Imagine living into and expressing Life in all its fullness… what might that look like? How far, how deep and wide can you stretch? How integrated can you become? How alive can you be? And what could help you reach into those depths and breadths you intuit are there to be discovered and embodied?
An integral approach to life facilitates the continual growth and flourishing of the individual along the spiral of development across the full span of life.
The integral outlook attempts to incorporate all of the knowledge (East and West, premodern to post-postmodern) on human potential and growth, and to discover how its many insights, partial truths and methods inform and complement each other in a coherent way. While acknowledging that the whole truth is still evolving and can never be completely captured, this outlook fosters a comprehensive perspective toward, and skillful engagement with: self, culture and nature.
In attempting to honor and engage all aspects of ourselves, an integral lifestyle brings awareness and attends to the biological, neurological, societal, cultural, psychological, and spiritual aspects of each moment. It involves considering the individual and collective aspects of our partnerships, families and societal groupings, as well as the interior and exterior modes of experience and reality, termed the four quadrants.
An integral approach also considers the many developmental lines in a human being — cognitive, emotional, interpersonal, artistic, moral, kinesthetic, and others. In addition, the Integral framework understands that these lines evolve in stages, or levels, such as preconventional, conventional, and postconventional, and that each human being passes through these levels and cannot skip any one. Also acknowledged is the presence and changing nature of states of consciousness and their importance for an individual’s development and motivation for growth. Lastly, living in an integral way includes the consideration of types, people’s enduring tendencies and inclinations toward, for example, introversion or extraversion; agency or communion; and orderliness or spontaneity.
Summarized, an integral approach to life attempts to bring awareness to each of these different elements (quadrants, lines, levels, states and types) in all aspects of our reflection and action. In doing so, we learn to mindfully engage our continual development and act more effectively and fully in the world through the awareness of ever-greater complexity and an underlying simplicity at the core of it all.
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
As well, an integral outlook provides the understanding that our personal development and flourishing can be seen as a microcosm of the evolution of all of culture. Just as we are developing individually from egocentrism to world-centrism toward greater awareness, integration and compassion, so too is the entire human species. In this way, through its insights into human and cultural development, the integral perspective offers an emergent, inspired perspective on the world and our place within it.
In short, living an integral life allows for the acknowledgement and ownership of one’s role as a conscious agent in evolution, and provides for skillful attending to, and wholehearted embrace of, Life in all its wonder, mystery and challenge.
Where does real poetry Come from?
From the amorous sighs In this moist dark when making love With form or Spirit.
Where does poetry live?
In the eye that says, “Wow wee,” In the overpowering felt splendor Every sane mind knows When it realizes — our life dance Is only for a few magic Seconds,
From the heart saying, Shouting,
“I am so damn Alive.”
