Integral Concerns: Final thoughts (for now)

I don’t want to beat the whole integral concerns thing to death but wanted to reflect on it a few more days and give a little conclusion of sorts. Although of course these concerns will certainly be ongoing for me to contemplate. It was interesting to see all the ‘integral bitch slappin’ (as Jean referred to it) as it spread through the blogosphere and I for one am glad to see it! I think it is very healthy and reassuring to know that those interested and involved with I-I/IU and other integral endeavors are making their own inquiries and voicing their experiences for others to hear.

I guess my main beef with Wilber/I-I/IU was with the Critic’s Circle and my perception of a lessened emphasis on waking up compared to AQAL application. Also, I wrote a post about Spiral D and Wilber a while back that is an added point of concern (I find Dallman’s post on SD and the lack of evidence for it very compelling and something I’ve thought about lately as well.) The ‘group think’ diagnosis by Matthew Dallman is something I am keeping on my radar as he did work with the IU directors for quite a while – although I would distinguish between that group of mostly off site members using email/concall communication versus local onsite members of I-I/IU of which Vince is a part (see his thoughtful and informative response here). Anyway, the point is it pays to be aware of these things and take the proverbial step back when needed to check your self and the group.

My other main concern was with my own attachment to integral and my various needs and fantasies around it all. I feel that my almost obsession with integral and Wilber at times led me to actually be less inclusive of others and quick to project visions of an idealized ‘integral-land’ where I could go to escape my life as it is and be with other ‘like-minded’ integral folk that ‘get it.’ Now this issue is one that is not so cut and dry and I agree wholeheartedly with Victoria’s comment:

There is a vague feeling, a kind of hope and semi-conscious agenda that many of us have felt and had to snap out of. It is not based on a lack of individuality. It is based on a hunger to be near people who understand.

So I think there is some healthy need to connect in there but sometimes it is mixed with unhealthy attachment and resistance to our life. But you know, it happens and it is not something unique to the integral community I’m sure.

I’ll end with a great post by Jean recently over at The Human Bean which sums up a lot of what I’ve been feeling and reflecting on myself lately:

Reflecting a bit though, on the various questions and criticisms some of us have been tossing around, I wondered if for some of us this might be symptomatic of integral transcendence, you know, the negate part of that upwards movement. I mentioned to Victoria the other day, "I dunno V. Integral isn't working for me anymore. I can't do this." Or rather, it's working so well that I just don't want to talk about it anymore, endlessly picking apart the ideas, or sitting in sheer wonder of the beautiful vision itself. I think to the extent that I've mastered integral as it exists as a worldview, a value meme, and as an operational system, as well as the shakeups going on in my psyche over the course of this winter, I just want to let it go, and live in the world with it as part of my overall existence. And yes, I've been looking or striving for the next thing - a new way of Seeing and Being.

A beautiful expression I think – let it go and live in the world with it. May we also all be more aware of our own shadows and shine our light of awareness brighter and brighter…