Ken Wilber’s book signing *INTEGRAL SPIRITUALITY*
October 19, 2006
Time: Saturday, November 4, 2006 1:00 PM
Location: First United Methodist Church, Boulder, Colorado
Title of Event: KEN WILBER *Off-site event*Tickets are $28, which includes admission to the event AND a copy of INTEGRAL SPIRITUALITY. Tickets can be purchased at our store.
More info:
Why School Shootings? (a theory from some guy)
October 10, 2006
School shootings are one of many indirect results of the decay of culture. Culture provides a necessary foundation for individual, families, and every society.
Whether we like it or not culture, belief systems and religion have a major impact on shaping each individual, family life, laws, foreign and domestic policies. These belief systems and traditions are pass down from generation to generation allowing for a certain level of stability, comfort and establishing an informal agreement among individuals in a social system about what is possible, acceptable, moral, right and wrong.
In the passed few decades, world culture (particularly American culture) has been going through a revolution on all levels (scientific, spiritual ect). With numerous advances in science & technology, changes in the social & economic climate, accepted diversity of religious preferences and other great changes, there is a social shift that is like the equivalent of an earthquake happening in society and within individual lives. While there is nothing wrong with innovation and diversity in and of themselves, there is a serious problem with a lack of development in social structures to keep up with the recent changes of human life.
Combine a lack of social values (caused by a decay of culture) and a new super empowerment given to every single individual and you have a particularly dangerous situation. The danger is from the mentally/morally unstable, the extremists and the power hungry. The combination of cultural decay and individual empowerment has created predators and even empowered them to attack soft targets (such as schools), those who can not defend themselves and the unsuspecting. Observing recent and past high profile cases of school shootings will reveal that predators usually do not pursue those who are prepared (such as schools on a military installation).
These predators are empowered by the vast information of the Internet, by high powered weapons, and by a moral corruption. But the Internet and guns are only tools the real problem is from moral corruption. The moral corruption is not only popularized by the negative and violent conflict focused media, video game, movie, music and television industries, but it is ingrained in society itself (particularly Western, 1st world society). Where has culture gone? And why has the social morality become so corrupt?Social structure has become like shifting sand. Stable ground on religion and belief is broken up by modern and post-modernization. A portion of behavioral science, for example, discovers a spot in the human brain that when stimulated creates “mystical experience”. In depth research on religious and spiritual phenomenon is often marginalized and scoffed at causing an imbalanced (very unscientific) discrimination on traditions that have held humanity together for thousand and thousands of years. On the other hand, many religions are ethnocentric, denominational and/or partial to certain groups (a violent combination in a globalized world). The imbalanced discrimination and exclusivity of these two most influential schools of thought (scientific and spiritual/religious) are the underlying cause of the decay of social and family structure.Some individuals have fallen through the cracks and holes in world culture. The result is more subculture (violent, non violent and indifferent), moral decay, and the loss of some misguided youth who might otherwise have led decent lives rather than wallowing in a life of violence. But the negative impact goes beyond school shootings, human culture is suffering due to an intolerant behavior of nations around the world.
Along with the rest of the world, American culture is in a state of fluctuation right now. This change is causing a few weak minded, unmoral and/or extremists predators to slip the cracks and kill/molest/terrorize the public and their kids (those who need the most protection). Since this maybe consistent with the natural evolution of human social development (consistent with some of Ken Wilber’s work on Integral Psychology), the only thing to do right now maybe to take proactive security step to protect kids and citizens.
Confessions of a Corporate Meditator: Toilet Kundalini? part deux
October 9, 2006
Today on the comode I decide to recreate the feeling of bodily erection I felt in the restroom last week.
It worked almost instantly with a single thought. I straightend my back, relaxed my body and mind and allowed the warmth. The key is “allowing”. The warmth is already there. The feeling seems to be a bit clouded by daily focus on other things.
I pumped the primer by imagining the feeling I had last time. It was like putting a flickering match flame into a pile kerosine soaked charcoal brickettes. The flame ignited this time much hotter and more diliberate. You know that grin you sometimes get from a really good blow job? That is the one that I could not wipe off my face. It was starting to overwhelm me so I stopped. I don’t like walking through the office building with a unhideable hard on. The pleasure doubled me over. Containing the joy was like trying to force light into a box. As I focused on pulling my pants up it died down. But as I walked back to my cubicle even the slightest thought triggered a telling grin and the beginings of a massive erection.
I’ll have let this play itself out when I get in a safe environment, at home, in a quiet room when the kids are asleep.
Amazing journey.
My Spiral Dynamic: elamb
October 8, 2006
Dr. Clare W. Graves started research on what is now known as Spiral Dynamics over 30 years ago. In the begining, Clare studied a number of students views about life over the course of seven years.
