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The Modes of Development (9)

We have looked now briefly at the modes of development both with respect to the primary "colours" (cognitive, affective and volitional) and the many - and somewhat arbitrary - list of secondary modes (i.e. "multiple intelligences").

And we have seen that as far as successful integration of the personality, the primary modes are vital.

In fact the complete mature development of the personality requires that cognitive, affective and volitional be both differentiated successfully in a sequential manner with respect to each of the major bands (and accompanying levels) on the spectrum, while also being simultaneously integrated with each other.

Now, while imbalances are indeed possible with respect to development of the three primary modes (up to and including Band 5), the final two radial bands would however require a high degree of integration with respect to all three modes.


As we have seen, in terms of the secondary manifestations, a person may show special talent with respect to one just one mode.

When this is the case, a continual tendency to express on-going development through the development of this talent may be in evidence. Though in some respect this can more easily enable one to achieve worldly success, it can also be problematic in creating a certain imbalance in personality (with respect to other "multiple intelligences").

Rather than the secondary modes unfolding necessarily in a linear fashion, I have drawn attention to their frequent circular type behaviour where oscillation takes place as between - relatively - "higher" and "lower" stages. This leads then to temporary peaking with respect to "higher" stages, followed by "shadow" valley behaviour. Frequently in such circumstances, as one becomes addicted to these temporary "highs", artificial means may be used to avoid unwanted confrontation with the shadow, which can make developmental problems much worse.

And though each individual episode with respect to "highs" and "lows" may be of a temporary nature, a life-long pattern with respect to such behaviour can easily emerge.

And this behaviour is not just confined to states but equally involves the temporary experience of corresponding structures (as in experiential terms a necessary dynamic complementarity characterises the relationship between states and structures).


In my own approach there is an extremely close relationship as between the three primary modes and personality types.

So a personality type basically entails a unique manner of attempting to configure the three primary modes.  Though proper integration entails that one gradually absorbs characteristics associated with all personality types, this still is generally uniquely mediated through a characteristic type.

In fact, full integration is always an open-ended notion that depends for its growth on incorporating what is not yet integrated. There can never be an end to this process. So true integration in a dynamic sense really implies that an appropriate balance can be maintained as between all three primary modes.

Of course as we have already seen, there are also very close links as between the primary modes (with associated personality types) and the experience of space and time.

And ultimately in my approach, this leads to an entirely new holistic appreciation of the true nature of space and time, which relates to the manner in which wholes and parts can be related to each other in both an external (physical) and internal (psychological) manner.

So the current asymmetrical interpretation of dimensions (i.e. 3 space and 1 time) that dominates conventional scientific understanding is based on the limiting static case with respect to this relationship.

And this new appreciation of space and time, (and modes and personality types) is linked to a holistic interpretation of number where now number can be truly appreciated as providing a potentially extraordinary role with respect to the ordering of qualitative type experience.

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