large segments of the world’s population are still (Red or Red/Blue), which prevents people from at relatively rudimentary levels of evolution – to put moving to new levels, versus Red’s concern with free- it in terms of Spiral Dynamics, moving from Purple, dom and being able to explore. How is the impasse of Red or Blue into Orange – is described as being nec- the negative expression to be broken? Beck explains essary in order to help facilitate that evolution. From that it is the task of Yellow – being integrative – to the perspective of psychology, working with people help facilitate the shift. where they are at does not automatically entail an It is important to clarify, however, that the task attitude of superiority. The goal of Spiral Dynamics is, belongs to the Yellow VMEME rather than ‘Yellow’ in Wilber’s words, to ‘transcend and include’. The fact individuals (Beck 2011). Just as Buddhism paradoxic that lower VMEMEs do not understand and may be ally seeks to effect awakening through the recogni- in conflict with higher VMEMEs does not mean that tion of non-self, Spiral Dynamics puts emphasis on the higher ones are antagonistic towards the lower human nature rather than a reified identity. Examples ones. And while it is always possible that a Spiral used to describe the different levels sometimes do Wizard dictator could try to use Spiral Dynamics combine personification (both archetypal and actual) to rule the world, Graves’ initial work suggests that with strong language – Beck (2011) identifies Qaddafi those who have evolved to have tier-two (Yellow and with Red/Blue, for instance, but correlates of the sys- Turquoise) values have only increased compassion tem’s relationality with individuals in the world can and concern for those in the first tier.20 be argued to be a helpful device. At the end of the day, real people provide the data that informs the system! 19 These training programmes support a broader appli cation of Spiral Dynamics in the world, from HR and Emergence Plan and travelled to the Middle East to executive management training to organizational present an alternative to conflict between Israel and system reform to nation building. Palestine, and Wilber has most recently been focusing 20 If one pauses briefly to see what activities the on conflict resolution. founders of Spiral Dynamics are engaged in, there is 21 This is an important part of the theory that has not an impressive list: Beck and Cowan worked exten- been discussed. For a detailed discussion of the trans- sively in Africa (as mentioned above), in 2007 Beck formation of VMEMEs, see Beck and Cowan 1996: spoke at the United Nations on the topic of its Global 34–47.
76 Approaching Religion • Vol. 5, No. 2 • November 2015 Review, October,
Approaching Religion • Vol. 5, No. 2 • November 2015 77 (accessed 25.3.2015) 25.3.2015) Roy, Bonnitta, 2006. ‘A process model of Integral Theory’, Integral Review, 3, pp. 118–52 Sanguin, Bruce, 2014. The Emerging Church Revised & Expanded: A Model for Change and a Map for Renewal (Kelowna, BC, Wood Lake Publishing) Wilber, Ken, 2000. A Theory of Everything: An Integral Vision for Business, Politics, Science, and Spirituality (Boston, Shambhala) —2003. Boomeritis: A Novel That Will Set You Free! (Boston, Shambhala) —2006a. Integral Spirituality (Boston, Shambhala) —2006b. ‘What we are, that we see, part I: response to some recent criticism in a Wild West fashion’, blog, kenwilber.com, 8.6.2006,
Websites Beams and Struts, 2011. ‘Why isn’t Integral more popu- lar?’, article by Jason Digges, commentary, among others, by Bonnitta Roy and Don Beck, Beams and Struts: for Hungry Brains and Thirsty Souls website, December 2011,