Soul Age & Soul Levels (Explained)

A Reincarnational Journey Through the Soul Age Stages:
Infant, Baby, Young, Mature & Old Soul.
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Have you ever wondered why people and the countries they live in are so diverse in their perspective about life, relationships, and personal growth? And why there is so much conflict?

In the Michael teachings, a concept known as soul age answers those questions. Over a course of multiple lifetimes, the soul advances through five stages during a reincarnation cycle that defines behaviors, values, and overall spiritual development. Not a quick jaunt, soul age is an evolutionary process that occurs over thousands of years.

Beginning with the primal instincts of the infant soul to the philosophical wisdom of the old soul, an understanding of how these stages operate yields rich insights into your soul journey and those around you.

In this guide, we'll explore:

• The traits and lessons of each soul age

• How soul age impacts relationships and spiritual growth

• The progression of soul evolution through history

• A free soul age test to discover your place on this enlightening path

 

Understanding Soul Evolution

Soul age is a measurement of the five stages the soul must advance through during its reincarnational cycle. Think of this as the YOU ARE HERE point on a map showing where the soul began its journey, where its currently located, and where it still needs to go. There are, in fact, seven stages, but the 6th and 7th (Transcendental and Infinite) are not part of the reincarnational cycle. (see Reincarnation)

Each soul age marks the soul's continued evolution as it gathers new experiences, makes choices, and learns life lessons. The primary way the soul evolves is by learning the ramifications of personal choice. All lessons are derived from that. Choices fueled by fear, for instance, which often lead to karmic outcomes, are gradually replaced during the reincarnational cycle with more loving and compassionate choices. This demonstrates how the soul has learned from hard-fought experience to embrace a greater oneness with all.

A Journey, Not a Competition

In this system, however, no soul age is considered better or worse than another. One should not presume that the soul ages are hierarchical, or that being an old soul is more desirable than being a young soul. All conceits that imply spiritual advancement lie squarely in the realm of the ego (or false personality).

Each person reading this page is where they need to be right now. If that means climbing the corporate ladder or raising consciousness through daily meditation, both pursuits are valid. The evolution of the soul is not about a race to the finish line. Each person progresses at a rate that is perfect for the needs of their soul. Someone that moves slowly through the reincarnational cycle, with a high number of past lives, perhaps reveals that the course curriculum they chose was more stringent and immersive. Their soul's intent was to pursue an advanced degree in the cycle, whereas someone with fewer past lives that moves through quickly, was merely interested in the survey course.

Spiritual Evolution Through Global Perspectives

The significance of the soul ages is perhaps most evident in different countries seen around the world. In some societies, religious laws are strictly enforced through corporal punishment. In others, the acquisition of wealth, power, and global domination is the primary objective. In smaller regions with primitive technology, nomadic tribes still exist at the level of hunter-gatherers. All of these examples show the different perspectives of spiritual advancement at work. It helps to rationalize the sometimes conflicting values and beliefs encountered in other countries. Soul age is the gateway to unraveling the motivations and actions of diverse people and cultures, and gain a more empathetic understanding for their unique points of view. (See Soul Age by Country)

The five most relevant soul ages are outlined below, with links to more comprehensive articles -- which should be required reading if you're interested in this subject.

Your Soul's Journey: A Look at the Five Soul Ages

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The Soul-Age-Stages

1) Infant Souls deal with issues of survival. Life experience is usually primitive at this level and leans toward the rituals and customs of tribal cultures. Infant souls often incarnate near the equator, where less frigid temperatures allow them to thrive without modern shelter.

Wide-eyed, unsophisticated, and ignorant to the ways of the modern world, infant souls are childlike in their behavior and mostly rely on their instinctive center to navigate through life. They possess a natural curiosity of the world around them, but can easily be overwhelmed because of their instinctive nature, and veer into flight or flight episodes. Without loving guidance from older souls who teach them the difference between right and wrong, they may react aggressively to perceived threats. Their primal emotions kick into gear if their safety or security seems imperiled.

Because they are innately fearful and easily frightened, like alley cats scattering in all directions after hearing a strange noise, infant souls may resort to violence without conscience. They are highly territorial and see intrusions as a call to arms. Some examples are attempts by western culture to approach isolated tribes in remote, mostly unexplored regions. The Sentinelese people of North Sentinel Island, for instance, are an infant soul tribe. Contact with them has been perilous to those involved, with some attempts rebuffed with lethal force.

