Life Phases: Transforming Body Vitality into Conscious Wisdom Through the Unfolding of the Inner Human Microcosmos

In my previous journal entry (Patterns of the Living Body), I described the patterns that develop from the physical level—beginning with DNA inheritance, progressing through fascia patterns, physiological patterns, and behavioural patterns, and ultimately expressing through our biographical life stories.

Of all these patterns, I have found the biographical patterns most helpful in everyday practice. It is clear that each individual's life story follows a rhythm, one that underpins emotional patterns, physiology, and the physical body, all of which carry the legacy of their unique life narrative.

This rhythm of biography can be seen as a seven-year cycle. This cycle is most clearly defined by physical and physiological developments in the first three cycles.

In the first seven years, the central nervous system matures, and the baby teeth are replaced by adult teeth. As the brain develops, it becomes capable of thinking in more complex, academic ways. The child's consciousness shifts, as the forces that previously went into developing the brain are freed to support cognitive development. This is when the child begins to look outward, exploring the world, and starting the early stages of independence. The imagination of childhood begins to transition into the perceived reality of the adult physical world.

At the age of fourteen, the reproductive system matures. Just as the forces used to develop the brain were freed for thinking at age seven, those same forces now help bring about an awakening into the emotional realm. The surge of feelings that arise during this time can be overwhelming.

At twenty-one, the bones complete their ossification. This marks a moment of newfound strength, as the body's foundation has solidified. With this new development, individuals begin to feel they can harness their emotions and exert their willpower more effectively.

The seven-year cycle continues throughout our lives, with consciousness becoming the primary focus in later phases, rather than physiological development. In this sense, our vitality and life force slowly transform into consciousness and wisdom.

Though each of us leads an individual life with a unique story, these phases reflect certain stages in the development of consciousness and self-unfolding.

These life phases also correspond to the seven planets observable with the naked eye in our solar system. These planets—Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn—are celestial bodies that exhibit rhythmic movement, serving as symbols of archetypes within our development.

These planetary archetypes are like artists, expressing themselves in unique ways, leaving their signature in each phase of creation. These archetypes can also be observed in the formation and relationships of our inner organs. (Please refer to my previous article on this topic: The Human Microcosmos)

The unfolding relationship with these planetary archetypes really becomes apparent when we observe the seven-year life phases:

1st 7 Years: 0 - 7; Moon and the Nervous System

The first seven years correspond with the Moon and the development of the nervous system. The Moon is known for its reflective patterns, through transferring the light of the sun over a 28 day cycle. It also has a unique orbit, where only one side of the Moon faces the Earth at all times. Similarly, the nervous system acts like a mirror, reflecting the stimulation of nerve endings from one synapse to another. In embryonic development, the nervous system forms from the ectoderm, the layer that also gives rise to the skin.

Just as the Moon reflects the Sun’s light, our skin and face serve as a mirror of our constantly changing self-expression to the outer world. The genetic inheritance we receive at conception—through the union of sperm and egg—is also a reflection of DNA, which carries the traits passed down from our ancestors.

The first seven years are about building patterns, which develop through the growth of the nervous system. The nourishment for these neurological patterns comes from the reflections received from the outer environment and the love given by the parents.

2nd 7 Years: 7 - 14; Mercury and the Rhythmic System

The second seven-year phase, from 7 to 14 years, is represented by Mercury. Mercury, as a planet, is something of a wild card. It rotates very slowly—one rotation on its axis takes 59 Earth days—making its axis unstable. Its elliptical orbit around the Sun is bold, as it orbits closest to the Sun of all the planets, moving at a high speed (it takes only 88 Earth days for Mercury to complete one rotation around the Sun). Despite this, it is kept in check by the gravitational pull of Jupiter. Mercury’s day and night cycles don’t follow any typical rhythm (one day on Mercury is 176 Earth days, and it takes over two Earth years for Mercury to complete one circadian rotation). Its fast orbit and slow rotation result in sunrises and sunsets that start, end, and start again in an unpredictable pattern.

