Developmental Psychology — Clare Graves ECLET Model of Human Consciousness
What is ECLET?
ECLET — the Emergent Coherence Layered Evolutionary Template — is a model of human psychological and energy body development, grounded in the original developmental psychology research of Clare W. Graves (1914–1986). It maps how human consciousness evolves through nine distinct layers, each with its own values, worldview and way of making meaning.
The Aadii Mesh ECLET model is an evolution of Graves' foundational E-C Theory, which also underpins the widely-known Spiral Dynamics model developed by Beck and Cowan. Steve McDonald completed Level 1 Spiral Dynamics Integral (SDi) training directly with Don Beck in 2005 and Level 2 with senior SDi trainer Christopher Cooke in 2006. With the blessing of Beck, in 2008 Cooke and McDonald co-created and hosted the world's first formal Spiral Dynamics Integral Train-the-Trainer course in Melbourne, Australia with Cooke as instructor.
Over more than 20 years of research and practice, Steve McDonald has extended the model to integrate subtle body (Lightbody) formation alongside psychological growth — a dimension not addressed in the original framework.
The Emergent Coherence Layered Evolutionary Template
First published in 1970 in the Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Graves' original theory later formed the basis for the book Spiral Dynamics: Mastering Values, Leadership and Change (Beck & Cowan, 1996).
ECLET maps the layered development of human consciousness through nine dynamic layers, each characterised by its own distinct value system, meaning-making capacity and moral code. Everyone is born into Layer 1 and grows sequentially through these layers, alternating between individual (3-5-7) and collective (2-4-6-8) themes.
Progress through the nine layers is determined by the complexity of your life conditions and your soul's development (built over many lifetimes). A mature soul adapts quickly, seeks deeper growth, and may access higher layers more readily. A mature soul may also choose to experience extended presence in lower or transitional layers, often to serve, heal or stabilise others. Both your life conditions and your soul co-create the path, in a unique dance of adaptation and inner-wisdom.
In the image below we have integrated the transfiguration to the Pure Gem Body, which may occur at Layer 9 if certain preconditions are met. We draw upon the Thothic transmissions which bridge quantum science and conscious evolution, as documented by Sha'Maia Christine Nartoomid. The Pure Gem Body is a phenomenon known across multiple traditions by different names, including the Diamond Body (Taoism), Rainbow Body (Tibetan Buddhism — Dzogchen), or the Resurrection Body (Christianity).
We offer personal assessments of your current status on the ECLET → Pure Gem Body continuum (click below).
First Tier Consciousness
Layer 6: Empathic Affiliation — Egalitarian, empathic, prioritises community & authenticity.
Layer 5: Strategic Agency — Success-driven, seeks progress, autonomy and rational control.
Layer 4: Moral Order — Rule-based, fixed hierarchy, seeks stability through obedience & moral code.
Layer 3: Egocentric Power — Egocentric, impulsive, identity formed through dominance and control.
Layer 2: Tribal Bond — Tradition-bound, kinship oriented, guided by ritual & ancestral knowledge.
Layer 1: Instinctive Survival — Reactive, instinctive, driven by immediate needs & physical safety.
Second Tier Consciousness
Layer 9: Sovereign Presence — Universally coherent, crystalline alignment with integrated field intelligence.
Layer 8: Planetary Stewardship — Planetary focus, spiritually anchored, coherence seeking.
Layer 7: Systemic Integration — Transrational, seeks flow states, reintegrates shadow personality.
Transfiguration to The Pure Gem Body
Beyond evolution, the Pure Gem Body emerges as a unified crystalline resonance which overrides karmic patterning and reveals the soul’s innate luminosity in form. It involves the transfiguration of the body into a vessel of coherent light, capable of interfacing with higher dimensions while remaining present in the Earthly Hologram. This is not an additional layer, it is something that may occur at Layer 9 if certain preconditions are met. It represents a fundamental shift in human identity.
Transitions Between Layers
Human nature is an open, cyclical, emergent system, continually changing and evolving in response to our life conditions and soul needs. Transitions between the ECLET layers are not linear, they spiral and oscillate. A person will normally regress, compress or recycle within the layers, as a result of complexity, trauma or other life conditions.