Infant souls are likely the most experiential of the soul ages, and learn by adapting to change, whether its person-to-person, or facing hostility from a tribe, or enduring natural disasters. These experiences lay the foundation for their future development.

Focus/Lesson: Survival, Gut Intuition, Adaptation, Fear of things unfamiliar, Simplicity
Infant Soul Countries: Ethiopia, New Guinea, Cambodia, Areas Near the Equator
Attributes: (+) Innocent, untarnished by culture, purely instinctive (-) Fearful, withdrawn, without conscience, violent

+ Positive Pole: EXPERIENCE
This pole is driven by an innate curiosity of the world, an innocence born from a sense of wonder, like a child's first visit to a playground. Infant souls experience their environment moment-by-moment through the senses, learning through a series of explorations that involve sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. Reactions are instinctual and lead to survival skills that teach what to trust and what to fear. This, in turn, leads to an increased ability to adapt to the environment and its varied challenges. Like young saplings in a forest growing toward the light, infant souls grow from the light of experience and learn from it.

- Negative Pole: APATHY
In Apathy, infant souls become either overwhelmed by an excess of experential stimulus, or from feelings of outright fear or dread. Instead of interacting with the world, they withdraw from it, seeking isolation within the safe cocoon of a secret hiding place. These retreats into apathy can drive infant souls into survival mode, where emotions are supressed and overrided by their primal nature. These basic instincts swiftly calibrate in favor of aggressive, and often cruel and violent responses to perceived threats. Threats may arise during territorial defense, while guarding resources necessary for survival, or from fearful responses to being backed into a corner or while facing something unfamiliar.

Further Examples:

• Reaction to Fear and Conflict: Instinctive, aggressive, without much thought, territorial, fight or flight

• Resonates with: Role of Server. Fulfillment of basic needs and essential support.

• Capacity for Empathy: Limited empathy, self-centered, immediate needs only, instincts override compassion

• Historical: Early human history, hunter-gatherer clans.

• Movements: Mastery of basic survivor skills; Development of tribal systems and cooperative hunting.

• Innovations: Fire, Stone Tools, The Wheel

• Literary: Ayla from "The Clan of the Cave Bear" by Jean M. Auel

• Film: Quest For Fire, The Emerald Forest

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2) Baby Souls have a need for structure and tend to live according to beliefs based on dogma, such as religious fundamentalism. Baby souls, focused as they are on bringing people together under the umbrella of civilization, see others, as being “just like me.” They can become confused and upset when those “other me’s” act differently than expected. Their experience of life is rule-based, rigid, dogmatic, family-oriented, and highly structured around adhering to the laws and mores of an institution or culture -- think of the Middle West and the conscientious drive to be the "model citizen."

Focus/Lesson: Rules/Laws; Right and Wrong
Baby Soul Countries: Iran, Iraq, Haiti, Ireland, Libya, Middle East, Mid-West America
Attributes: (+) Community-oriented, law-abiding, family values (-) rule-based, rigid, bland, judgmental, black and white, religious fundamentalists.

+ Positive Pole: ACCULTURATION
In acculturation, the baby soul begins to integrate into the customs, values, and laws of their society. They seek to harmonize themselves within the established social order. There's a respect for authority, community engagement in civic duties, allegiance to the chosen religion, and a dedication to becoming an accepted part of the tribe or culture. A need to belong and share the same values with others, to connect with those of like-minded awareness, becomes as imperative as the air they breathe. This creates a moral rectitude that reflects the vetted consensus of the community, forming a community-approved morality that is influenced by their cultural, religious, legal, and social identity.

- Negative Pole: SUBSUMATION
In subsumation, baby souls becomes so absorbed by their culture that, like a drop of dye dissolved in an ocean, they lose all sense of self. There's a blind allegiance to authority figures at this stage, where critical thinking is abandoned in favor of rigid, unwavering conformity to the rules and tradition that are followed without question. Black and white thinking prevails, and religious doctrines are often used as a substitute for more rational responses that would go against the grain of majority opinion. The worst aspects of religious fundamentalism, such as intolerance of those with different beliefs, the imposition of strict codes regarding behavior, speech and dress, control over personal freedoms, an authoritarian style of leadership, and even violence over doctrinal differences, or fanatical uses of terrorism to spread fundamental beliefs and principles, all originate from this state.

Further Examples:

• Reaction to Fear and Conflict: Dogmatic, Sticks to Beliefs, Intolerance if Against Worldview, Fears Outsiders

• Resonates with: Role of Artisan. Fulfillment of structure and security.

