ILP

For a few years I have been attempting my own version of what I now call my ILP or Integral Life Practice. Recently though, I have become part of an official ILP group. It appears that, as far as I-I is concerned, NY is only the 2nd place to begin organized ILP groups. Aren't we special?

So, what is this cult that I have joined? I hear you asking. It's not a cult, it's philosophy!

Actually, it's a group of rather diverse, but also like minded, geeks who are collectively in awe of the possibilities that todays world has to offer and find ourselves in need of a new framework within which to hold it all.

'For the first time ever we have thousands of years of the world's history, wisdom, knowledge, traditions, religions, science, philosophy, etc at our fingertips.'

How the fuck do we deal with it?

In steps the bald headed one; Mr Ken Wilber has hijacked the term integral, attached many a splendored gift to it, and rolled it back out into circulation for us all to be confused by.
Truthfully, learning Ken's integral framework has marked the first time in my life that I have not been overwhelmed.

For as long as I can remember my head has been swimming with possibilities. The world often seemed overwhelming in its intricacies, complexities, problems, delights.....and then the internet!!

But now, as many who have found this work will attest, it is as if my filing system has received a major upgrade. Here I was, prior to finding this framework, creating a million little compartments and sub-categories, never sure how one would interact with the next. Then, when I read Ken's work, it was as if he had been doing the same thing, only he started a decade or two before me, worked a great deal faster, and had already come up with some really neat terms and categories to fit everything into.

It was like hearing a song on the radio and dropping my mouth in admiration and surprise that someone else had written my lyrics. I was gonna write that!
(Admittedly, this doesn't happen too often on the radio, but Tool has done this for me)

So, Integral offers an approach. It says little about what not to believe in. There are Christian, Jewish, gay, straight, scientist, psychologist, ecologist, politician, Buddhist, male, female, etc Integrally informed people. Most do not drop any of their beliefs or practices. The amazing thing is the way that they are now able to include more of the worlds wisdom into their worldview, and with greater ease.

Have I lost those of who were only remotely interested in seeing what the hell I was up to? Are you still wondering what these ideas have to do with practice?
In good time my friends. For now...

I offer thee music. (I need to see if I can actually post audio in one of these things)
Here is RAISE. It is an old instrumental piece that I made. Play it Loud!!

This is an ape (not a monkey) that I met in Gibraltar. He stole my water, but we'll get to that later too.