ECLET tracks transitions using a five-phase Change Cycle:
-
- Nodal Stability – Stable in a dominant layer.
- Stress – Dissonance and a regressive search back through previous layers.
- Chaos – The breakdown of your old worldview and identity structures.
- Renewal – Entry into a new worldview with insight, yet instability.
- New Nodal Stability – Integration and coherence at the next, more complex layer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Clare Graves model?
Clare W. Graves (1914–1986) was an American psychology professor who spent decades researching how human values and worldviews develop. His model — formally called the Emergent, Cyclical, Levels of Existence Theory (or E-C Theory) — describes a sequence of developmental stages through which individuals and societies evolve, in response to increasingly complex life conditions. First published in 1970 in the Journal of Humanistic Psychology, it later formed the theoretical basis for the Spiral Dynamics book.
What does ECLET stand for, and what is it?
Our ECLET stands for Emergent Coherence Layered Evolutionary Template. It is an evolution of Clare Graves' original developmental psychology model, extended and refined by Steve McDonald over more than 20 years of research. ECLET maps the layered development of human consciousness through nine dynamic layers, each characterised by its own value system, worldview and way of making meaning. It integrates Graves' foundational theory with research into subtle body development — a dimension not addressed in the original framework.
How is ECLET different from Spiral Dynamics?
Spiral Dynamics is a widely-used application of Graves' original theory, developed by Don Beck and Christopher Cowan and published in their 1996 book. It is best known for its colour-coded representation of developmental levels and is widely applied in leadership, organisational change and integral psychology. Our ECLET builds on the same theoretical foundation but extends the model in two significant ways: it fully maps nine developmental layers and it integrates the gradual formation of the subtle energy body (Lightbody) alongside psychological and values development.
How many stages/layers does ECLET describe?
ECLET maps nine dynamic layers of human consciousness. Layers 1 through 6 constitute First Tier Consciousness, ranging from Instinctive Survival (Layer 1) through to Empathic Affiliation (Layer 6). Layers 7, 8, and 9 — Systemic Integration, Planetary Stewardship and Sovereign Presence — constitute Second Tier Consciousness. Beyond the nine layers ECLET also describes the Pure Gem Body, which is not another layer but a state of transfiguration that can occur at Layer 9 when certain preconditions are met. The Pure Gem Body is known by various names across multiple traditions, including the Diamond Body (Taoism), Rainbow Body (Tibetan Buddhism - Dzogchen), or Resurrection Body (Christianity).
Can I find out which layer I am currently at?
Yes. Aadii Mesh Foundation offers personal ECLET assessments with Steve McDonald, delivered as a one-on-one session. Our assessments identify your dominant developmental layer and dynamic range, your position within the Change Cycle, and if you choose the Lightbody Snapshot assessment option you'll also receive a detailed description of your Lightbody activation status. Sessions are conducted via Zoom. To book an assessment, please visit ECLET assessments and mentoring.
Is ECLET relevant to psychologists and mental health professionals?
Yes. The model has direct relevance to developmental psychology, integral psychology, transpersonal psychology and consciousness studies. It is grounded in Clare Graves' peer-reviewed academic research and offers a comprehensive framework for understanding value systems, meaning-making, psychological change and adult development across a lifespan. It is used by psychologists, coaches, counsellors and educators seeking a deeper map of human development beyond conventional stage models.
What is the Change Cycle in ECLET?
The Change Cycle is ECLET's model for understanding how people move between developmental layers. Rather than progressing in a straight line, transitions spiral and oscillate through five phases: Nodal Stability (anchored in a current layer), Stress (emerging dissonance), Chaos (breakdown of existing worldview), Renewal (entry into a new worldview) and New Nodal Stability (integration at a more complex layer). While navigating these five phases of change it's normal for an individual to oscillate back through previous layers in a 'regressive search', which builds tension to drive the change process. Understanding where someone is in the Change Cycle is central to applying ECLET in personal development and therapeutic contexts.