Integral theory

This article is about integral theory in philosophyand psychology. It is unrelated to the concept of an integralin calculus.

Integral theory is comprised of those philosophies and teachings that seek a comprehensive understanding of humans and the universe by combining scientificand spiritualinsights. According to the Integral Transformative Practicewebsite, integral means "dealing with the body, mind, heart, and soul."

Integral theory can be seen as a reaction against rationalismand materialism. It introduces instead a more universal and holistic perspective. Proponents view rationalism as subordinating, ignoring, and denying spirituality. Ken Wilber, one of the most important contemporary integral thinkers, begins by acknowledging and validating mysticalexperience, rather than denying its reality. As these experiences have occurred to humans in all cultures in all eras, integral theorists accept them as valuable and not pathological. Integral theorists like Sri Aurobindo, Teilhard de Chardin, Wilber, and others argue that both science and mysticism (or spirituality) are necessary for complete understanding of humans and the universe.

Integral theorists

Integral theory is a new and developing movement. Consequently, no list of integral thinkers or artworks will be uncontroversial. The following thinkers have used the term "integral" to describe their work.

The word "integral" was originally used by the Hinduwriter and guruSri Aurobindo to describe the yogahe taught. Sri Aurobindo's integral yogainvolves transformation of the entire being, rather than, as in most other teachings, a single faculty such as the intellect or the emotions or the body. Sri Aurobindo's major works include: The Life Divine, The Synthesis of Yoga, and Savitri. Important concepts in Sri Aurobindo's thought include: Evolution, Involution, the physical, the vital, the mental, the psychic, Integral yoga, the Triple transformation, and the Supramental principle. His co-worker The Motherfounded Auroville, an international community dedicated to human unity, and based on their teachings.

The following authors (listed in chronological order) trace their intellectual heritage back to Aurobindo:

• Jean Gebser(1905-1973), Swissphenomenologist, was the author of The Ever-present Origin, which conceived of human history as stages of consciousness. Gebser saw in the momentous events of the 1930s and '40s a revolution in consciousness which he identified as the transition to the integral stage.

• Haridas Chaudhuri(1913-1975), a Bengaliphilosopher, was a correspondent with Aurobindo and founded the California Institute of Integral Studies.

• Clare Graves(1914-1986), American psychologyprofessor, was the creator of the Emergent Cyclical Levels of Existence Theory of human development, which inspired the book Spiral Dynamics by Don Beckand Chris Cowan.

• Michael Murphy(b. 1930), author of The Future of the Body, and George Burr Leonardare co-founders of the Esalen Instituteand the Human Potential Movement, and co-authors of The Life We Are Given.

• Patrizia Norelli-Bachelet(b. 1938), is the founder of the Aeon Center for Cosmology and the author of Integral Cosmology and the The Gnostic Circle. Although currently unrecognized by the members of Sri Aurobindo's Ashramor of Auroville, she is considered by some Integral Yogastudents to be a direct continuation of the Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.

• William Irwin Thompson(b. 1938) is a cultural historianinfluenced by Aurobindo and Jean Gebser. In his 1996 book Coming Into Being, he re-envisioned global cultural historyas the continuing evolution of consciousness. He is the founder of the Lindisfarne Association. He has criticized the integral theory of Ken Wilberas being excessively objectifyingand masculinist.

• Georg Feuerstein(b. 1947) is the author of Wholeness or Transcendence: Ancient Lessons for the Emerging Global Civilization, Structures of Consciousness: The Genius of Jean Gebser, An Introduction and Critique, co-author of In Search of the Cradle of Civilization, and founder of the Yoga Research and Education Center and Traditional Yoga Studies.

• Ken Wilber(b. 1949) is the most popular integral theorist in the world today. Wilber's books include: Sex Ecology Spirituality, Integral Psychology, and Boomeritis. His major ideas include: AQAL, integral ecology, integral politics, and vision-logic. Founder of the Integral Institute, Integral Naked, and Integral University.

• Allan Combsis the author of The Radiance of Being: Understanding the Grand Integral Vision, Living the Integral Life. He has worked with Ken Wilber recently to create a theory which they call the "Wilber-Combs Lattice".

• Robert Keganis a Harvard developmental psychologistwho is considered to be an integral theorist. He is a member of the Integral Institute.