• Capacity for Empathy: Conditional, Reserved for those in Community, Influenced by Religious Beliefs

• Historical: Ancient Egypt, Feudal System, Theocratic States, Salem Witch Trials

• Movements: Orthodox Judaism, Fundamentalist Christianity, Islamic Fundamentalism, Catholicism (Traditionalist)

• Innovations: Agriculture, Irrigation Systems, Organized Religions, Law & Order, Record Keeping, Traditions, Writing

• Literary: The townspeople in "The Crucible," The Scarlett Letter, Orwell's "1984"

• Film: Fiddler on the Roof, The Music Man (again, the townspeople)

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3) Young Souls are success oriented and set high standards of personal achievement. Young souls are learning to impact the world, and see others as “you”s they can impact. Their experience of life is competitive, industrious, independent, profit-motivated, win-lose, and in pursuit of anything that leads to prosperity. They fear aging, the natural decline of their bodies, and go to great lengths to preserve their status and appearance. Young souls could be the official soul-age for face-lifts, Botox injections, and tummy-tucks.

Focus/Lesson: Success/Achievement; Win-Lose; Making a Mark on the World;
Young Soul Countries: USA, Germany, China, Israel, United Arab Emirates
Polar Attributes: (+) Prosperous, world builders, technology developers, infrastructure (-) domineering, might makes right, win at all cost, superficial, greedy

+ Positive Pole: INTENTION
For the young soul, the power of intention is almost an art form. What they forceably will into existence becomes a reality. They are reality creators without realizing the metaphysical mechanics behind it. With clear-headed, objective goals and strategies, coupled with an indefatigable zeal to succeed, they manifest their goals and make valuable contributions to the world in technology, science, economic development, and even social change.

- Negative Pole: JUDGEMENTALIZATION
In the negative pole, all that focused attention and boundless ambition grows jagged teeth and sharp claws. The focus becomes competitive and win at all cost, even ruthless, if necessary. Harsh criticism of the winners and losers comes into play, with an imbalanced need to achieve status and feel superior -- or its soul-crushing opposite, worthlessly inferior. The need to judge or belittle others becomes elevated, with a loss of empathy, and in worst cases, all semblance of humanity. To victors belong the spoils, as the early 19th century phrase once boasted.

Further Examples:

• Reaction to Fear and Conflict: Assertive & Aggressive, Beat the Competition, Takes Risks, Goes on Defensive

• Resonates with: Role of Warrior. Fulfillment of achievement and recognition

• Capacity for Empathy: Selective Empathy, Provisional, What's the Return Investment? Does it Elevate Public Image?

• Historical: Classical Antiquity, The Renaissance, Industrial Revolution, Imperialism, Capitalism

• Movements:Evangelical Christian, Mega-Churches

• Innovations: Printing Press (Gutenberg), Steam Engine, Telephone, Automobile

• Literary: Jay Gatsby from "The Great Gatsby"

• Film: "The Godfather," "Wolf of Wall Street," "Scarface"

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4) Mature Souls are relationship oriented and tend to gravitate toward emotional drama. Mature souls, delving into their inner world and exploring relatedness, can keenly feel other people’s “stuff,” and perceive it in the same way they perceive their own. This can make for much intensity and, often, subjectivity. Their experience of life is dramatic, emotional, soap-opera-like, identified, intimate, empathetic, and self-aware.

Focus/Lesson: Relationships (with self and others), Self-Exploration, Emotional Depth
Mature Soul Countries: England, Canada, Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Poland
Attributes: Compassionate, empathetic, social causes, desire to serve, good partners (-) overly dramatic, emotionally attached, prone to martyrdom

+ Positive Pole: COGNIZANCE
A mature soul that imbues cognizance is not fixated on mere surface appearance and glittery objects of little depth, but deeply immersed in the richly-layered sub-strata of their emotions, needs, and patterns of behavior. In this state they are self-aware, they understand their emotions, and they feel great empathy for others. This is a heightened state of emotional intelligence.

- Negative Pole: RATIOCINATION
The negative pole uses a long word to say "overthinking." This leads to classic examples of paralysis by analysis, a scholarly trait that can shut down an otherwise healthy connection to emotion. On the other hand, when emotions are involved in the analysis, this deep probing can unleash intense, fear-based states that incite overly dramatic, emotional melt-downs. Ratiocination can be a real powder keg for the mature soul. Like a ship caught in the frenetic spirals of a whirlpool, the beleaguered mature soul's mind sinks into its own spirals of excessive intellectualization and brooding, eventually drowning in the emotional turmoil.

