The Changes That Occur In the Body and Mind Every 7 Years
Think you're the same person you were 7
years ago? You may look about the same and sound the same, but all the
cells in your body that were then in your body have been replaced by
others, and your mind has moved to another and different stage. Think,
for example, about childhood and youth - how much life changes between
infancy and early childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.
If you assume that the extreme changes in
personality and body stop once you get older, you’re wrong, because
they’re still happening, but most of us simply don’t pay them the
attention they deserve. Rudolf Steiner, a philosopher and spiritual
mentor who lived in Austria during the 19th and 20th centuries, was able
to divide life by stages of seven years, and these are the conclusions
he reached, from which you can learn a great deal about your past and
future.
Age 0-7 
The first cycle starts from birth until the
age of 7, and here the basis on which the body will be built is etched,
and especially the mind in the future. Already at this age, the mind is
creative, intelligent and full of personality, but it is limited by the
body that is not developed and adapted to the environment and the tools
we all use. In addition, at these ages, it is very difficult to develop
deep thoughts because children don’t yet have the language skills
needed to express them, and of course, they need a lot more information
about the world. So at this stage, we are motivated primarily by
instincts of hunger, a desire for love and a need for protection and
support.
With that said, our responses at this stage can already teach a great
deal about our unconscious behavior and are influenced by the culture
and environment in which we were raised - for example, tribal natives
rejoice when they see a fat beetle because it is perceived as food,
while we in western civilizations will try to stay clear of it because
it disgusts us. This reaction is already determined in the early
childhood stage. However, the thalamus is larger in these ages, and it
provides us with primitive concepts of what is right and what is not -
later it shrinks, and these concepts will become the moral code by which
we live. Apart from all this, this is the stage at which the basic
understanding of the existence of such a thing as "I" develops, and the
learning of language is what helps to create such identity and
self-awareness.
Age 7-14
At these ages, we begin to associate
different ideas with emotions, and begin to undergo physical changes
that prepare us for adolescence. The thalamus gradually decreases in
size and we develop a better understanding of what is acceptable and
what is not acceptable in terms of the social codes to which we were
born. Baby teeth start falling out and the most wonderful thing is that
at this stage, the child learns to assemble their inner world. This is a
world that includes a definition of the "heroes" in their life,
understanding the dangers that exist in the world and developing a rich
imagination. The smaller the thalamus, the closer to the stage of
puberty, and the more effective the learning about sharing and
interacting with others - how to control instincts for the common good.
Age 14-21
At this age, we become curious about
ourselves in a new way, and in fact, we have a new relationship with
life itself. We become more aware of ourselves, our range of emotions
expands in all directions as we learn to appreciate music, art,
literature and other people in new ways. We "discover" the opposite sex
and understand that there are certain impulses attached to it, and these
become very central.
Due to the development of new feelings, many boys of this age begin to
doubt the relationships that exist in their lives or the religion on
which they were brought up. Along with the independence that comes at
the age of 21, at the end of this stage the person is already supposed
to understand the path they want to walk in their life, or at the very
least begin to ask themselves what that path will be.
Age 21-28
At this stage there is refinement and
reorientation of emotions and thought processes - we enter adulthood.
Now the infrastructure for the career that has opened and the
relationships that have been added to our lives are being built, along
with great energy and hope for a good future. At the same time, we
develop awareness of our intuition and judgment, and the importance of
compromise in relationships for the good of both partners, without
losing our sense of independence.
In addition, at this age, problems from our childhood arise, and we
begin to struggle with the challenges and pains we have borne with us
over the years, sometimes without our noticing them at all. They usually
arise in the wake of our conduct in relationships, which presents us
with a challenge but also a possibility of personal development.
Age 28-35
As the years pass, the changes we undergo
become less and less clear, but they still exist. At this point, most
people become more creative than in previous stages, and researchers and
inventors tend to reach their peak discoveries during these years. Many
spiritual teachers throughout history have also reached their
enlightenment at these ages, and researchers speculate that this is
because our brain power reaches its peak around the age of 35.
In these years, we begin to understand how our emotions over the years
shaped our personality, and also begin to separate what we see fit for
us from what our family, friends, and society have taught us to believe
is true, but currently collides with our way of life.
