| name | developmental-vocabulary |
| description | Use this skill whenever writing content for a specific stage audience, writing marketing copy, checking module or landing page copy for jargon or inappropriate framing, or translating internal framework language into audience-appropriate vocabulary. Trigger when: writing anything for Magenta, Red, Amber/Mythic, Rational/Orange, Pluralistic/Green, or Integral/Teal audiences — whether module content, marketing copy, QuickStart paths, nav labels, or email sequences. Always load before writing any learner-facing or audience-facing copy. Also load references/vocabulary-bridge-full.md (MKT-07) for worked examples. |
Developmental Vocabulary
Every stage community has a vocabulary that resonates with its worldview — and a vocabulary that triggers rejection or confusion. Translating accurately is the difference between a learner engaging in the first 30 seconds and clicking away.
The internal framework language (AQAL, Spiral Dynamics, centre of gravity, stage) is invisible to most stage communities. Use it only with audiences who explicitly welcome it (Integral/Teal).
Cross-stage rules (always apply, regardless of stage)
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Never market a stage as something to graduate from. Every stage is complete. Language of deepening and transition — not graduation, transcendence, or leaving behind.
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Never name another stage to the audience you are writing for, unless the module is explicitly about understanding developmental diversity (as in an Integral-Teal module). An Amber learner does not need to know that Orange exists. A Green learner does not need to know that Teal exists.
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The sincere-reader test: Before finalising any copy, read it as a sincere, intelligent member of the target audience. If anything produces defensiveness, shame, confusion, or the sensation of being managed — rewrite it.
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The Gifts section is the reliability test: If you cannot write 5 genuine, specific, unhedged gifts for a stage — stop and spend more time in stage-content-guides before writing any other section.
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Self-chosen vs. externally imposed framing matters: For Red, discipline chosen voluntarily (martial arts training, athletic practice) is resonant. Discipline imposed from outside is not. For Amber, authority that is legitimate within the tradition is resonant; external challenge to that authority is not.
Magenta / Pre-Mythic
Use
connection, belonging, the group, the circle, the land, ancestors, spirit, alive, sacred, story, ritual, the body, sensing, feeling, together, we, home, the old ways, mystery, the unseen world, the tribe, carried by
Avoid
individual, self-development, growth, evolution, skill, cognitive, rational, evidence, developmental, stage, practice (clinical/structured framing), workshop, programme, curriculum
Framing
Talk about what is shared, what is felt, what connects. Frame practices as being-with, not doing-to. Use narrative and story rather than instruction and numbered steps. The group is the primary unit — "we" not "you." Avoid anything that positions an individual in an observer relationship to their own experience.
Example
✅ "These practices are for those who feel the living world around them — who know that the earth has something to teach, and that our ancestors are still with us."
❌ "Develop your pre-rational somatic awareness through these Magenta-stage practices."
Red / Impulsive-Egocentric
Use
power, strength, will, action, victory, alive, intense, real, now, direct, unfiltered, courage, drive, force, energy, heat, fire, instinct, freedom, the body, movement, cutting through, impact, sharp, fast
Avoid
rules, should, must (as external command), discipline (as external constraint — self-chosen discipline is different), control (externally imposed), think before you act, consider others, responsible, mature, manage your impulses
Note on self-chosen discipline
Discipline that a Red-stage person has chosen for themselves — martial arts training, athletic conditioning, tactical skill development — is resonant and can be used. The key is agency: "you chose this practice to sharpen your edge" lands; "you should control your impulses" does not.
Framing
Speak to the individual's aliveness and power. Respect the desire to act and to feel. Frame any regulation or reflection as something that makes the individual more powerful, not constrained. The self is real and its energy is legitimate.
Example
✅ "This practice builds your ability to read a situation fast, move decisively, and know exactly when to hold back to maximise your impact."
❌ "Learn to manage your impulsive Red-stage tendencies and develop more emotionally mature self-regulation."
Amber / Mythic-Conformist
Vocabulary substitution table
| Internal language | Use instead |
|---|
| Integral / AQAL | character development, whole-person growth, integrated practice |
| developmental stage | where you are in life, where you stand |
| centre of gravity | your values and commitments, what you stand for |
| Spiral Dynamics | (never mention) |
| worldview | your beliefs, your principles, your faith |
| evolution / evolving | growing, deepening, strengthening, becoming more fully yourself |
| postmodern | (never mention) |
| Green / pluralistic | (never mention) |
| Teal / Orange | (never mention) |
| shadow | blind spots, character flaws, the parts of myself I avoid, where my virtues can become vices |
| somatic | body-based, physical, what you feel in your body |
| emotional intelligence | reading people, emotional maturity, self-control, emotional steadiness |
| mindfulness | attention, presence, focused awareness |
Core vocabulary bank
character, virtue, discipline, duty, service, integrity, resilience, moral clarity, evidence-based, research-backed, commitment, honour, responsibility, consistency, reliability, trustworthiness, decision-making, leadership, grit, tested, proven, practical, real-world, battle-tested, formation, faithfulness
Sub-audience vocabulary
Military / Veterans:
mission, unit cohesion, resilience, performance under pressure, mental fitness, tactical, strategic, leadership, battle-tested, proven methods, under fire, operational, clear-headed
Faith communities:
discipleship, formation, spiritual growth, virtue, wisdom, contemplative, prayer, discernment, community, calling, vocation, stewardship, faithful, tradition, sacred practice
Educators / coaches:
character formation, SEL (social-emotional learning), resilience, grit, growth mindset, evidence-based practices, student outcomes, whole-child development
Framing
Anchor in duty, order, and meaning within structure. Both evidence ("research shows") and authority ("trusted tradition") are legitimate sources — use both. Respect existing commitments. Frame the platform as deepening, not replacing.