Further Examples:

• Reaction to Fear and Conflict: Introspective, Expresses Emotions Passionately, Seeks to Understand Others

• Resonates with: Role of Scholar. Fulfillment of growth and depth in relationships

• Capacity for Empathy: Deep Empathy, Compassionate Listening, Cultural Sensitivity, Authentic

• Historical: The Enlightenment, Civil Rights Movement

• Movements: Liberal Christianity, Environmentalism, Black Lives Matter, Animal Rights, New Age

• Innovations: Psychotherapy, Internet, Environmental Conservation (Rachel Carson’s "Silent Spring"), Solar Panels

• Literary: Holden Caulfield from "The Catcher in the Rye," Elizabeth Bennet from "Pride and Prejudice"

• Film: Joel Barish from "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, " Amélie Poulain from "Amélie"

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5) Old Souls seek the larger perspective of life, and have less interest in playing the material game. They tend to be more detached, and try to see themselves and others within a larger context, fostering a "live and let live" motto. Their experience of life is laid-back, easy going, detached from emotional intensity, spiritually-minded, and sometimes a little lazy.

Focus/Lesson: The Big Picture; Philosophical Perspective
Old Soul Countries: Iceland, Holland, Finland, Czechoslovakia

+ Positive Pole: SUBSTANTIATION (Alt. term: Being)
In Substantiation, the old soul sinks its roots deep into the ancient soil and bears fruit in the form of heavily grounded insights and wisdom that are practical and authentic. Like a gnarled and wizened tree, the old soul is a reliable presence in the lives of others, and passes down an accumulation of life lessons and knowledge accrued over multiple lifetimes.

- Negative Pole: SELF-ENVELOPATION (Alt. term: Withdrawal)
A product of excessive introspection, in this pole, old souls withdraw into themselves and retreat from reality, losing their connections to the outer world. This behavior is essentially a form of self-absorption, almost like shut-ins. They subject themselves to prolonged isolation and become aloof and unambitious. In this ultra-detached state, old souls lack the vessel to cargo their normally astute insights and observations. Without the nourishing soil of human connections, the old soul, estranged from the perspicacity of its positive pole, becomes a solitary and withering tree in the desert, unable to share its knowledge and wisdom with others.

Further Examples:

• Reaction to Fear and Conflict: Approaches with Detachment, Understanding, Non-Resistence, Forgiveness

• Resonates with: Role of Sage. Fulfillment of wisdom and philosophical insights

• Capacity for Empathy: Non-Judgemental, Inclusive, Takes Form in Insights & Mentorship, Altruistic, Philosophical

• Historical: Buddhism, Taoism, Stoicism ("Marcus Aurelius")

• Movements: Transcendentalism (some mature soul overlap), Holistic health

• Innovations: Meditation and Mindfulness Techniques, Holistic Medicine, Philosophical Frameworks

• Literary: "Walden" by Henry David Thoreau, Atticus Finch from "To Kill a Mockingbird," "Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse

• Film: The Tree of Life, The New World, A Ghost Story, Wings of Desire, Star Wars ("Yoda")

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Beyond the Reincarnational Cycle

Transcendental and Infinite Souls are unique beings that represent the considerably rare 6th and 7th stages of soul age, but they do not participate in the typical cycle of reincarnation. Instead, they incarnate with specific, high-stakes missions to guide and transform humanity during critical times.

From Yarbro: "The Transcendental Soul has manifested through Socrates, Zarathustra [Zoroaster], Mohammed, and through Mohandas K. Gandhi and no others. The Infinite Soul has manifested through the physical forms of Lao-tsu, Sri Krishna, Siddhartha Gautama [the Buddha], and Jesus — again, no others."

"The Transcendental Soul has a specific purpose to effect massive social upheaval just as the Infinite Soul effects a spiritual change".

Soul Age Analogies

Over the years, several analogies have compared the concept of soul age to something less abstract and more relatable. From Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's "Messages From Michael," channeled by Sarah Chambers, came this original analogy:

"It is like any system of learning. The Infant Soul is in kindergarten, the Baby Soul is in life's elementary school, the Young Soul is in the gymnasium or high school, the Mature Soul is in college, and the Old Soul is out in the world."