His data indicates that people go through the same sequence of stages on how they look at life. In otherwords, the perception of reality for human beings has a steady path. This path of “thought” or perception development is Spiral Dynamics. These stages also apply to groups, organizations, nations and religions.
Continued research and further development of Spiral Dynamics from Don Beck, Ken Wilber and others has made Spiral Dynamics Integral or more comprehensive and complete. It has now evolved into something even more incredible. Ken Wilber and others have been able to effectively combine many other popular methods of gauging human development (i.e. cognitions, psychosexual, moral, interpersonal, emotional etc).
The easies way to understand Spiral Dynamics and how important it is, is to apply it to your own personal history.
Here is my spiral dynamic. See if yours matches:
Purple/Magical Animistic: Groups, rites of passage
In my early teens I was very involved with groups. These groups were VERY heirarchical to the point where the leader was like royalty. I was not a normal teen. I was actually VERY religious. That group was a penecostal church. The rite of passage was receiving the “holy ghost”, bieng baptised by fire is what we called it.
Red/Impulsive Ego-centric: rebelling, conquering, breaking free, indulging, doing what you want when you want.
In my later teens, I’d say I was on the red stage. I thought I knew everything. I would skip school and go to the library and read. Since I was “all knowingness” I dropped out of high school. I actually street preached when I was about 15-16 (totally impulsive). I started following my own path, reading all kinds of psychic, paranormal, occult, esoteric, religious books. I eventually joined a religion called eckankar, religion of light and sound (some would consider this a cult, but honestly the penacostal church I went to was more of cult). This could have been much worse I could have gone into a gang.
Blue/Purpose Authoritarian: Submission to greater cause, strick adherence to laws, find meaning
In my 20′s I joined the Air Force (it doesn’t get much more blue than this). I wanted a structured way toward success. This was something I didn’t think I could get at home (my home life is RED). I was a military police officer for five years. The military gave me a level of discipline that is still with me.
Orange/Achievist Strategic: Act in your own self interest by playing by the rules to win.
After five years of law enforcement, I decided that law was just a suggestion many times completely up the interpretation of the law maker and law enforcer. Further, not all laws and judgements were just. I decided to get into computers. My plan was to allow the military to cross-train me and then get out with a degree. This was a major risk for me since most of my young adult life had been sucking a the teet of Uncle Sam. I started getting into self-help, spiritual and personal development books.
Green/Communitarian Egalitarian: Seek Inner peace/caring with community.
Once I got out of the military I got into the corporate life that I had been wanting for years and found that it was all cut throat and completely about the bottom line of the company. Currently, I am green. I feel most of the components of my life are in complete peace. For the past couple of years, I have been trying to start my own business for the sole purpose of helping me, my immediate family and anyone else who is interested. So far, I’ve actually made some friends some money.
Yellow/Integrative Meme: Live responsibly as what you are and learn to become, understand and respect all other levels
Lately, the spread of the fruits of my gain has been draining me because my friends and family are at different levels. I used to think that all I had to do was create a system and plug people into it. Now I see that most are not ready for what I have to give them. I am not at yellow yet but I am begining to integrate some of its values as I am begining to respect other people’s levels. With Integral Spirituality/psychology I am begining to understand each level and their importance to human development.
Turquoise/holistic Meme: Wholeness of Existence through mind and spirit.
I must admit that I don’t fully “groc” this level. However, I seriously feel I’ve had a taste. I have implemented Deepak Chopra’s 7 Laws of Spiritual Success which consists (among other things) of regular meditation. Deepak’s 7 Laws tie directly into the Law of Attraction (discussed by the Secret, and Mike Dooley) as well as a subjective view of reality (What the bleep do we know?! and Ho ‘Oponopono).
The body of knowledge from these resources has given me temporary splashes of blissful joy and a feeling of oneness with everyone I pass by. This feeling comes in for a few hours a day like waves from an ocean. I feel that love is the primary way to express this one wholenss that is ever present in this moment… (I think this is a “state” of consciousness rather than a “stage” of spiral dynamics because NO ONE can skip a step spiral dynamics.) Maybe I’m at yellow in a “spiritual” way moving into turquoise. I don’t know. I honestly don’t think I’m there yet.
Coral & Teal: Some of the Spiral Dynamics research mentions Coral and Teal but it doesn’t usually talk about it. This maybe because researchers don’t have enough data from individuals at this level. There must be very, very few at these levels of life perception.
Confessions of a Corporate Meditator: Toilet Kundalini?
October 5, 2006
The toilet is where I do my best work. It is a refuge from the Dilbertesque cubicle enslavement of my corporate life. That beautiful stall housing a cool white comode.