Example
✅ "Build the character that holds under pressure. These research-backed practices help you make better decisions, keep your commitments, and lead with integrity."
❌ "Move beyond rule-based Amber thinking and discover a more evolved, integral approach to personal development."
Rational / Orange
Vocabulary substitution table
| Internal language | Use instead |
|---|
| developmental stage | mindset, cognitive approach, operating mode |
| emotional intelligence | EQ, emotional competence, reading people and situations accurately |
| shadow | blind spots, cognitive biases, derailers, systematic errors |
| somatic | body-based data, physical signals, interoception, somatic awareness (acceptable with this audience) |
| Green / pluralistic | collaborative, relational, stakeholder-aware, contextual |
| integral | comprehensive, multi-dimensional, systemic (note: "systemic" is also core Green vocabulary — use carefully in boundary content) |
| contemplative | mindfulness, attention training, focus practice, meta-cognition |
| flourishing | performance, effectiveness, optimal functioning |
Core vocabulary bank
evidence-based, systems thinking, decision quality, cognitive performance, mental models, bias, effectiveness, mechanism, root cause, strategy, clarity, leverage, feedback loop, data-driven, research-backed, measurable, high-performance, cognitive load, heuristics, meta-cognition, causal reasoning
Framing
Lead with mechanism and evidence. Respect intellectual autonomy — give the rationale and let the learner decide. Frame reflection and emotional content as performance advantages, not soft skills. Be precise. Cognitive rigor is valued.
Example
✅ "Research in cognitive neuroscience shows that most decision errors come not from lack of information but from systematic biases in how we process it. These practices build the specific awareness to catch those patterns before they cost you."
❌ "As you evolve beyond rational Orange thinking, you'll discover the deeper truth of relational consciousness."
Pluralistic / Green
Vocabulary substitution table
| Internal language | Use instead |
|---|
| developmental stage | where we are collectively, the lens through which we see |
| integral / teal | meta-perspective, holding complexity, big-picture awareness |
| hierarchy | power structures, authority, systems of privilege, positional power |
| shadow | the parts of us we project onto others, collective blind spots, what we disown |
| assessment / rubric | reflection, check-in, how this lands for you, noticing |
| efficiency / effectiveness | what actually serves the community, what's regenerative |
Core vocabulary bank
dialogue, belonging, collective wisdom, emergence, relational, ecological, authentic, community, systemic, complex, co-created, inclusion, equity, wholeness, listening, presence, care, interconnection, healing, regenerative, participatory, sensemaking, holding space
Framing
Multiple perspectives held simultaneously. Feelings and lived experience are legitimate forms of knowing alongside data. Validation before challenge. Process matters as much as outcome. The group is central — individual growth serves collective healing and flourishing.
Example
✅ "Real dialogue — the kind that actually changes minds and builds lasting trust — requires more than good intentions. These practices help you listen at a level that makes people feel genuinely understood."
❌ "Transcend Green relativism and access the meta-systemic awareness of Teal consciousness."
Integral / Teal
This is the one audience that welcomes the platform's native vocabulary.
Vocabulary that lands well
AQAL, all-quadrant, all-level, developmental lines, centre of gravity, Spiral Dynamics, Cook-Greuter, Kegan, meta-systemic, shadow integration, integral life practice, ILP, state-stage distinction, pre/trans fallacy, tier 1/tier 2 thinking, developmental diversity, integral shadow
Framing
Multi-framework fluency is assumed. Nuance is welcomed. Hold the complexity without collapsing it. The Integral shadow must be explicitly named and worked with: elitism, spiritual bypassing, developmental narcissism, premature claims of integration, using framework knowledge as a weapon in arguments.
The one constraint — no exceptions
No implicit claim that Teal practitioners are more valuable as human beings than practitioners at any other stage. Developmental sophistication is not human worth. The Teal superiority check applies to every sentence, every module, every fork. There is no audience sophisticated enough for it to be safe to skip this check.
Reference files
references/vocabulary-bridge-full.md — MKT-07: complete vocabulary bridge table with worked examples, negative examples, and sub-audience segmentation for all six stage communitiesreferences/amber-email-sequence.md — the 7-day Daily Character Practice email sequence: a fully worked example of Amber voice across 7 distinct pieces