Using the five stages, another analogy once heard is in the construction of a house. 1) Set the foundation. 2) Lay the framework. 3) Do the interior design for outward appearances. 4) Add furnishing to make it feel like a home. 5) Enjoy the home; a private sanctuary for peace and rest.

Understand, soul age does not just gauge the soul's spiritual growth but the stages of development it undergoes during its incarnations. For a different look, the following analogy compares soul-age to the stages of a plant found in a typical garden.

Key takeaway: Just as a young seedling evolves from humble beginnings, gradually maturing, little by little, after considerable trial and effort into an adult plant, the soul follows a similar progression, achieving growth through life lessons, the occasional success, and too often, a humbling accumulation of failure.

In this process of unending growth cycles, the soul, as an integrated whole, grows more experienced and wiser at every successive stage of development.

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The Soul Levels

Each soul age consists of seven levels of development that must be competed before graduating to the next soul stage. Each level averages three lifetimes to complete, sometimes more, sometimes less. An Infant soul, for example, would begin at level one and gradually progress through six more levels before moving up to the Baby Soul stage. This continues until the 7th level of the old soul stage is reached.

All and all, as Varda Hasselmann mentions in her book, there are thirty-five levels in total that must be completed before cycling-off the planet -- the 35 developmental steps of the reincarnational cycle.

 

JP Van Hulle once described the soul levels using an analogy of swimming at the beach. Here's an expanded paragraph on that concept:

● At the first level, we're still adjusting to the new environment. We dip our toe in the water, test how cold it is and wonder if we should get in.

● At the second level, we wade into the water a little further, first up up to our ankles, then to our waist, attempting to anchor ourselves against the undertow and feeling unsure if we're ready to make the plunge.

● Around the third level, we finally dive in and swim below the waves, totally submerged in the experience.

● At the fourth level, we come back up for air and now feel comfortable in the water, plunging beneath the surface for another swim, and occasionally wading into large waves that crash over us. We've discovered that the beach is fun, and we teach others what we've learned.

● By the time the fifth level arrives we've grown bored and want something new. We grab a surf board and begin riding the waves, expanding on how we can experience the beach with more variety. We strive to push beyond the limits of our ability.

● Around the sixth level, another surfer thinks we're hogging the best waves and angrily shoves us off the board. We awkwardly fall back into the water and strike our head against a rock. This could be a karmic repayment.

● At the seventh level, we decide we've had enough and return to the beach, satisfied with the mastery we've achieved and looking forward to our next outing and a new spiritual stage to explore.

The Seven Internal Monads

Within each level there are 7 additional levels called internal monads. To finish a level, these seven monads must be completed before graduating to the next level. Commonly called life stages (or milestones), the monads chart the developmental steps within a soul level.

These steps (or stages of life) are often characterized as BIRTH, EARLY CHILDHOOD, ADOLESCENCE, MID-LIFE, LIFE REVIEW, DYING, and DEATH itself. For a comprehensive look at the internal monads, read our article, The Stages of Life.

Manifested-Soul-Age

Michael channel Shepherd Hoodwin stated that there are three possible reasons someone is manifesting a lower spiritual age than her true one:

1) Youth — the person simply hasn't yet had the time to retrace all her steps back to her actual spiritual advancement.

2) Review — the soul is choosing to review a younger age in order to strengthen some weak areas, such as an old soul reviewing young in order to get better at dealing with the modern world.

3) Being stuck — personality is unwilling to face issues that stand in the way of manifesting at her true age.

It's not BAD to manifest younger because no journey of the soul is "bad" — it's all growth. However, if there's a big gap between the true and manifested ages, it may feel uncomfortable, especially if there is stuckness and essence wants to get the show on the road.

Soul-Age-Percentage

The current percentage of soul stages on the planet is distributed as follows:

● (10% Infant Soul)

● (23% Baby Soul)

● (32% Young Soul)

● (24% Mature Soul)

● (11% Old Soul)

New Infant Souls are no longer being allowed to incarnate. After the human species has run its complete cycle, a new (or existing) species will be allowed to test the sentient experiment. Channeling has suggested limited experiments have already begun with gorillas, and elephants, with their high intelligence and range of emotions, are also considered as candidates for ensoulment.

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Soul Age in the Eyes

Does spiritual age manifest through the eyes?

INFANT SOULS MANIFEST FEAR. THIS CAN BE SEEN IN THEIR EYES. THIS FEAR IS OUT OF PROPORTION TO THE SITUATION. THE WHOLE BUSINESS OF LIVING IS FEARFUL TO THEM.