I polish the remnants of other people’s business off the seat. Usually its just splash back from the industrial strength SUCK/FLUSH of the toilet, sometimes it is piss and brown stuff… not very appetizing but a tasty refuge never the less.
Somehow the vibrational runoff of a thousand million shits does not bother me. I just don’t think about it unless the smoke from a previous occupant forces me to.
Once I’m comfortable and have done my business, I take a few minutes to meditate. Usually, I clear my mind completely by focusing on my breathing or that defening white noise the brain makes (what is that called).
Last week while performing my 10% total attention experiment on my toilet escape, I had a warm vibrant red/orange energy moving up my spine. It felt so damn good. Like my first erection, only on my whole body. Then I had a sudden impression of “blessing correction”. You see, I normally try to give blessing to everyone I see at work in the form of “God, bless you.” But a question popped in my mind, “Who is this ‘god’ who is blessing? Is it a pagan, symbolic image in your head that you worship? Why bless by proxy? Bless directly from the heart. From the heart of the God within. That is the most honest and loving blessing you can give.”
I imediately wiped my ass and stopped the meditation. There were two reasons for the abrupt stop in meditation:
1) The warmth “bodily erection” (kundalini?) felt over poweringly good. It was as if I was masterbating (something I won’t do at work on a toilet. Just my personal preference not to do it). The feeling was OVERPOWERING and moving toward something that would most definitely go to an uncontrolable orgasm. Suddenly the sacntity of the bathroom was violiated by two men barging in and pissing all over the beautiful porcelain mouths on the wall.
2) I was intimidated by the thought and the power of me giving blessings. Isn’t that sacrilegious? I thought. But how can expressing the ultimate part of me in form of thoughts/wishes and intent be bad? How is giving a blessing from my heart of hearts any less good than simply hoping they have a nice day?
Integral Naked: Integral Ken Wilber
October 5, 2006
Integral means complete, inclusive, and comprehensive. My life has taken on an integral value. For a few years now, I have been flirting with improving every aspect of myself: my body, my mind, my spirit. I have always kept my eyes open for the best method of self improvement and enlightenment. Lately, I’ve been improving all aspects of myself: I weight train, I’m always reading and learning and I also meditate (“meditate on Gods word day and night” – is my latest experiment).
For those who believe in total self improvement there is nothing quite as amazing (as far as systems go) as Integral Life Training.
I actually stumble across Integral Naked on Myspace. I was surfing through my friends list. One of my favorite pass times on the ‘Net is to look at my friends’ friends. I don’t even recall which friends page I went to but this person had a man named Ken Wilber on their friends list. I knew Ken was some kind of respected American philosopher but I wasn’t really familiar with his work (at least not directly).
I have always been into hardcore spiritual individuals. You know: rejected, rogue shaman types like Fred Allen Wolf, Carlos Castaneda and not particularly skeptical, bean counting, BORING scientist who don’t believe in ANYTHING they can’t put next to a ruler. Don’t get me wrong, I love science but it has always come off as arrogant, one sided and elitist against anything it doesn’t see as worthy. Sometimes scientist don’t even look into a phenomenon before they completely dismiss and marginalize it and anyone who even researches some subjects (i.e. ufos, out of body experience). Most times I would rather read a mad man’s book before I buy anything from some of the most respect “scientists”. I had stereotyped Ken Wilber as the latter. Since he has been so respected and (from my perspective) accepted by the core scientists of this age I figured he was a cynical, elitist, skeptic like the rest.
Boy was I wrong. Ken Wilber is… fuck.. I don’t know… Something completely different than I have ever read. Ken Wilber is like some kind of super scientist, guru master, monk, genius. Something the world rarely notices let alone respects. Charles Tart/Sri Auribindo/J. Krisnamurti types are the only persons I know of that are even remotely scientifically/otherworldly bad ass enough to compare to Ken Wilber. And I must say Ken has surpassed all of them (IMHO) by embellishing, capstoning and co-creating this integral approach to spirituality, religion and science. The more I read this mans work, or hear him speak the more I respect and love him. He has opened my eyes to a method connecting the Bhagavad-gita to the bible to the Clare Grave’s Spiral Dynamics to Freud to Robert Monroe’s Journey’s Out of the Body to the Tibetan Book of the Dead. It is all starting to make sense and come together as I understand Ken’s Integral Methodical Pluralism vision of spirituality.Ken Wilber is the only man that I have ever wanted to make sweet, sweet love too. Does that make me gay?! If so give me some rainbow stickers and some leather chaps because I’m comin out like Lance Bass. Then I’ll be Ken Wilber’s Diva Bitch.
