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.
Religious Scarcity of Truth vs. Mystical Wealth of Truth
October 9, 2006
What got me out of traditional Christianity was the denomination wars.
Penacostals said that all baptists were going to hell and some baptist said the same about the Penacostals.
This is because each of these denominations, like many other traditional religions, believe that they have a monopoly on truth. Truth and enlightenment, for those who claim a trademark on them, is very rare and very scarce. So they horde it and keep it for themselves everyone else be damned.. literally. It is an idea so sacred and holy that it is worth killing for. Just look at fundamentalist Islam.
As I’ve been studying and following more mystical and meditative type paths, I’ve noticed that many of them don’t hold the same ideas about truth. A buddhist will talk openly to a Kabbalah Rabbi for example, where it is not as easy to get a Christian and a Muslim (or even a traditional Jew and a Christian) to talk very frankly and openly.
I believe this maybe due to their views of who has owns the patent on truth.
Nevertheless, I think that religion is necessary in the same way that government is in the current stage of humanity. It can turn ugly at times but it also has a moral center that is important for human evolution.
It is important that we have a more inclusive, respectful view of other cultures/religions and what level they are at. It is just unfortunate no one else seems to agree.
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?
Recognizing the God Within
October 3, 2006
“Whoever possesses God in their being, has him in a divine manner, and he shines out to them in all things; for them all things taste of God and in all things it is God’s image that they see.” – Meister Eckhart (christian mystic)
If we are to give the ultimate love, respect and humility to all we meet in life, how can we do this without first seeing the ultimate good in all? That ultimate good is God or the infinite.
But before we can see the ultimate good in others, we must first recognize it in our selves.
Here are ways to recognize God within:
Sit in stillness. This is not the same as just silence. Stillness is beyond being in a quiet room, it is the utter stillness of the mind.
It has started getting easier as I’ve been conducting my spiritual experiment of giving 10% of my total waking attention to God/stillness/the Universe whatever you want to call her. When the mind is still what remains is you, the ultimate observer.
Take time to love yourself. I’m not talking about appreciating the things you own. I’m not talking about admiring your special abilities, talents or gifts or any other ego stroke. I’m talking about loving the being looking through your eyes. Tell that being outloud, “I love you.” It just might bring a smile to your face.
Take responsibility for everything you perceive. You are the master of your perspective. No matter what is going on in your life, you control your interaction with your world. Every event that happens has to be filtered through your self. What does your “self” say about these experiences? Take responsibility for them. Don’t react negatively to every situation. Negative reactions create negativity. This has been called a subjective model of percieving reality.
Realize your oneness with all. We are all one. We are all cut from the same cloth. On levels that we may not be able to percieve every action that we take ripples through time and space effecting all others. So in more ways than one there are no “others” only one shared flowing current of energy. That energy is you. (check out Ho’oponopono – hawiian shamanism)
Get Inspiration. Reading great books, articles and blogs are a great way to realize the God within. Different books inspire different people. My personal favorite lately are blogs like stevepavlina.com and Audio books like Mike Dooley’s Infinite Possibilities. Other greats sources of inspiration are anything by Deepak Chopra, Paramhansa Yogananda, Eckhart Tolle, What the Bleep?!, theSecret and many others.
Love everyone. Jesus said love those that despitefully use you. NOT EASY. But that is definitely what unconditional love is. Love is expression of oneness. When you love your neighbor as you love yourself or do unto others as you would want them to do unto you, you are expressing a love that is beyoud the confines of your self/ego.
Silent Ones? Angels? Gods? Future Selves
October 3, 2006
What if there are humans walking among us that the are non-temporal and non-spacial? Meaning they are not bound by our interpretation of matter, energy, time and space. The come and go as the please through out time and through out space.
They experiential control of this world in a human form as I control my DVR. They can go back and forth in the probable futures as past alternate realities and even freeze their current perspective.
Perhaps such beings would come to this world only for fun. Maybe to taste and 18th century breakfast or drive a Ford Tempo. Maybe even to help someone.
We would call these beings angels or even gods. But they are just transcended beings visiting.
What if these beings are higher manifestations of us?
Just speculating.
10% of your Total Attention per hour
September 28, 2006
I’ve been dedicating 10 percent of every hour of my waking life to focusing inward.
Here is the reason:
“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.” – Carl Jung
I believe what Carl Jung said about looking within because any success I have had so far in overcoming fears and challenges has been due to going within and understanding, awakening.
Lately I’ve been looking at my life and I’ve noticed that I spend so much time creating and reacting to the little world in my head, spinning my wheels on so many daily activities that keep me busy and leave me almost NO time for what truly matters.