BABY SOULS ARE GUILELESS, AND THIS SHOWS IN THEIR EYES.

YOUNG SOULS ARE IN A STATE OF UNREST. THIS OFTEN SHOWS UP IN ERRATIC EYE MOVEMENTS: THE INABILITY TO HOLD EYE CONTACT FOR LONG.

MATURE SOULS FIND IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN EYE CONTACT BECAUSE OF DISCOMFORT.

OLD SOULS HAVE A DIRECT, PENETRATING STARE ABSENT IN EARLIER CYCLES. WISDOM IS REFLECTED THERE.

SOURCE: Michael Teachings Transcripts

Evolution of Soul Age Through History

Case Studies In-Depth

Ancient Egypt (Baby Soul)

Order and Stability: Ancient Egypt organized their society around a central authority. Their Pharaoh ruled with equal status, and was revered as both a king and god. Various rituals and religious practices were common, fostering fervent beliefs in the afterlife, and afterlife that inspired the breath-taking, seven wonders of the world architecture of the pyramids.

The Roman Empire (Young Soul)

Ambition and Expansion: Driven by conquest and colonization, and with an empire of 100 million people to deliver that military might, Rome expanded its territory across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, leaving a legacy of conquered peoples. Like most young soul countries, however, the innovations in engineering and technology were sophisticated and a marvel of the day

Modern Western Democracies (Mature Soul)

Social Movements: Civil rights, environmental sustainability, and social justice movements reflect a mature soul mental focus on empathy and social responsibility.

Psychological Insights: Advances in psychology and mental health awareness now give our world a far greater understanding of human emotional complexity.

Tibetan Culture (Old Soul)

Spiritual Focus: The Tibetans place a strong emphasis on Buddhist principles, meditation practices, and the pursuit of enlightenment. Due to monastic life, there's an intentional detachment from materialism, and an appreciation for spiritual teachings.

Conclusion

In summary, in this review of civilization through the perspective of soul-age, we gain insights into how spiritual growth can drive the historical development of societies.

In the end, each soul stage contributes in its own valuable way to the unfoldment of human history.

 

Soul Age & Spiritual Advancement (Misconceptions)

A common misconception suggests that soul age is hierarchical. Thus, being an old soul is prized above any of the other soul stages, such as infant, baby, young, and mature. In short, nobody wants to be a young soul. But a young soul can be fully present and self-aware. In fact, being asleep for the entire reincarnational journey -- at any age -- is an option. It comes down to personal choice.

Yes, there are certain stereotypes for soul-age, but that's all they are -- stereotypes. We typically think of serial killers as infant souls; yet, Jack the Ripper was a mature soul according to the Yarbro channels. Some old souls may be entrepreneurial and ambitious; some young souls may be spiritual. Stereotypes are instructive at times, but they are not reliable. There's considerable give-and-take on how a person will manifest in life. It's never black and white. And someone who is heavily shackled by false personality is not going to display much of their true self.

Quite often, if we find someone unlikable, we immediately assume they must be a younger soul. Spiritual age is used as a weapon to degrade or vilify others. People may say their boss or uncle must be a young soul because he's an arrogant jerk, but soul age doesn't always translate that way. And if the alleged "jerk" gets channeled later as a mature or an old soul, there's disbelief. This is one of the fundamental misunderstandings of soul age. It doesn't always conform to expectations.

I consulted the Michael entity about this for clarification, and they gave the following answer.

The degree to which you are spiritually awake denotes your level of consciousness, not your soul age. This message bears repeating since the concept of soul-age has been greatly misunderstood by our students,

Soul age, of course, may act as a natural reinforcement of consciousness, bolstered by the reincarnational experience acquired, but this offers no guarantee that the conscious level of a soul will be commensurate with the soul age stage.

To illustrate, rays of the sun that heat the equator also strike the Arctic circle, but the sun in the Arctic is low on the horizon and the light is never direct. That is why it is colder in the Arctic. A soul without the direct, loving rays of essence could also be considered as receiving light that is low on the horizon, and this may occur at any soul age. In other words, strictly based on hierarchical measurement, an old soul is not necessarily more advanced than a younger soul. That advancement is measured by the level of consciousness in each soul.

As already stated, the level of consciousness is a measurement of how much an incarnating soul is "spiritually awake." The higher the occurrence of negative states in a personality, the lower the level of consciousness. In that respect, being awake is entirely possible in the younger soul stages. Instances exist where a 7th level old soul can possess a lower level of consciousness than a 7th young. It all depends on the quality of inner work being done by that personality.

