1 - Conference of The Society for Research in Adult Development – March 2009
Positive Adult Development Symposium March 2009
Some top brain researchers today investigating the brain’s neuro-plasticity have come to the conclusion that the brain does not generate the focus of attention. It is the recipient of it. Therefore there must be another part of a human being that is making conscious choices about what to focus attention on.
I am presenting a new, superordinate theory of life span, human development and a developmental self that I believe answers the question – who or what is choosing the focus of attention. The theory has been in development and successful testing for close to 30 years.
Imagine human development as an ever upward curving arc – one that promises greater power and effectiveness with the passing of years. That even after 40, 60, 80 what always lies ahead is the promise of developing ever more potential and with it greater power and effectiveness.
Developing and using the full potential of our brain has made us much more powerful and effective then just using brawn. Is there yet another part nature has intended for us to develop fully that can make us even more powerful and effective than just using our brawn or our brain?
What universal theory, if any, could support this life journey?
The Continuum Theory™ of Human Development. It postulates that life span is a 3 stage developmental process – 0-20ish the full development of the body's physical potential, 20-40ish the full development of the brain's mental potential, (see Kohlberg’s 6th stage) and from 40ish onward a 3rd developmental stage – the full development of the potential of the self.
For 2 million years the average life span was around 20 years, for the last 10,000 it went to 30 something, turn of the 1900th century 40 years, now 70 years. If we superimpose the Continuum Theory we see that for 2 million years only the body could develop fully. The last 10,000 years the brain has had more time to develop. And the last 100+ years more of us get to the age where the full development of the self’s potential is possible.
I posits a real, there at birth, biological, energetic part of us called Self. Self is developmental. It is fully integrated into the spectrum of energy we now call body/brain – it is the invisible part of this energy spectrum – as of yet – of which body/brain are the visible components. Exactly like the light spectrum that has its visible and invisible components.
The Development of both the Body and Brain take proper nutrition and training. Therefore the Development of a real Self must also take proper nutrition and training . But I believe a nutrient of a different kind.
Since I claim the Self is real, then what is its nutrient? My answer to this question also encompasses my logical - experiential proof of a real self. Here it is.
When we receive life sustaining energies - oxygen, food and water in all their forms - our body and brain thrive. When we are deprived of them we experience lethargy and pain. Thousands of people in my workshops have reported that when they receive loving energy in any form they thrive, life is good. When they are deprived of loving energy, they experience lethargy and pain. Perhaps you remember how it felt when someone said “I love you”, or was patient, kind, encouraging… or…. You might remember experiencing the exact opposite. Painful!
Logic says that since our responses to being given or deprived of loving energy are all similar to our responses to being given or deprived of the life sustaining energies of oxygen, food and water – loving energy, in all its forms, is a life sustaining energy.
But what part of us actually thrives on this life sustaining energy or feels so deprived that we feel pain?
I posit that loving energy in all its forms is the energetic nutrient of a real self. That it is a real self that is in pain when we are deprived of loving energy and thrives on it when it gets it.
I further posit that a real developed self is much more powerful and effective navigating life then when it is using only its brawn or its brain, including the ability to master tasks of higher complexity.