What truly matters?
Happiness. Pure and simple. All the things we desire, all our hopes and dreams all point to one thing, happiness. It is what we all want. We seek it in our lives most of us looking outside of our selves to find it, lusting after that which alludes us. Many of us look to material things to give us happiness like a person goes to a priest to find some kind of connection to God. We seek happiness like many around the world seek God, by proxy not realizing that both of these most sought after sacred nouns are with us always and only need to be realized, seen. Instead we look to get material things or satisfy our ego socially, religiously, physiologically for that moment of orgasmic, holy natural state of ecstasy.
Happiness can not be attained by outside circumstances, at least not for very long. So I have decided to focus within for 10% of every waking hour of my day for the next 30 days. 10% of every hour equates to about 7 minutes out of every 60 minutes.
Why 10%?
Tithing (giving ten percent) seems to be VERY powerful. Nearly every wealthy person tithes at least 10%. Nearly every person that modern society considers successful tithes. When I say “tithe” I’m not speaking merely in Christian terms of giving to a certain church. I mean giving back 10% of something of value to what ever cause, group, individual you feel is worthy. If we consider 10% of our money valuable, how much MORE valuable is our time, energy, attention. Tithing seems to be an active acknowledgement that what we have been given is only borrowed from a higher source; everything we “own” and everything we are must be given back to its rightful owner eventually… even our bodies.
Brad Jensen mentions the impact of spiritual tithing in his article “The Secrets of the Universe”.
So I will meditate for 7 minutes of every hour. I personally equate meditation to inward focus. The optimal type of meditation is in utter silence and stillness in a location that is conducive to the practice. But I don’t feel that is absolutely necessary. Deliberate action is a form of meditation. This means conscious action in all that you do. This is what I intend to do every hour of every day.
So Far
I’ve been going for about 4 days and I’ve already had some fascinating results. In one meditation, I felt what I can only describe as “powerful warmth” going up my spine with a shocking realization that when ever I send a blessing to someone it must be more than blessing by proxy. So instead of saying (or thinking), “God, bless you” I have started giving the blessing directly from my heart:
“Bless you” it is very personal and very loving to whomever I send the blessing to.
I seem to be getting messages (advice?) like that more often. I also feel more connected with people (something that started when I started using Deepak’s Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.)
Lately, I’ve been having feeling of all my intentions happening. Worries melt away, doubt and resistance dissipates and all that is left is a iron solid assurance that my dreams already exist regardless of what my five senses are telling me. It is beautiful and very fulfilling.
Thoughts Become Reality 1
September 20, 2006
It is so simple. Why do we resist?
Three years ago I imagined making 75K year. I decided that I wanted to own a decent sized home and that I wanted two kids. Three years ago those things were just thoughts.
Last week in the basement of my “decent sized home”, after putting my two kids to sleep, I realized that everything that I had thought of back in 2003 were now in existence. I am amazed at how acurate my dreams have become manifest in physical reality, but also a bit dissappointed in myself.
Why?
Well, if thoughts become things and I am now living in the proof of that fact, why the hell hadn’t I imagine my ultimate dreams. Why had I settle for less? I knew in my heart that I had limited my thoughts, dreams and wishes to what I thought was possible for me to accomplish. I was dimming my own dreams to fit into what I thought I was capable of. I fit myself into a model that thought that I should fit in.
I… WE have been brainwashed. Lets make a new millenium resolution to stop settling, STOP trying to fit in. Lets be the best people we can be.
I have decided that RIGHT NOW, I will no longer settle for less. I’ve sat down and written down what I want most in this life. I broke down every aspect of my life: my sex life, my financial life, my job, my spiritual development, my relationships… EVERY thing that I feel is important and I wrote my deepest, most passionate desire for each without holding back.
My ultimate goal is to master my self. I feel that we are meant to be free, for we are powerful beings. But our beliefs, our conditioning of what we think is possible for us has hancuffed and bound our true selves. My love and passion, my ultimate dream is to be free, to come and go as I please in this physical reality.
Imagine being able to transcend death, to know anchient forgotten truths and be empowered enough to help anyone and all that will it.
Steve Miller wrote my ultimate dream in a song he wrote in 1976, Fly like and Eagle:
..I want to fly like an eagle
To the sea
Fly like an eagle
Let my spirit carry me
I want to fly like an eagle
Till I’m free
Oh, Lord, through the revolutionFeed the babies
Who don’t have enough to eat
Shoe the children
With no shoes on their feet
House the people
Livin’ in the street
Oh, oh, there’s a solutionWhat is your ulimate dreams? What will you manifest today?