Spiritual advancement is not directly linked to soul age. Soul age is merely an estimate of the course curriculum completed in the reincarnational cycle. Greater states of awareness may be achieved during this progression and applied to ensuing lifetimes, but work is still needed to smooth out the rough edges. Like everything else in the teaching, the decision to evolve spiritually is a choice.

While the collective reincarnational experience of soul age may lead to spiritual development, its course of study does not immediately bestow a level of consciousness on an incarnating soul that's better or worse than another. The metamorphosis of a tadpole into a frog merely requires the time for the biological process to occur; the stages of life from infant child to an elderly adult requires that the life is lived. Any spiritual growth that transpires during that progression comes from facing life's experiences at a state of awareness that's transformative.

Therefore, higher consciousness is the product of a personal choice to gain mastery over negative states and in so doing awaken to the truest potential of the soul.

CHANNELED by David Gregg

Soul Progression and Essence Manifestation

One caveat to consider is the natural degree of essence found in each soul age. Generally, old souls tend to show a higher degree of essence. Young souls, not as much. Not because they lack the capacity for spiritual development, but because they purposely focus on more external achievements and worldly goals, which require less essence contact.

To illustrate, imagine a set of five moon phases where the distribution of light and shadow on the lunar surface progresses from a traditional waxing crescent to a first quarter, increasing in illumination until reaching a full moon stage. Essence manifestation in the age of the soul works similarly. An infant soul may initially receive just a sliver of essence contact, which gradually increases with each subsequent soul age. Unlike the lunar phase, an old soul may never manifest essence at a hundred percent, but it attains enough illumination to be considered substantively whole.

As mentioned before, the achievement-driven, often karmic lessons of the young soul do not need as much essence contact. Although it can be assessed if necessary, too much could hamper the life plan. In contrast, mature and old souls have begun to explore their inner worlds with greater depth, making them generally open to higher essence manifestation by default.

Essence resides in the background of consciousness as a peaceful presence. Essence IS presence. It reinforces the experiences and lessons of spiritual values, which is why older souls show a greater potential for more self-awareness and spiritual transformation. Realizing such potentials, however, is a matter of choice.

 

 

Soul Development Stages and Politics

While some students believe soul age is easily delineated between party lines -- young souls are Republicans and mature souls are Democrats -- such divisions are never that cut-and-dried. Just looking at the Michael profiles of various politicians shows that some young souls are liberal, and some old souls are conservative.

When partisan politics gets involved, you're not seeing spiritual maturity as much as false personality. The chief culprit, of course, is identification. People on both sides of the aisle become over-identified with their political stance, and the negative aspects of their ego take charge and run riot.

Both young and old souls struggle in the political arena. It too quickly becomes open warfare. If there's an upside, for someone on a spiritual quest, politics offers great fodder to work on detachment and letting go.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Why is Soul Age Important?

A: Similar to Yarbro's earlier analogy, think of life as school and soul age as the curriculum. During your course of study, which includes multiple lifetimes, you're getting a degree in the varieties of the human condition. You start off with Survival 101, from there you graduate to a course in Rules & Regulations 101, where you explore the foundations of culture and community. In Personal Achievement 101, the young soul course, it's all about you. Making a mark in he world is the name of the game. In Relationships 101, a popular mature soul course, you are amassing greater emotional depth, and the emotional intelligence that follows. Finally, the old soul course is Wisdom 101. You are expanding your philosophical perspective to make sense of what it all means, and what you learned.

Why are these stages important? They lead to a well-rounded understanding of what it means to be human, and they contribute, in immeasurable ways, to your spiritual growth. In terms of interactions with different perspectives, we learn to respect and honor the beliefs and values of other cultures. A positive step forward in the art of diplomacy, if one chooses to adopt that.

Q: How do the soul stages affect the way roles and overleaves manifest?

A: When trying on the overleaves in a dressing room of the astral plane, you quickly discover that one size does not fit all. An infant souled Sentinelese islander in the aggression mode, for example, will likely bear little resemblance in behavior to an old soul living in Burlington, IA with the same mode. The difference in perspectives is striking. Infant souls are survivor-oriented; baby souls are rule-oriented; young souls are success-oriented; mature souls are relationship-oriented; and old souls are philosophically oriented. In short: the soul age expresses the roles and overleaves in a way that reflects their primary focus.

