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“Integral Life is the most important and globally-relevant platform for the leading edge of Integral consciousness evolution”

– Eugene P.

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We’ve lost something critical to our mental, physical, and societal health: the rite of passage.

In this episode, Keith and Luke Entrup discuss the necessity of reintroducing formal rites of passage for our children, not as a fun thing to do with your kid but as something vital for their development – a piece most of us missed and have had to make up for throughout our lives.

Structured rites not only mark the transition to adulthood ceremonially, but also require young individuals to demonstrate maturity and readiness for adult responsibilities. The rite of passage isn’t just an event, like a Confirmation or Sweet 16th birthday, but an actual challenge they must face and overcome.

Successfully navigating these rites creates the experience of maturity withing the child, granting them greater autonomy. It sets the stage for parents to better help their kids navigate complex challenges like peer pressure, digital addiction, sex and hormones, interpersonal relationships, staying safe and making good choices, and finding a deeper sense of life purpose.

This episode highlights why we must revive these rites to support the healthy development of the most important people in the world – the generation of leaders, parents, and citizens to come.

Images and maps by Corey deVos

Keith Martin-Smith’s When The Buddha Needs Therapy is now shipping!

Previous Episodes of Buddha In Therapy

What Were They Thinking?!? Decoding the 2024 Election

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David and Keith explore how individuals intersect between different vertical developmental stages (Amber, Orange, Green) and cultural value stacks (traditional, modern, and progressive) in order to make meaning and navigate complex electoral decisions, with a specific focus on the 2024 U.S. election, unpacking the interplay between cognitive development, cultural alignment, and systemic factors in understanding the diverse rationales behind people's voting behavior.

The Content/Structure Fallacy: The Common Mistake Most Integralists Make

David Arrell

David Arrell and Keith Martin-Smith explore one of the most important (and misunderstood) dynamics within integral theory: the content/structure fallacy. They explore how developmental structures—our deeper worldviews and ways of making sense—shape the content of our beliefs, but not always in straightforward or predictable ways. The conversation touches on how integral theory can help us navigate the nuances of individual growth, leadership, and social dynamics, especially when it comes to assessing the developmental depth of others.


Can Integral Theory Actually Help the World?

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Keith Martin-Smith explores the potential and pitfalls of integral theory in addressing global challenges. He argues that while integral thinking offers valuable tools for understanding complex systems and human development, it often falls short in practice due to misapplication and ego-driven superiority complexes. Keith proposes a more nuanced approach: treating people as unique individuals, communicating integral ideas more skillfully, and focusing on practical applications rather than theoretical grandstanding.

Reintegrating DEI: Beyond the Culture Wars

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Keith Martin-Smith explains the developmental levels in detail that allowed DEI to form in the first place, as well as the levels from which DEI is often expressed (and resisted) from, allowing us to more clearly see and understand the cultural wars we are all experiencing.

The Seven Deadly Sins of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion)

Keith Martin-Smith

Join Keith Martin-Smith as we question whether DEI initiatives are achieving their intended goals of increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion, or whether they may be perpetuating any number of unseen biases that take us further away from those shared goals. Are we oversimplifying the narrative around privilege and diversity? How do factors like poverty impact issues like police violence? How might we rethink and reshape the DEI discourse, moving towards more skillful (and more integral) approaches?

How to Awaken and Empower the Integral Man

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Keith Martin-Smith and Jason Lange explore the challenges and ongoing evolution of masculinity. Watch as they delve into topics such as the impact of societal norms on men's behavior, the importance of emotional intelligence, and the journey from traditional to more integrated forms of masculinity, bringing a wealth of insights to help men navigate their roles and identities in a rapidly changing social landscape.

The Power of Vulnerability: Embracing an Integrated Masculinity

Keith Martin-Smith

In this insightful discussion, Keith Martin-Smith addresses the misconceptions around male vulnerability, emphasizing its role as a source of strength and authenticity. He explores the transformative impact of embracing vulnerability on men's emotional health, relationships, and societal perceptions of masculinity.

