Changes

Obviously we have many different viewpoints here.  The unique position of Wilber is that ''every one of these people is correct!''  But we must understand that each observer in this scenario is looking only at one quadrant and they are doing so from a specific observation point.  Each comment on the given quadrant is correct relative to the perspective of the speaker.  Here’s how we can map these perspectives:

Obviously we have many different viewpoints here.  The unique position of Wilber is that ''every one of these people is correct!''  But we must understand that each observer in this scenario is looking only at one quadrant and they are doing so from a specific observation point.  Each comment on the given quadrant is correct relative to the perspective of the speaker.  Here’s how we can map these perspectives:

[[Image:Chart_4.jpg|right|frame]]

Dr. Moreau                Individual Exterior                Exterior

 

The point here is that not one of these observers is spanning all quadrants.  Wilber’s claim is that in order to have full consciousness we must be able to see all these viewpoints simultaneously by transcending them.  In other words, we must move from '''perspectival''' consciousness to '''universal''' consciousness.  This is what we mean by recognizing and spanning all quadrants.  The move to this level of consciousness is a much greater leap of spiritual growth than any possible result of the contemplative prayer exercise itself!

The point here is that not one of these observers is spanning all quadrants.  Wilber’s claim is that in order to have full consciousness we must be able to see all these viewpoints simultaneously by transcending them.  In other words, we must move from '''perspectival''' consciousness to '''universal''' consciousness.  This is what we mean by recognizing and spanning all quadrants.  The move to this level of consciousness is a much greater leap of spiritual growth than any possible result of the contemplative prayer exercise itself!

Wilber’s new breakthrough says that the sixth stage as originally conceived (as four “second tier” stages) is simply missing a paradigm.  People are seeking transpersonal states and because they have no sixth stage paradigm they are bringing with them the only paradigm they have, which is the wrong one, and so their meditation is working only to reinforce their old paradigm; their old stage.  Many meditation teachers including authentic ones from, say, Tibet, would challenge Wilber at this point, saying that the whole point of meditation is to dump paradigms and concepts and seek emptiness instead.  This is a watershed issue, and a point where Wilber departs from much of standard Eastern consciousness training.  He agrees that emptiness is indeed a desirable meditative state to be attained but maintains that it is impossible not to interpret any and all states, ''including emptiness!''  UL may be empty, but LL cannot be.   

Wilber’s new breakthrough says that the sixth stage as originally conceived (as four “second tier” stages) is simply missing a paradigm.  People are seeking transpersonal states and because they have no sixth stage paradigm they are bringing with them the only paradigm they have, which is the wrong one, and so their meditation is working only to reinforce their old paradigm; their old stage.  Many meditation teachers including authentic ones from, say, Tibet, would challenge Wilber at this point, saying that the whole point of meditation is to dump paradigms and concepts and seek emptiness instead.  This is a watershed issue, and a point where Wilber departs from much of standard Eastern consciousness training.  He agrees that emptiness is indeed a desirable meditative state to be attained but maintains that it is impossible not to interpret any and all states, ''including emptiness!''  UL may be empty, but LL cannot be.   

[Here we have another important perspective on what integral means.  It means we bring a bit of good old western rationalism to the whole process of Eastern wisdom.  So far we have not looked at it from this angle, but Wilber does not let the Eastern sages off the hook any easier than he lets Westerners off.  Wilber asserts that much of indigenous Eastern practice is every bit as non-integral as its Western counterpart.  Without the input of the West, the East faces two weaknesses.  One is that much of its practice is prerational, and the other is that is lacks the psychoanalytical acumen to identify growth blockages in the first tier stages].

*[Here we have another important perspective on what integral means.  It means we bring a bit of good old western rationalism to the whole process of Eastern wisdom.  So far we have not looked at it from this angle, but Wilber does not let the Eastern sages off the hook any easier than he lets Westerners off.  Wilber asserts that much of indigenous Eastern practice is every bit as non-integral as its Western counterpart.  Without the input of the West, the East faces two weaknesses.  One is that much of its practice is prerational, and the other is that is lacks the psychoanalytical acumen to identify growth blockages in the first tier stages].

And now Wilber announces the real sixth stage...the '''Integral Stage'''.  This is the point where the all-encompassing (quadrant spanning) integral philosophy meets spiritual growth, and integral philosophy itself becomes a stage of faith!  But how do you get to this stage?  By now it should be obvious that you cannot pole vault yourself into this stage with meditation. You get there the old fashioned way, through cognitive, rational paradigm shift, the same way you made it to all the other stages.  An important point about the integral stage is that, yes, it is a stage of mystical union as we always suspected, but it does not come from the effort of invoking mystical feelings.  It’s just an ordinary cognitive paradigm.  It’s a conglomeration of concepts which are readily available to us, and now we finally pull them all together in a pattern.  It involves no magic; it’s just another stage.  And it happens to be the first stage that correctly supports transpersonal states and now allows those states to actually advance your consciousness instead of holding it back.  It is a stage which says that because LL is a construction you are responsible for what you plug into it.  Knowing this, you can plug Buddhism in if you want to—but you don’t have to.  Because you are AQAL you can plug your own native symbols back in, Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, or whatever, and they can no longer block your growth in that old pathological feedback loop because instead of controlling and limiting your inner consciousness, they are now understood as languages in its service.  You are now practicing integral Christianity, integral Judaism, integral Buddhism.  Even integral atheism is a potential language of faith!

And now Wilber announces the real sixth stage...the '''Integral Stage'''.  This is the point where the all-encompassing (quadrant spanning) integral philosophy meets spiritual growth, and integral philosophy itself becomes a stage of faith!  But how do you get to this stage?  By now it should be obvious that you cannot pole vault yourself into this stage with meditation. You get there the old fashioned way, through cognitive, rational paradigm shift, the same way you made it to all the other stages.  An important point about the integral stage is that, yes, it is a stage of mystical union as we always suspected, but it does not come from the effort of invoking mystical feelings.  It’s just an ordinary cognitive paradigm.  It’s a conglomeration of concepts which are readily available to us, and now we finally pull them all together in a pattern.  It involves no magic; it’s just another stage.  And it happens to be the first stage that correctly supports transpersonal states and now allows those states to actually advance your consciousness instead of holding it back.  It is a stage which says that because LL is a construction you are responsible for what you plug into it.  Knowing this, you can plug Buddhism in if you want to—but you don’t have to.  Because you are AQAL you can plug your own native symbols back in, Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, or whatever, and they can no longer block your growth in that old pathological feedback loop because instead of controlling and limiting your inner consciousness, they are now understood as languages in its service.  You are now practicing integral Christianity, integral Judaism, integral Buddhism.  Even integral atheism is a potential language of faith!