What is an Inquiry?

Inquiry

What is your best and pithiest description of how all the seemingly disparate parts of Integral theory fit together?

How do you communicate this to others? What real world examples would you use to illustrate this?

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Integral Life Design

Posted August 29th, 2008 by JP Jakonen

My take on it, after much reflection and even asking Ken Wilber about it in a phone conversation, is very simple. For me, Integral theory is becoming more and more a praxis revolving around the three main components of my life: my practices (for body, shadow, spirit and mind), my work (studying in order to contribute with my understanding + translating A Brief History of Everything into Finnish - published early 2009!) and my hobbies.

These components correlete with Nature, Culture and Self, or the Big Three, or the Four Quadrants. Nature is the area of Objective Reality with its objective responsibilites; Culture is the area of intersubjective responsibilites; Self is the area of subjective responsibilites. More simply: I have to do good towards the Kosmos, Other Beings and Myself. These three areas must be in balance.

And, in order to realize my true potential, I try to excercise my body, emotions, mind and spirit in every area. I try to include every stage in my work, in my hobbies and in my practice. That is: hobbies that are just fun for the body (a glass of Scotch) balanced with hobbies that are fun for the spirit (reading Osho, for example). And same goes for work and practice.

All in all: each area (quadrant) and each level is the same undivided Reality manifesting. That's why it's good to high-five that reality by re-cognizing it in every one of its dimensions: body, mind and spirit in self, culture and nature. Or like I see it: every level (or stage) used at every area of life. Now that's good life, the pursuit of Integral living, the ongoing exploration of Integral Life Design for me.

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The Eight Faces of Spirit

Posted January 12th, 2009 by Mike Breland

  I see the seemingly disparate parts of Integral Theory as the eight faces of Spirit.  This is because while each perspective views something that appears to be quite different from the others, each perspective tetra(octally) arises.  By making us aware of the 8 perspectives, integral theory thus becomes an evolutionary tool to help raise us to a higher developmental level.  Taking into consideration culture and inter-subjectivity, these 8 faces are not necessarily the final story.  In fact, one could argue that there are as many faces of Spirit as there are beings.  However, what integral theory does is to break down this seemingly infinite diversity (aperspectival madness) into the 8 perspectives that our culture(s) has given preferential status.

  I think that the best writer is someone who writes just beyond (and preferably, “above”) the borders of our present worldview, but gives us just enough adumbrations that we are enthralled by this new worldview and drawn to it.  This is what I think is Ken Wilber’s greatest strength.  Not merely that he has brought integral theory into our worldview, but that he is able to explain it at many levels of cognitive development so that its (partial) understanding is not just limited to one meme.

  Of course, until people develop/evolve up to the level that integral theory was developed (ultraviolet?), they/we/I won’t be able to use it as fully as it could be used.  However, the message that I get out of Integral Theory is that it is all “Ati”, it is all Spirit.  Integral Theory has enabled me to become more aware of these different aspects of “Myself/Thyself/Itself” in a way that gently, yet persistently pulls me toward the knowing and experience of this truth.