Integral Ecology: A Review of Part Three

  Part 3 consists of 3 pretty easy reading chapters.  Previously the chapters tended to build on each other, but in this part, they explored more specific ideas in depth.  In chapter 9, there was a great section on nature mysticism, in Chapter 10, specific personal practices for increasing the ecological line of development, and in Chapter 11 they outlined Integral Ecology approaches to the problems of global climate change and recycling.

  Chapter 9 is entitled “Ecological Harmony and Environmental Crisis in a Post-Natural World” and starts out with a fascinating discussion on nature mysticism.  They used the Wilber-Coombs Lattice to illustrate the “Varieties of Nature Mysticism” and then spent several pages elaborating on how each of the different Eco-selves may experience it.  I found the examples very helpful, not only as a way of understanding how others may experience nature, but also in my own relationship to nature and Spirit.  I especially found their discussions on the eco-holist, eco-integralist, and eco-sage interesting, since these are levels I aspire toward.  Their explanations also helped me to see how my own particular perspective differs from those higher levels and how that is preventing me from moving on up.  Their discussion of the Integral Ecology Slogan: “Things are getting Worse, Better, and are Perfect” was particularly poignant for me. 

  Chapter 10 is on “Practices for Cultivating Integral Ecological Awareness” and I had various reactions as I read through it.  Initially, I was disappointed because it was on personal practices and thus not (appear to be) directly related to integrally solving an ecological problem.  However, after reading it, I ended up adopting some of their practices since they were not only unique, but they also resonated with some of my own personal outlooks, needs, and more importantly, experiences.  One thing they emphasize is: “Practice, practice, practice.  So just reading this material won’t get me where I want to go.  I don’t like it, but they are right. 

  One practice they recommended which resonated with my own experience is their injunction for me to develop the ability to hold all 4 modes of awareness in my awareness at one time.  This is because I had a related experience while learning tai chi.  By consciously developing the ability to hold my whole body in my awareness at one time, I was able to make a quantum leap in my tai chi abilities.  From this experience, I not only know that what they recommend can be done, I also understand that doing so creates changes in both my “interior” as well as my “inside”.  Here interior refers to my “interior” experience and “inside” refers to my physical brain.  This is another example of how interior and inside simultaneously arise and affect each other.  Thus, this instruction, as well as the one that says to do the same for the 12 niches, supports my previous contention that by following their injunctions in this book, it will help me/us develop toward the Teal/Turquoise level.  This is because much of the Teal/Turquoise level includes being able to hold multiple perspectives and systems simultaneously in my/our awareness.    So, for people who want to move to higher levels of development, my own injunction is: “Read this book, do their practices!”

  The last chapter was “Integral Ecology in Action.”  It starts out with a section on the “Principles of Applying the Integral Ecology Framework”, followed by “An Integral Approach to Global Climate Change”.  I had previously discussed about how pleased I was to find the Global Climate Change section in their book, but apparently other readers wanted a lot more on the topic because of its importance.  In blogs on the Integral Life website, Sean Esbjorn-Hargens explains why this was not done, as well as that he is already working on this topic and is already past the 150 page mark.  While I too would have wanted more on Climate Change in this book, when I asked myself what could have been cut out to allow this, I had no answer.

  As I stated in my Part 2 review, while this is not a hold-your-hand book on how to apply Integral Ecology to the problem of Climate Change, I am still saying that the book has given me the tools to do so.  Also, from my perspective, one of the really important things this book does was to address the root of our ecological problems.  This is the problem of inadequate development, in this case in the Ecological Line of Development.  While it may be a trite metaphor to say that only through addressing the root problem can the ecological tree be saved, there is a certain truth in it.  This issue is similar to Wilber’s concerns discussed in “The Conveyor Belt” chapter in his Integral Spirituality book.  Thus, Integral Ecology directly addresses a practical way for us and others to start helping solve the Climate Change problem. 

  The last chapter finished up with over 20 examples of how Integral Ecology is being applied around the world, as well as discussing a number of organizations that are using the Integral Ecology template as the basis for their decisions and actions.  While I sort of zoomed through and find it only somewhat interesting, I would suspect people who are in a place where they are looking for integral projects to work on, join, or research, this information is invaluable.  Several times I found myself saying:  “Wow, what a great group, I’d like to move there and work with them.”  Then reality sets in.  However, for people who are in a position to take advantage of these opportunities or want to learn more about them, they will find the examples very helpful.

  I am now starting the last part of Integral Ecology, the “Applications of Integral Ecology in Self, Other, and World.”  I am curious to see what my reaction to them will be, since the examples in the last section of Part 3 just whetted my appetite.  While Part 3 delivered for me, it was in a way I did not expect.  However, in retrospect I see it was done in a less linear and more “organic”, perhaps even “autopoietic” way, so I guess I should not have been surprised.