Mercury is associated with professions like medicine, due to its transformational qualities, as well as finance and the skills of master thieves, as it represents the ability to cross borders and break all the rules. In Greek mythology, Mercury (Hermes) was known for his ability to cross thresholds into the underworld, guiding souls both down and out.

As the child enters the years between 7 and 14, they move through a transitional phase, leaving the sheltered world of childhood and stepping into adolescence. This is an in-between time—a threshold—where the child begins to encounter the reality of the world, and the concept of death often develops, bringing a sense of sadness and change in the inner world of the developing child.

Physically, the child begins to develop more in the thoracic region, mirroring the mercurial gesture of crossing from early childhood’s focus on the head into the body. During this time, the reproductive system also begins to develop, and by the age of 14, it matures. Just as the forces used to develop the head are freed for thinking around the age of seven, the forces used to develop the reproductive system are released into the world of feeling.

With the awakening of these new forces of consciousness, the inner world is pulled in many directions, much like the unstable rotation and elliptical orbit of Mercury, which can feel unpredictable and extreme. This awakening of feelings marks the first stages of learning to navigate our emotional world, exploring the repertoire and range of emotional experiences. This is the beginning of developing emotional maturity.

3rd 7 Years: 14 - 21; Venus and the Kidneys

Venus, in its orbit, follows the most perfect circular path around the Sun. When viewed from a geocentric (Earth-centred) perspective, it forms a beautiful pentagram pattern over an eight-year cycle. This makes Venus' orbital patterns exceptionally pleasing and aesthetically beautiful to observe.

However, if one were to take a closer look at Venus, they would encounter the most volatile atmosphere in the solar system. It would be impossible to pass through the atmosphere without being completely corroded due to its extreme conditions.

The kidneys, like Venus, represent a perfectly formed organ. When dissected sagittally, they reveal a star-like appearance, formed by their calyces and pyramidal structures.

Similar to the volatile atmosphere of Venus, the kidneys specialise in detoxifying acidity, particularly the acidity generated by the consciousness of the waking state, as well as nitrogenous waste from protein catabolism. In this way, the kidneys deal with the most volatile metabolic waste substances the body produces.

As the emotional and conscious fields awaken during this phase, the kidneys work hard to manage the increased acidity and metabolic demands placed on the body.

It is not until our 21st year, when the bones begin to reach maturity through ossification, that we start to feel we have solid ground to stand on. The forces of the kidneys, which had been used to handle the sudden increase in acidic metabolites, are now freed. There is a sense of energy and renewal as we move into the next phase, where we can begin to harness the healthy forces of the kidneys to fully experience what life has to offer.

4th 7 Years: 21 - 28; The Sun and the Heart

The Sun, as the centre of our solar system, symbolises the phase of finding one's centre—around the age of twenty-eight. The heart, the central organ of the body, parallels the Sun in its role as the physiological and emotional centre of life. This is a time when, after the difficult first three phases, individuals begin to find a sense of self.

The heart, which forms early in embryonic development, becomes a key metaphor for this stage. The inner rhythm established in the earlier cycles now moves into a more stable, self-sustaining rhythm.

5th 7 Years: 28 - 35; Mars and the Gallbladder

Approximately every two years, Mars comes into opposition, moving closer to Earth and appearing as a reddish light visible to the naked eye.

It is believed that Mars was once a blue planet, but it has since lost its magnetic field and become barren. It is speculated that Mars underwent a significant meteor shower that devastated its atmosphere and ecology.

This process of breakdown mirrors the function of the gallbladder, which releases bile salts to emulsify fats. The gallbladder itself develops from the embryonic liver, transforming from a watery, nutrient-rich environment into a yellow bile-producing sac.

