Antoaneta Sawyer, Ph. D.
That is the initial step of the Settling Down period, when we dig, and build a nest in pursuing our dreams and patterns. We all require and crave stability and security in our life that gives us pride in knowing who we really are, while fighting for a place (niche) in the society. It is a period when we fight to establish a new structure, a new niche in the society, in terms of competence. That is a period when we make firm choices, build or rebuild a new structure, while the others become more secondary, the one’s stability and security has the main place and role. We grow from the “junior” to a “senior” membership club, while trying to consolidate our achievements. With other words the age of 30s represents the final entry into full adulthood with all the stability and security, and the advancement of it that produces the final fruits of this era.
According to Daniel Levinson during the 20s, the person is a “novice” or “apprentice”, while after the end of the age 30 transition, he moves from a novice phase of “ Early adulthood” to the “Settling Down” period- at 32/ 33 y of age. This is the period of culmination of early adulthood, and the time of realizing one’s dreams into practice. This period describes the development of a full-fledged adult, who is relatively more independent, instead of co/interdependent. Levinson offers to our attention two terms: “early setting down phase” and” becoming one’s own man phase”, each one lasting 3 or 4 years. While excluding women from his study, Levinson asserts that in the above stage the person should work at two major tasks:
1/ “Establishing one’s niche in the society”. That is the initial step of the Settling Down period, when we dig, and build a nest in pursuing our dreams and patterns. We all require and crave stability and security in our life that gives us pride in knowing who we really are, while fighting for a place (niche) in the society. It is a period when we fight to establish a new structure, a new niche in the society, in terms of competence. That is a period when we make firm choices, build or rebuild a new structure, while the others become more secondary, the one’s stability and security has the main place and role. We grow from the “junior” to a “senior” membership club, while trying to consolidate our achievements. With other words the age of 30s represents the final entry into full adulthood with all the stability and security, and the advancement of it that produces the final fruits of this era.
2/ "Working at advancement in building better life, while becoming more creative, being affirmed, according to one’s values"- that is the phase of so called “becoming one’s own man” of progression within the structure, becoming more creative while waiting to be affirmed by the society. We fight to create a broader structure, and to enhance our life from within it. That is a period when we define our “dream”, by realizing it into practice. It represents the climax of the Settling Down period. Here we are moving towards success, and thrive mainly to the progression in already established structure, building better life, health and wealth, recognition and scientific achievements, esthetic values, prestige, reaching an advance on the ladder. We thrive to mentor instead of being mentored, and to raise a family while exercising our tribal rights. We are trying to do our best in what we want the most in our life such as: family, work, community, interests, hobbies, friendships, etc. We tend to become more “serious”, “senior”, and responsible, while deciding what it is the most important for us and to realize it in practice.
In his book “The seasons of a man’s life” Daniel Levinson describes the Life Structure of Adult Development which has periods of stability and periods of transition. Main transitions are at age 30, 40, and 50, while the age 40-45 is the most strenuous. For example in the Early Transition period the young man has to both terminate the era of being a child, to eliminate the codependency of his parents, and to start the process of “growing up”, to take adult responsibilities, to get married, to enter a new occupation, to define his goals, to lead more organized life or to “make something of his life”. According to Levinson the period of transition consists of a beginning and an end, loss and termination, and it is suspended between the past and the future, where we have to review and evaluate our Life Structure and to decide what to keep and what to reject. Levinson delineates a middle adult era from the mid-40s to the early 60s. What is in-between is what he calls the years of Mid-Life Transition. He sees these years as a bridge between young adulthood and senior membership in one's occupational world. According to him 80 percent of the men studied went through a time of personal crisis and re-evaluation during this mid-life transition. Levinson argues that the 20 percent that did not encounter a struggle were in a state of denial and would go through this transition later.
The author confirms that in every period there is a past and a future, where we suffer because of the undone developmental work and the need to do further developmental work. Each transitional period is oriented to terminate one era and to initiate the next. Levinson states “ In every cross- era transition a new season is born and takes its initial shape. The above transitions have a great effect on our future, but they never explain the whole story. Each new period makes its essential contribution to the life course”. They seem to be times of significant discomfort, questioning, reassessment, and redirection in a man's life. They are followed by a period of consolidation and stability--until the next transition ten years later. While the transitions and the results of them are different for each person, each of us one way or another will go through them.
The “New warrior” image holds the profound power of the masculine psychology and spirituality in one. As Bill Kauth says: “The new warrior knows who he is what he wants and where he is going. He is a man without shame, guilt, or apology. He has integrity and holds himself accountable for his own actions. He is wild and gentle, tough and loving, fierce and perceptive. He comes from a tribe of man. He is not a savage. He is a Warrior of the Heart”.