Age 35-42
Depending on the circumstances of life up
to this age, most people begin to feel restless. There is a sudden
desire to share our knowledge and life experiences with others in order
to leave a mark on the world, so at this age we see many businessmen
starting to donate to different organizations or people who just start
to engage in a certain type of art. Here we are in a place where we can
objectively analyze the results of our choices in life - our
relationships, careers, and customs - and try to make small changes to
help improve them. We begin to understand what really fulfills us in
life
Age 42-49
It is only at this stage that the brain and
soul really digest all life experiences so far, and this process brings
with it a desire to embark on a new path and experience new things. If
until now the person has not managed to leave their mark on the world,
they now will certainly work to do so. However, at this stage, many
people feel they are well past their prime and many act on this feeling,
or rather choose not to act - in the event that nothing is done with
this feeling, it will come back later and will not go away, it will only
grow stronger.
At this stage, our perception of the subject of love is also "matured",
and if it hasn’t happened so far, most of us learn how to love
unconditionally. If this does not happen, it is possible that the person
is still dealing with the challenges of previous emotional stages. It
might surprise you to learn that most of us are "stuck" with fears and
emotions from childhood that have yet to be resolved. Many suddenly
decide to divorce at this age to embark on a new direction in life, and
we abandon the stereotypical role we had in society till now in order to
find our true identity.
Age 49-56
Here we reach our mental and spiritual
peak, despite, or perhaps because of, the decline in the health of our
bodies. This ebbing forces us to look within ourselves more often, and
every little problem in our personality becomes more stressful. At these
ages, we must learn how to live with ourselves in a new way, and we
need to adjust to our new-older body and understand that the harmful
habits that we have adapted so far will not disappear in a day. If the
person did not achieve success until this stage or did not achieve their
goals, they may sink into depression but they must remember that there
are many years left in their life.
Age 56-63
At this point, the mind becomes relatively
quiet and we accept ourselves as we are. However, many things hidden
beneath the surface arise, such as self-restraint which one would now
want to stop. Life itself changes at this stage, when taking part in
activities becomes difficult and relationships we’ve taken part of till
now need to be re-evaluated.
Psychiatrist Carl Jung and writer Nietzsche have developed complete
theories about this stage in life. The question "Who am I?" leads us to
look deeper into our souls, and the change we want to create in life
will be possible and easier because our living conditions at this stage
allow this. Not everyone will experience it, but this is the most
significant stage of self-discovery for the majority. It will often
accompany pain, but that pain is necessary for understanding and
accepting certain details about who we are and to make new conscious
choices.
Age 63-70
At these ages, it is easier for us to
accept the different people in our lives as they are, and in fact, we
appreciate the differences between us and them and see the good in
others rather than the bad. Now we can gain the understanding that most
of our choices till now had been made under external influences, even
though now they aren’t. Suddenly we understand the power of our choices
and this makes us feel like a person standing at a crossroads that
splits into a number of directions, and it is difficult to know which
direction is right for us.
If you’ve not yet dealt well with the disappointments and pain you
experienced in life, this period will be confusing and you may not have
the tools to deal with what will come with it. At the same time, more
thoughts about death begin and a feeling of distance from the
surrounding world encourages them.
Age 70-77
If you’ve dealt well with the changes
described in the previous steps, you will begin to notice in this stage
hidden aspects of your personality that you have ignored until now. The
feeling of unconditional love grows, and although the body is
significantly weakened, the mind becomes stronger and your influence on
other people close to you grows. It is therefore very important that
before this age you are able to deal with all the traumas that you have
experienced in your life in a healthy way so that you can reach it calm
and ready.
Age 77-84
As previously said, if you dealt with the
previous stages properly, at this point you will begin to feel the
connection you have to the history of the world, and you will see in
your life the influence that the actions and decisions of those who
preceded you in the world have had. That is why you will begin to live
differently, and every area of your life will be expressed in a
different way, whether it is love or the purpose of your life. Even if
you look back and feel remorse, remember that there is no such thing as
"a perfect life" - you have reached this point and age thanks to many
more successes than failures and have undergone a special, challenging
and satisfying journey.