This phase of life also symbolises the process of solidifying one’s identity—focusing on what you want to specialise in, developing a personal voice, and standing your ground, whether in a career, family, or other significant life pursuits.

6th 7 Years: 35 - 42; Jupiter and the Liver

Jupiter follows a very stable orbit, traveling past each constellation over the course of one Earth year, and takes approximately 12 years to complete a full orbit around the sun. Continuing with its theme of 12, Jupiter exhibits 12 cloud bands, alternating between light and dark zones. These zones move in opposite directions, with the light zones revealing evaporating gas and the dark zones showing gas that is condensing. Recent images of Jupiter from the Juno spacecraft have also revealed a perfect pattern of cyclones at Jupiter’s south pole, forming a stable hexagram pattern.

The movement and composition of Jupiter reveal a mathematical masterpiece, representing a connection to the 12 outer zodiac constellations. Its stability in both movement and presence provides form and balance to the otherwise wild orbit of Mercury.

The hexagonal cyclone pattern at Jupiter’s south pole reflects its connection to the liver. The hepatocyte, the functional unit of the liver, also forms a hexagonal structure. The liver’s role is one of transformation and wisdom—processing and converting substances and experiences from the external world in a way that the body can use, either by further transforming them or excreting them. The liver is a master of chemistry, knowing how to break down and recycle all substances it receives, turning them into a form the rest of the body can process.

This phase in our biography reveals experience and understanding. Through these years, we start to gain wisdom through life experience. At the same time, we begin to lose the vitality of the body; we can no longer eat whatever we want, nor can we continue overworking and socialising without consequences. This is when the liver, which begins to lose its vitality, starts to shift into a state of conscious wisdom. Rather than relying on the liver to process everything we take in, we must become more conscious of what we consume. If we embrace this wisdom, we have the opportunity to become fitter and healthier than in previous years, as we learn what truly works for us as individuals. This wisdom becomes most apparent around the age of 42, when we begin to truly understand ourselves and our place in the world—possibly marking the true beginning of adulthood.

7th 7 Years: 42 - 49; Saturn and the Spleen

Saturn, the planet that marks the final stage of our observable planetary cycle, symbolises the seventh seven-year phase (42–49 years). Saturn reveals a masterpiece of precision timing as it governs the most moons in our solar system (274 confirmed) as well as its rings which span over 282000 km, whilst maintaining a wafer thin thickness of just 10m. Saturn’s rings and moons work like a clock, keeping time with precision—just as the spleen monitors the life cycle of red blood cells.

The spleen represents the process of spiritual transformation, as it breaks down the red blood cells after their 120 day life cycle, they are essentially released from their physical form and spiritualised.

Within our deepest physiology at the depths of the red marrow where the red blood cells are born into their physical form which are end their phase of life time through the spleen, our white blood cells are also born, which represent our individual essence, not based on our genetic inheritance, but a representation of something that is truly individual to each person.

In this 7th life phase, we see the beginning of the red bone marrow diminishing; This change in the marrow marks the point where our deepest physiology is beginning to transform into our conscious awareness, as we begin to truly understand ourself as an individual and what is truly important to us.

In this phase of life, we begin to confront our highest sense of self and our ultimate identity. This is often when individuals find their true calling, marking a shift into real adulthood.

By the time we reach forty-nine, we may experience a profound rebirth, as we gain clarity about who we are and the direction we want to take.

After the seventh seven-year phase, the seven-year cycles begin again with the Moon, reintegrating the nervous system. We see the world in a new light, make new connections, and develop new patterns of perception and understanding. Additionally, we begin to change our DNA imprints, creating a new story in our history.

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As an exercise, it can be very helpful to create a timeline of your own life to see how your personal biography has changed and evolved through these seven-year rhythms. It is often observed that phases of healing appear at certain phase transitions.

In practice, it is useful to understand the demands and challenges that each life phase presents, as well as the appropriate therapeutic interventions for an individual at each stage of their life.