It all depends on ME

Who do I think I am?  That is the essential question!

In Intergal Thoery the answer to the Nature/Nurture debate is yes.  Both capacity and culture are important. The process is a combination of the capacity of my consciousness [Nature] in the context of the cultural triggers I encounter. [Nurture]

My Ego Development [described in the Upper Left Quadrant in Ken Wilber’s All Quadrants, All Levels (AQAL) map of human experience]  enables me to understand life at a certain level of complexity. I don't have to choose to go there but at least now I can.

The Point:  our capacity for self-awareness grows from ”not very much” to "deep God Consciousness."  Wilber tells us: it is one process: as we grow we create an ego then realize need to tear it down  or at least modify it.  Therapy travels halfway. It brings us to a healthy “rational egoic self.”  This is where the journey deepens.  Spirituality continues the process.  It invites us to open up, to become a “true witness to a sense of self.” We continue to strengthen our capacity to witness ourselves with disinterested awareness [without getting knocked over by our ego], developing growing mastery or control.  Life is an opportunity to coutinually learn more about ourselves.

Ken Wilber on Ego Development: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FLsVngJkwY   [10 minutes]

Theories of cognitive development [understanding our capacity to know] are referenced in Sources

Altitude Makes the Difference

Integral theory eventually moves us past dualistic thinking.  The lower levels polarize thinking. Each worldview labels adherents as heroes and all others as betrayers or heretics.  Thus our only alternatives are to see people as sinners or saints [Blue], winners or losers [Orange], or sensitive or biased [Green]. In today's complex world such a choice is incredibly inadequate.

Looking at the different levels as necessary stepping stones in both human and societal development opens up a far more nuanced understanding of "where people are coming from." When I begin to accept the integral principle that the mature human person incorporates the healthy aspects of all the levels, there are at least ten different ways of expressing any given political, psychological or religious view.  This does not eliminate moderate and extreme points of view; but allows one to see extreme or moderate behavior on each level.  By recognizing an extremist viewpoint as representing the passion of a specific level, a person can respond appropriately to people in that level [all levels are potentially in each person - but each person finds his or her center of gravity in one or two worldviews].

Each worldview has a preferred language, value system, and frame of reference. So we may need to be multi-lingual in our own language if we hope to be understood, or to understand another for that matter.  We speak colors and cultural languages as well as ethnic and national languages.

Well, It's Up and Running

The pages on this site offer a simple, brief explanation of the different levels of Spiral Dynamics as well as an introduction to Clare Graves and Don Beck's research and its applications.  Ken Wilber once said that no one is so stupid that he or she is wrong all the time . . . so it would serve us well to listen well because this may be the day of truth. 
Today the world is so complex that no "sound bite" can adequately express any aspect of it. Yet, we communicate in sound bites and judge by innuendo.  No wonder there is so much anger at "them."  As I continue to study Integral Theory I have come firmly believe that it is imperative to understand the worldview of another person. It is naive to think that it does not matter or assume that another experiences the world in the same way as I do.
If I struggle to stay in the healthy area of my world and invite others to do the same, conversation is possible and both worldview are th richer for it.

An Interesting Challenge

MOST PEOPLE ARE SINCERELY RESPONDING TO THE WORLD THEY PERCEIVE! What they see is what you get!  I am creating this website in an attempt to bring this concept to as many people as possible. When I first discovered Ken Wilber's Integral Theory and Don Beck's Spiral Dynamics, so many things that I was thinking [and teaching] fell into place in my mind.  Please, take the time to reflect on that first sentence. It will never mean that we agree with "them" but it does call us to respect "their" integrity and consider what "they" say.  There are eight current worldviews presented. Each worldview has emerged in response to a serious problem faced by our ancestors. Their initial response "solved" their current crisis but eventually became the new "stumbling block" in human and social development. Beck and Wilber are mapmakers! They looked at "what they saw" and asked and continue to ask people to keep things in context, not condemn people in a way that sells them short.  This website is dedicated to all people who "think" before they judge!