That is the initial step of the Settling Down period, when we dig, and build a nest in pursuing our dreams and patterns. We all require and crave stability and security in our life that gives us pride in knowing who we really are, while fighting for a place (niche) in the society. It is a period when we fight to establish a new structure, a new niche in the society, in terms of competence. That is a period when we make firm choices, build or rebuild a new structure, while the others become more secondary, the one’s stability and security has the main place and role. We grow from the “junior” to a “senior” membership club, while trying to consolidate our achievements. With other words the age of 30s represents the final entry into full adulthood with all the stability and security, and the advancement of it that produces the final fruits of this era.
According to Daniel Levinson during the 20s, the person is a “novice” or “apprentice”, while after the end of the age 30 transition, he moves from a novice phase of “ Early adulthood” to the “Settling Down” period- at 32/ 33 y of age. This is the period of culmination of early adulthood, and the time of realizing one’s dreams into practice. This period describes the development of a full-fledged adult, who is relatively more independent, instead of co/interdependent. Levinson offers to our attention two terms: “early setting down phase” and” becoming one’s own man phase”, each one lasting 3 or 4 years. While excluding women from his study, Levinson asserts that in the above stage the person should work at two major tasks:
1/ “Establishing one’s niche in the society”. That is the initial step of the Settling Down period, when we dig, and build a nest in pursuing our dreams and patterns. We all require and crave stability and security in our life that gives us pride in knowing who we really are, while fighting for a place (niche) in the society. It is a period when we fight to establish a new structure, a new niche in the society, in terms of competence. That is a period when we make firm choices, build or rebuild a new structure, while the others become more secondary, the one’s stability and security has the main place and role. We grow from the “junior” to a “senior” membership club, while trying to consolidate our achievements. With other words the age of 30s represents the final entry into full adulthood with all the stability and security, and the advancement of it that produces the final fruits of this era.
2/ "Working at advancement in building better life, while becoming more creative, being affirmed, according to one’s values"- that is the phase of so called “becoming one’s own man” of progression within the structure, becoming more creative while waiting to be affirmed by the society. We fight to create a broader structure, and to enhance our life from within it. That is a period when we define our “dream”, by realizing it into practice. It represents the climax of the Settling Down period. Here we are moving towards success, and thrive mainly to the progression in already established structure, building better life, health and wealth, recognition and scientific achievements, esthetic values, prestige, reaching an advance on the ladder. We thrive to mentor instead of being mentored, and to raise a family while exercising our tribal rights. We are trying to do our best in what we want the most in our life such as: family, work, community, interests, hobbies, friendships, etc. We tend to become more “serious”, “senior”, and responsible, while deciding what it is the most important for us and to realize it in practice.
In his book “The seasons of a man’s life” Daniel Levinson describes the Life Structure of Adult Development which has periods of stability and periods of transition. Main transitions are at age 30, 40, and 50, while the age 40-45 is the most strenuous. For example in the Early Transition period the young man has to both terminate the era of being a child, to eliminate the codependency of his parents, and to start the process of “growing up”, to take adult responsibilities, to get married, to enter a new occupation, to define his goals, to lead more organized life or to “make something of his life”. According to Levinson the period of transition consists of a beginning and an end, loss and termination, and it is suspended between the past and the future, where we have to review and evaluate our Life Structure and to decide what to keep and what to reject. Levinson delineates a middle adult era from the mid-40s to the early 60s. What is in-between is what he calls the years of Mid-Life Transition. He sees these years as a bridge between young adulthood and senior membership in one's occupational world. According to him 80 percent of the men studied went through a time of personal crisis and re-evaluation during this mid-life transition. Levinson argues that the 20 percent that did not encounter a struggle were in a state of denial and would go through this transition later.
The author confirms that in every period there is a past and a future, where we suffer because of the undone developmental work and the need to do further developmental work. Each transitional period is oriented to terminate one era and to initiate the next. Levinson states “ In every cross- era transition a new season is born and takes its initial shape. The above transitions have a great effect on our future, but they never explain the whole story. Each new period makes its essential contribution to the life course”. They seem to be times of significant discomfort, questioning, reassessment, and redirection in a man's life. They are followed by a period of consolidation and stability--until the next transition ten years later. While the transitions and the results of them are different for each person, each of us one way or another will go through them.
The “New warrior” image holds the profound power of the masculine psychology and spirituality in one. As Bill Kauth says: “The new warrior knows who he is what he wants and where he is going. He is a man without shame, guilt, or apology. He has integrity and holds himself accountable for his own actions. He is wild and gentle, tough and loving, fierce and perceptive. He comes from a tribe of man. He is not a savage. He is a Warrior of the Heart”.
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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The material in this newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. Thus our intentions are not to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat or prevent any disease. If you use the information in this newsletter without the approval of your health professional, the authors of this letter do not assume any responsibility. Copyright @ 2009, Natural Health-Wellness LLC. All rights reserved.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The material in this newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. Thus our intentions are not to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat or prevent any disease. If you use the information in this newsletter without the approval of your health professional, the authors of this letter do not assume any responsibility. Copyright @ 2009, Natural Health-Wellness LLC. All rights reserved.
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