General

In the West since the 1960's a growing awareness of the power of developmental human growth models has heavily influenced educational practices. Knowledge from researchers such as education expert, Piaget [link below] has shaken not only the fields of education, but medical and legal disciplines as well. Ken Wilber [link below] wants to argue that developmental knowledge still has a great contribution to make in the area of spirituality. Wilber and others claim that the great contribution to Eastern spirituality that the West can make is in the rich interior observable stages, both in consciousness and culture. This new knowledge dramatically shifts the focus from the past into a focus on how to participate, interpret and co-create the future.

Evolving Worldviews

What are the final reaches of human nature and culture? Ken Wilber [link below] made this comment: “We are yet the bastard sons and daughters of an evolution not yet done with us, caught always between the fragments of yesterday and the unions of tomorrow, unions apparently destine to carry us far beyond anything we can possibly recognize today.” ‘Sex, Ecology, Spirituality’ (p. 254). Steve McIntosh [link below] in 'Evolution's Purpose' (chapter 6) carefully explores concepts associated with notions of complexity as evolution moves into the future. He argues simplification can also be a part of evolution's unfolding. A delightful paradox for us to puzzle over!

What does an Integral Worldview Look like?

The modern worldview, with the success of scientific method as its premier methodology, tends to be extremely effective at dissecting and analyzing, thus leaving in its wake tremendous separation and division within and between knowledge fields. Look at the separation of departments within a modern university. Instead, an Integral approach to exploring knowledge, attempts to offer a map that allows creative sharing across disciplines, with out simultaneously flattening knowledge to the lowest common denominator. Note how a single individual has to integrate inner realities with external social and political realities. This is an exacting endeavour.

Image of Stages of Worldview by McIntosh [link below]

Process in Moving to Higher Stage Worldview

Movement to a new stage worldview is complex. One process that Ken Wilber [link above] speaks about is to transcend and include. Steve McIntosh in 'Evolution's Purpose' (pp.9-10) [link below] also includes the ideas transcend and include but couples it with reflections on the powerful notion of emergence.

Emergence - Powerful Insight with Much Mystery

The truly creative capacity of evolution has demonstrated itself in at least 3/4 spectacular transformations over its 13.7 billion year journey [link below]. How did nature and animals emerge from basic matter elements? How did human consciousness and culture emerge out of nature? How did something more arise from something less? Gordon Kaufman [link below], theologian, used to speak of emergence as The Mystery of Creativity. So any question regarding the role Spirit plays in emergent drama is an exciting question!

Emergence - Human Consciousness/Culture

The emergence of human consciousness and culture tests all the best theories to their limits. What are the depths and boundaries of a human being? For example, Andrew Cohen defined the Soul in the following way: "The deepest part of the human being that is still personal - deeper than ego - deeper than the psychological and socially conditioned self". Where is Spirit and what role does it play in this surprising emergence of this utterly new? Equally, what business does evolution's continued unfolding joined with human co-creativity, have in future emergencies?