Michael Bernard Beckwith presents a four-stage model of spiritual development: Stage 1 (Victim) where one feels separate and determined by external forces; Stage 2 (Manifester) where one consciously uses mind, imagination, and spiritual practices to create desired outcomes; Stage 3 (Channel/Through-me) where one surrenders and allows a greater order to operate through them; and Stage 4 (As-me/Oneness) where the sense of separation dissolves and one experiences unity with life. He contrasts Stage 2 as more 'masculine' (doing/making happen) and Stage 3 as more 'feminine' (yielding/allowing), and argues that studying the map and understanding why practices work accelerates spiritual growth.
Chapters
Many years ago, I came up with a model of stages of spiritual growth, development and unfoldment, that we could have a wonderful conversation about what that looks like. What came to me through me at that time was the four stages to me, by me, through me, and as me. The first stage, something happening to me. I'm a victim. I live believing that something outside of me determines my destiny, my happiness, my success, my well being. Stage two by me is the stage in which we learn to manifest. We actually use our mind, our conversation, spiritual practices, and we begin to use spiritual principles to manifest the the kind of life that we can imagine. It's the manifester stage, Stage three, through me. It means I've done such rich work in stage two that I have an inner subjective belief that life is for me, that the universe is progressive, that something wonderful is always trying to happen. And I learn to yield to it, to surrender to it, to give over to it. This is the stage in which you go into the zone. At times you have a peak experience, something is operating through you. And then stage four is as me. The line of separation is dissolved and I feel my oneness with all of life, with no filter. Stage one is victim. Stage two is manifester. Stage three is being a channel or a place. Stage four, I'm it, no separation. So in the stage one, the victim consciousness, we feel disenfranchised from the world, disenfranchised from opportunities. We disenfranchised for what we've inherited from the universal presence. We're separated, we're isolated, we're alone. In stage two, we use what is often called mind power and the right use of our imagination, creative imagination, creative visualization, high, wonderful conversations, keeping our attention high, to create a vibrational match of that which we would want to manifest. It's very masculine. I am using the laws, I am directing my attention. I'm making something happen. So stage three, it's more feminine. I'm yielding, I'm surrendering. I'm allowing because I've come to an awareness that the order that we all depend on, I don't make that order. That order already exists. I'm yielding to it, I'm surrendering to it. Stage four, the sense of separation is dissolved and I feel totally at one with life. Stage two, I'm making something happen. Stage three, I'm making something welcome. There's a shift. There's a shift. Research has shown that when you know why something works, it even works better. For instance, we know that vitamin C is good for us, but if you actually read something about vitamin C and see the efficacy of how it works on the body temple. Then when you take vitamin C, the vitamin C is enhanced throughout your body temple in terms of your immune system, etc. These four stages when you actually study the map, you actually read about it, you actually do the practice. It enhances and expedites your spiritual growth, development, unfoldment. Because now you know why as well as what sa.