Sex, Identity, Gender: Beyond Wokism and Trumpism

Corey deVos

Join us as we push even further into the front lines of the culture war skirmishes that have become so plentiful over the last several years. Corey deVos joins Keith to discuss how our notions of sex, gender, and identity apply to some of the most contentious and pressing issues of our time, and how they can be integrated into a more integral dialectic.

What Is a Man (And Why Does It Matter?)

Keith Martin-Smith

With all the cultural war battles being waged around the question "what is a woman", Keith Martin-Smith offers an integral discussion of manhood and masculinity — as a biological given, as a cultural construct, and as an ongoing source of identity.

Shadow, Trauma, and Attachment: Why Do Spiritual Teachers Keep Messing Up?

Keith Martin-Smith

If spiritual teachers are so “awake” and “enlightened”, why do so many of them get caught with their shadow hanging out? Watch as Keith Martin-Smith offers a stunning overview of shadow, trauma, and attachment disorders, and how they can corrupt both our mental health and our spiritual awakening.

Shadows of Development

Kim Barta

Join Keith Martin-Smith and Kim Barta for an exclusive discussion as they delve into the world of shadow and ego development. Kim is a seasoned therapist, coach, and educator with over 40 years of experience who has dedicated his career to the resolution of shadow material. His unique perspective on the intersection of development, trauma, and attachment disorders combines the best of developmental psychology with depth psychology.

The Highest Stages of Conscious Development

Terri O'Fallon

Terri O'Fallon and Keith Martin-Smith dive into a deeper and more detailed exploration of Terri's STAGES model, focusing on a smaller section of the model: stages 3.0 – 6.0 (roughly Amber/Orange to Turquoise/Indigo). Terri outlines what makes each level of her model unique from the last, what causes people to shift from one level to another, as well as what the mature expressions look like for 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 stages.

Perspectives on Development: Introducing the STAGES Model

Terri O'Fallon

Terri O’Fallon takes us on a guided journey through her STAGES model, an integrally based development model that charts human development from infancy to the highest levels of development that humans are capable of. Terri’s research is based in the number of perspectives a person can take (1st through 7th) – and she explains how different levels of fluency with these perspectives can often cause us to talk “past” or “over” one another, and how familiarizing ourselves with these perspectives can help us stop doing that.

How to Build a Conscious Community

John Churchill

Keith Martin-Smith talks with Dr. John Churchill about the themes in Keith's latest book, When the Buddha Needs Therapy: shadow and awakening, the problem and promise of spiritual communities, the state-stage model as it relates to trauma and growth, narcissism and other personality disorders inside of spirituality, the power and trap of lineage, and what a fully Western version of an awakened spiritual path might look like.

Therapy & Awakening: A New Integration

Chad Bennett

Keith Martin-Smith speaks with Chad Bennett, a psychotherapist and ordained Zen priest, about why our existing ideas of therapy are often limited and keep us bound inside of the therapeutic relationship, unable to learn the skills necessary to continue our own growth towards psychological wholeness.

Who Awakens? How to Be Free From Your Freedom

Keith Martin-Smith

In this talk, Keith Martin-Smith dives into some topics of particular interest to those on a spiritual path. He first addresses the question head on: what is awakening, exactly? To answer this, he presents the listeners with a Zen koan, or riddle: Who awakens?

Become a member to access the full episode

Start building your big picture mind & support the global emergence of Integral consciousness

“Integral Life is the most important and globally-relevant platform for the leading edge of Integral consciousness evolution”

– Eugene P.

Learn about our membership

About Luke Entrup

Luke Entrup is the founder of The Father-Son Connection Experience and the Contemplative Leadership Institute. He is a coach and teacher helping people grow their leadership capacity, clarify their purpose, and deepen their love. He works with startup founders, men’s groups, and people wanting to live a more heartfelt existence. He is a father to Julian, age 12, and Amara, age 9. His happiest days are getting lost in the forest with the both of them. He is a Partner at the executive coaching firm, Evolution.

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About Keith Martin-Smith

Keith Martin-Smith is an award-winning author, writing coach, and Zen priest. He is passionate about human connection, creativity, and evolution. His books include "The Mysterious Divination of Tea Leaves", "A Heart Blown Open", and "The Heart of Zen". His most recent book is his first novel, "Only Everything", a novel that explores the promise and the pain of following an artist's path.

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