• Michael Bauwens(b. 1958) views peer-to-peertechnology as an integral phenomenon. He is a contributor to the journal Integral Review.

• M. Alan Kazlevhas created an integral philosophy based on the writings of Aurobindo, the Mother, Ken Wilber, and Michel Bauwens.

Integral artists

Integral art can be defined as art that reaches across multiple quadrants and levels, or simply as art that was created by someone who thinks or acts in an integral way.

• Alex Grey(b. 1953) is a psychedelic visual artist whose works have been admired by Wilber and others.

• Stuart Davis(b. 1971) is an eclectic musician whose works include the concept album Bright Apocalypse. Mystical and integral themes feature large in his lyrics.

• Saul Williams(b. 1972) is a hip-hopartist who is associated with the Integral Institute.

• Wilber considers the Wachowski brothers' (b. 1965, 1967) Matrixfilms to convey important spiritual and philosophical truths. With philosopher Cornel West, Wilber has released a DVD commentary track on the series, which is available in The Ultimate Matrix Collection.

• Matthew Dallman, former director of Integral University's Integral Art Center, now independently produces music and integral philosophy[1].

Other thinkers

Many writers and artists who did not use the word "integral" to refer to their theories nonetheless are considered by theorists to act, think or theorize in an integral way. These include contemporary thinkers like Jurgen Habermasand Rupert Sheldrake, and historical figures like Ralph Waldo Emersonand Gandhi.

The following writers contributed essential ideas to integral theory:

• James Mark Baldwin(1861-1934), American psychologist who described the Baldwin effect.

• Pierre Teilhard de Chardin(1881-1955), Jesuit priest, philosopher and author of The Phenomenon of Man. His ideas include the Noosphere, and the Omega point.

• A. H. Almaas, developer of the Diamond Approach, an integration of mysticalteachings and modern depth psychology. Almaas has written many scholarly works on these topics, including The Inner Journey Home: Soul's Realization Of The Unity Of Reality.

• Arthur M. Young(1905-1995), inventor and author of The Reflexive Universe

• Edward Haskell(1906-1986), author of Full Circle: The Moral Force of Unified Science

• Erich Jantsch(1929-1980), Austrianastronomerand author of The Self-organizing Universe: Scientific and Human Implications of the Emerging Paradigm of Evolution. His ideas include self-organizationand co-evolution.

• Stanislav Grof(b. 1931), Czech Transpersonalpsychologist

See also

• Holarchy
• Holism
• Holistic science
• Holomovement
• Holon (philosophy)
• Evolution (philosophy)
• Nonduality
• Spiritual evolution
• Gnostic circle

Quotations

• "The word integral means comprehensive, inclusive, nonmarginalizing, embracing. Integral approaches to any field attempt to be exactly that—to include as many perspectives, styles, and methodologies as possible within a coherent view of the topic. In a certain sense, integral approaches are "meta-paradigms," or ways to draw together an already existing number of separate paradigms into an interrelated network of approaches that are mutually enriching." —Ken Wilber, "Foreword", in Frank Visser, Ken Wilber: Thought As Passion

• This means that the chief activity of integral cognition is not looking at all of the available theories—whether premodern, modern, or postmodern—and then asking, "Which one of those is the most accurate or acceptable?," but rather consists in asking, "How can all of those be right?" The fact is, all of the various theories, practices, and established paradigms—in the sciences, arts, and humanities—are already being practiced: they are already arising in a Kosmos that clearly allows them to arise, and the question is not, which of those is the correct one, but what is the structure of the Kosmos such that it allows all of those to arise in the first place? What is the architecture of a universe that includes so many wonderful rooms? — Ken Wilber, "The Ways We Are in This Together: Intersubjectivity and Interobjectivity in the Holonic Kosmos" Excerpt C of draft of forthcoming book, Kosmic Karma and Creativity

External links

• Integral InstituteWilber's organization
• Integral NakedThe by-subscription forum for Wilber's organization
• Integral World
• Integral Visioningcontains articles, a forum, and a wiki
• Integral Thinking
• Integral Reviewa peer-reviewed, transdisciplinary and transcultural journal
• Integral Encyclopedia Wikian open-source collaborative encyclopedia.
• Integral Yoga of Patrizia Norelli-Bacheletde:Integrale Theorie

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It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integral+theory Wikipedia article Integral theory.