Part mystic, part alien, part genius, and part octopus, Q was the perfect person to talk to about subjects that seem out of place in a conversation about djing. He’s delightfully bizarre and I knew talking with him would make for some great conversation. For me, interviewing him was a form of deity practice (how do you talk to a God about being God?) and I am genuinely appreciative for him allowing me to see through his eyes for a minute.
The 4th Spinning of Hip Hop
Justin MilesHiphop is largely studied from the outside in. We enjoy the music, the art and the dance. We judge, argue, evaluate and rank it, but not much attention is paid to what happens inside the artist. The 4th Spinning is an attempt to look at Hiphop from an Integral perspective, which simply means exploring the inside-and-outside of individuals (behavior, psychology and spirituality), and the inside-and-outside of groups (culture and society), to not only understand but to manifest Hiphop in all of its fullness.
Aesthetic Practice: Looking at the Overlooked
Michael SchwartzMichael Schwartz offers a powerful aesthetic exercise to help you activate the various perspectives on art (including becoming aware where we are stuck in the fluidity of our perspective taking) and integrate those perspectives into a higher-order perception that will profoundly expand and deepen your aesthetic experience.
The Integralist’s Guide to Understanding Art
Ken WilberHow should we go about finding meaning in art? Should we ask the artist herself, or is everything we need to understand a piece of art already contained in the artwork itself? Does meaning exist only in the observer, thereby varying from viewer to viewer? Or is the meaning of art determined by the circumstances surrounding the artist? Listen as Ken Wilber describes each of these major schools of interpretation, how they originated, and how they all fit together into a more cohesive vision of art and aesthetics.
My Morning Jacket and the Search for Meaning
Jim James and Ken WilberJim James and Ken Wilber discuss the spectacular rise of My Morning Jacket, examining the circumstances and intentions behind each of their albums, tracking the band’s career from their humble beginnings to their latest forays into rock stardom. They take a look at the personal side of Jim’s career, exploring some of the more difficult aspects of maintaining one’s relationships, sanity, and integrity amidst the mania of the rock and roll lifestyle, and reflect on the role that rock music often plays as the primary source of spiritual experience and connection for a great many people in the world.
The Last Airbender: Spirituality for Kids (of All Ages!)
Brian Konietzko and Stuart DavisThe co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender, one of the most entertaining — and enlightening — animated shows on television, shares the story behind Avatar and why working on Family Guy just wasn't enough.
The Meaning of the Avant Garde
Ed Kowalczyk, Stuart Davis and Ken WilberKen Wilber, Ed Kowalczyk, and Stuart Davis met at the Ken Wilber’s house in Boulder for a special meeting focusing on Integral Art and Transformative Practice. What followed was an afternoon of vibrant discussion and electrifying performances, centered on the themes: What is the relation of art and transformation? How can art be part of an integral transformative practice?
Integral Actors Studio: Engaging the Metaphysics of Acting
Julia Ormond and Ken WilberListen as Julia Ormond talks to Ken Wilber about her experiences as an actress, as well as the psychotherapeutic work and “ordeal by vulnerability” that is intrinsic to an art that derives its prima mater from the fertile ground of the actor him/herself….
Artist as Instrument: Esoteric Rock and Roll
Ed Kowalczyk and Stuart DavisEd Kowalczyk, the lead singer and songwriter for the acclaimed rock band Live, talks with Stuart Davis about music, creativity, and performance as a powerful form of spiritual practice — a means to transcend self and contact Self.
System of a Down: Politics, Justice, Rock and Roll
Serj Tankian and Ken WilberSerj Tankian, lead singer of System of a Down, talks to Ken Wilber about the intersection between art and politics, discussing some of the most important aspects of his life that contribute to the “post-everything” bouquet of sound that is System of a Down.
Leading-Edge Consciousness and Avant Garde Art
Billy Corgan and Ken WilberIntegral Life has, as one of its primary concerns, the resurrection of the avant garde—the idea, the movement, and the practice. In this far-reaching, sharp, and insightful dialogue, Billy Corgan and Ken discuss the nature and meaning of the avant garde, using Billy’s own career as a touchstone for the discussion.
Smoke
Stuart Davis and Ed KowalczykStuart Davis and Ed Kowalczyk offer a stunning performance of Stuart’s “Smoke” — a song Stuart originally wrote with Ed in mind.
That Moment of Oneness
Ed Kowalczyk and Ken WilberIn this intimate discussion of the heart of a rock and roll (that actually has heart), Eddie talks about how the very essence of an authentic performance is awakening and sharing with the audience a glimpse into that oneness that is everybody’s natural condition. If you don’t think rock and roll can do this, you haven’t heard Live.