Integral Spirituality by Ken Wilber (book review)

Just finished appendix III of Ken’s book Integral Spirituality.

Ken Wilber is a genius.  The book is revolutionary and I will be surprised if it doesn’t influence a lot of developing religions over the 21st Century.  Its just that damn good. 

I don’t agree with everything Ken has to say.  He is really, really harsh with What the Bleep Do We know?! and the book is a little repetitious of his book Integral Psychology(which has the most ridiculously comprehensive diagrams and references outside of medical school text books).  Some of his criticism of other books in Appendix III come off as a bit arrogant, but I suspect Ken is just trying to be brutally, helpfully honest (except with Lazlo and What the Bleep).  I guess when your a genius there is room to be arrogant.

The Integral Post-Metaphysics is the hardest ideas for me to accept.  Not only in comprehending what the hell he is trying to say, but accepting that metaphysics needs to be overhauled. Ken is saying that metaphysics is meaningless. 

What he is saying is that with metaphysical theories you can say anything with no need for evidence or foundation.  For example, I can say that the path to god is to do out of the body experience.  I could create 14 volume series on this all based on Oliver Fox’s theories.  The concepts might all come together and might even get a following, But the bottom line is what does it mean to you if I can’t prove it to you.

Integral Post-metaphysics holds all knowledge to a higher standard.  Ken mention three criteria for “good knowledge”:

1)  Injunction - Experiment: “if you want to know this, do this”. 

2)  Experience - tuition, awareness: you experience the phenomena

3)  A communal confirmation/rejection: Check with others who have completed the first two steps.

Metaphysics:  I tell you anything with Zero proof.  — I had an Out of body experience.  Out of Body experience is the path to God –

Integral Post-metaphysics: I tell you information how I got it and how you can go get it. –  I(L/5) had an Out of body experience (S/s).  Out of Body experience is the path to God (p-3).  By entering the hypnogagic state (S/g), you can have an out of body experience.  Your results may vary.  For example, some people feel that out of body experience feels more like they are Remote Viewing (S/s) or Lucid dreaming (S/s) so the term OBE maybe an inappropriate term, however many people describe it at feeling like it is indeed “out of the body”. 

Metaphysics makes sweeping generalizations and statements about a lot of “pre-given” phenomenon.  Integral Post-metaphysics (from what I understand) explains what level of development the subject is at (L/5 - level 5, green on the worldview scale which is pluralistic, worldcentric).  It goes even further and explains the level of each concept and how they can be accessed.  The above example is probably completely out of place since Ken doesn’t seem the LEAST bit interested in anything like OBE or psi phenomenon.  A more integral view would need to include the latest neurological science on the subject as well.

While it is not the most entertaining, I feel like this is definitely one of the most important books I’ve ever read.  And Ken Wilber is one of the most important philosophical/spiritual/psychological integral theorist of all times.

If you are interested in how religion and spirituality can survive the modern world than you must read this book.