Q: Do the soul ages get along with each other?

A: Some soul ages have commonalities, and with that, an ability to overlap.

In general, those of the same orientation understand each other. Their commonalities resonate in very supportive ways. Infant souls with infant, baby souls with baby, and so forth.

Baby souls are often led by achievement-oriented young souls, and this cross-over occurs in employment, religion, and politics. Baby souls seek authority figures, and young souls provide that security.

Young souls with mature souls are a ubiquitous presence in society, in government, as workers, in politics, and even romantic partnerships. The divorce rate between young and mature souls, however, is high. While their proximity in life breeds familiarity, their constant clash in values can be a deal breaker. It can be a colossal mismatch. Evidence is seen in the recent US Presidential elections. As the once-majority young soul consciousness in the US shifts to mature, the ideological confrontation has become increasingly agitated, and even violent. Their differences are stark. A real combustible mix.

Mature souls with old soul partners, on the other hand, can be a highly favorable match, with value systems that easily overlap and support their overall ideals.

Summary of the Soul Ages

Yarbro Gave Mottoes For Each Of The Soul Ages:

Infant: Lets not do it.

Baby: Do it right or don't do it at all.

Young: Do it my way.

Mature: Do it anyplace but here.

Old: You do what you want and I'll do what I want.

A Quick Summary of Soul Ages

Curious about your own soul age? Take the test: How Old is Your Soul?

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More Articles

Read the following articles to expand your understanding of soul age and the evolution of the soul.

Soul Ages and Levels (Recommended Reading)
Classic Michael material excerpted from Joya's wonderful book, The World According to Michael. If you need to improve your understanding of soul evolution, then this is a great read. Joya's sagey writing style is a special treat.

Essays on the Soul Ages
A comprehensive overview, offering insights on infant, baby, young, mature, and old souls.

● Infant Soul
● Baby Soul
● Young Soul
● Mature Soul
● Old Soul

Soul Levels Chart (35 Levels of Reincarnation)
Handy chart to reference the different soul age levels.

Soul Levels
Learn about the seven soul age levels.

The Internal Monads
Life stages that mark seven milestones in life. Required completion before ascending to the next soul age level. A comprehensive essay.

How Old Is Your Soul?
Take a free test to help determine your own soul age.

Our Old Soul Series:

The Old Soul (Essay) | Famous Old Souls | Famous Old Souls 2 | The Enigmatic Essence of Old Souls | Old Soul Quotes | Old Soul Love |  Are Old Souls Shy? | Are Old Souls Rare? | Do Old Souls Get Angry? | Are Old Souls Lazy? | Why Do Old Souls Come Back | Do Old Souls Have Harder Lives? | Old Soul Definition (Basic)

Mature Soul Shift
Read the latest channeling about the upcoming shift from young to mature soul in the world population.

Channeling On the Soul Ages
Shepherd Hoodwin channels about the soul ages. Excellent material.

More Channeling on the Soul Ages
A continuation of Shepherd Hoodwin's series.

Q&A On Soul-Age
Channeled answers to various questions.

Soul Age By Countries
The channeled soul age of various countries.

Mature/Old Soul Comparison Chart
A look at some of the differences between these two soul ages.

Manifested Soul-Age
Our manifested soul age is the average level of our personality’s perspective at a given time.

Older Is Not Better
It is not better to be an old soul than to be mature or young, just as it isn’t better to be forty-five years old than it is to be thirty-two or fourteen.

Detecting Soul Age
When we jump to conclusions about someone's soul age based on current negative behavior, how do we know whether we're seeing the full extent of that person's soul development, or just human immaturity?

The Mature Soul Society
A thorough exploration of what a mature soul society might be like. Highly recommended reading.

Celebrity Soul Ages (and overleaves)
Find the soul age of celebrities.

Old Souls Coping in a Mature Soul World
Some suggestions on how to do it.

Additional Thoughts on the Soul Ages
Michael channel Shepherd Hoodwin offers additional insights, along with a Q&A format.

Trends in Soul Age
Fascinating observations on the various trends that can occur as the soul progresses through a linear cycle of lifetimes.

Comments on the Soul Ages
Interesting discussion on the break down of soul age in the population, and comments on how to discern soul age.

Soul Age Polarities
Soul lessons are examined in the form of a diary. Fascinating perspective.

Astral Schools and Soul Levels
Learn about the schools on the astral plane.

You Know You're An Old Soul When...
A humorous page about old souls and the MT in general.

 

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