Product Description
The goal of an "integral psychology" is to honor and embrace every legitimate aspect of human consciousness under one roof. This book presents one of the first truly integrative models of consciousness, psychology, and therapy. Drawing on hundreds of sources--Eastern and Western, ancient and modern--Wilber creates a psychological model that includes waves of development, streams of development, states of consciousness, and the self, and follows the course of each from subconscious to self-conscious to superconscious. Included in the book are charts correlating over a hundred psychological and spiritual schools from around the world, including Kabbalah, Vedanta, Plotinus, Teresa of Ávila, Aurobindo, Theosophy, and modern theorists such as Jean Piaget, Erik Erikson, Jane Loevinger, Lawrence Kohlberg, Carol Gilligan, Erich Neumann, and Jean Gebser. Integral Psychology is Wilber's most ambitious psychological system to date, and it is already being called a landmark study in human development.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 24 reviews)

Ego Indoctrination Re-Evaluated

I read this book recently after having completed my prerequisite respective courses for a masters in Transpersonal Studies because it further defined the true potential in store for me as a sojourner through time and space. In lieu of change throughout childhood, adolescence and young adulthood, one element in each of the factes of my personality is perseverence; my EHE as learned through applying the teachings of a perennial philosophy, is truly an 'exceptional human experience' I embrace and honor. Every single thought, action, reaction is a legitimate aspect of my consciousness that which I think is me !

It was fascinating that what I used through clairvoyance, Ken Wilber clearly defined as a 'higher intellectual thinking foundation called, 'vision-logic'. His exciting example is not just seeing each individual tree (good for those trying to hone and develop their attention to detail skills) but the entire forest each tree single-handedly contributes to its special thrivelihood !

In discussing the exceptional human experience from my own sandbox, I found simple attributes, means of affection, and calmness both verbal and physical excites my ego more than ever; while the more complex material of my personna ignites my soul. With the functions of consciousness well understood by someone who studied them, journaled them, battled with them and eventually changed them after his wife passed, Wilber teaches his readers to act, desire, perceive and will yourself to anything and everything.

I was disciplined religiously in the organized fashion handed down by generation to generation of church-attendees, my family was devout, until me. But resigning myself to the confines of organized religion was not my choice, it was an expectation. One day, I could not stand the weight of the mask I was wearing long into teenage years, it struck my innocence and I condemned my own church, the existence of god and hated that grandma was not here with me anymore.

I had been hiding my true spiritual connection because I was looking for acceptance from all, as LEO children generally aspire to, and beginning around the age of seven when I was taught in Sunday school the basic rules to reach our heavenly father, I was questioning-- Why ? the demand for masculinity in the divine sense, Why ? the limitations as to where I can receive sacraments, Why ? the restrictions on bliss, livelihood, atonement, Why? the orders, Why? the chaos if we sense things not of the bible, speak of things not of a religious paradigm, step outside of the box, oh no . . . and Why? the spiritual distance I was feeling in the abandonment of my own transpersonal development?

It was based on the normal state of consciousness such as waking thought, dreaming thought, and sleeping 'new life?' yet my pastor was not prepared for apparition questions, suicidal ideations, spirit-energy-manifestations or the idea that heaven and hell were concepts not actual places. C'mon were you there . . . R u there now telling me of this? He wasn't but grandma, well lets just say she gives me encouragement to use an 'altered state of consciousness' such as meditation and fasting (both Wilber classifies as nonordinary state of consciousness) as avenues to self improvement.

My modes which Ken Wilber defines as either aesthetic, moral or scientific collide erratically with one another often confusing the very basis of my existence. It is in the EHE I was asked to pen back in 2003, that I seeded a fantabulous jorney in which I was my own leader. I was using integral psychology and did not realize the value nor the application process in motion from an outsider-looking-in, but lived it vicariously through a more refined Self.

This book will help you locate, re-evaluate what the ego has limited the spirit too; while holding down the soul that is meant to love vicariously through the body using all states of consciousness. Discover your two selves and challenge them into a groundeded understanding of the 3, 5, 7 or even 108 subdivisions of structures of consciousness and the modes that we compartmentalize them in. Remember if these change constantly, so should our constructs and holding onto negative patterns definitely keep us behind the movement not ahead of it.

So flow do not resist and stay consistent with that which brings you further forward into enlightenment than the last step, the aha-moments are so delightful when realized as I perused satisfied from beginning to end of this incredible mind journey . . .

'till next time, the EnlightenedPsych2, Enlightenment-Advisor at EPN
©2008 enlightenmentpsych.net-- All Rights Reserved ericahidvegi
October 22, 2008

A Map of Consciousness

I recommend this book to anyone that is trying to understand our consciousness from a multidimensional perspective. It is one of the best books I have ever read on the subject. I love his writing style and found his descriptions of the Godhead especially enjoyable.
June 02, 2008

the good, the bad and the ugly

As with "A Brief History Of Everything", this title begins strong, thorough, thoughtful, profound and expansive, continuing this momentum until about the books halfway point. Once at this juncture, Wilber begins to double back and hammer away at material already thouroughly covered in the previous pages, trying to pound it into a solid, consumer-ready product. The paradox of Wilber, in a nutshell. Though he should not be disregarded (for what is NOT percieved as being filthy with paradox, after all?), his intent in skipping over important details and reducing broad topics such as the place of art in conciousness evolution should be scrutinized and criticized. For unfolding an inclusive map of human conciousness and for including passages on theraputic approaches, Wilber gets props. For giving it the hard sell and looking down his nose at possible arguments, Wilber gets a thumbs down. For more concise, to-the-point Wilber, check out "No Boundary". For more involved reading, check out "Sex, Ecology and Spirituality". This feels like a slightly expanded re-hash. Plus, this "epoch" of Wilber's writing finds him using an uber-agressive voice, full of pomp and spiritual arrogance.
May 10, 2008

Pure Speculation

In the early chapters Wilbur makes the claim that modernism shifted the focus from ontology to epistemology. Unfortunately for him and his gullible readers, Wilbur gives no thought to epistemology or verification. Truth to him seems to be based on appeal to authority. He offers no arguments in this book, only assertions or quotes from others making unjustified assertions. Time and again he presents a false dilemma between total reduction of the mind/soul/spirit to physical matter and his robust mystic metaphysics. This is a FALSE dilemma, especially considering the identity theory hasn't been taken seriously in philosophy in over 30 years! Ken needs to quit trying to show how smart he is and spend some time catching up with the last 30 years of research in philosophy of mind and cognitive science. Very few philosopher or cognitive psychologists would take this book seriously because it is offering an integral alternative to ideas that are outmoded already, yet it doesn't recognize at all why those ideas are no longer talked about. Bottom line: Pure assertion/speculation and no argument. How do I verify that? He doesn't cite a single academic journal or present any justification for any of the premises he uses in his already spurious arguments (if you can even call them arguments). This is a great example of someone trying to do philosophy who has no formal training in philosophy. Sure its possible, but Wilbur is a good example for why philosophical training is useful. Perhaps if he had some he would understand why an appeal to an unqualified authority is fallacious.
October 29, 2006

One of Ken Wilber's more advanced and scholarly books

This book will not necessarily make good bed timing reading from the standpoint of being "light." Between the covers, it presents a deep exploration of the shortcomings of modern reductionistic ways of looking at the psyche and in its place posits and optimistic, embracing and holistic view that revives the original meaning of the term psyche in most broad sense i.e. mind or soul.

In Chapter One Ken Wilber points out that the great problem of psychology has always been that different schools of thought have taken one or a few aspects of psychology and declared it the only worthwhile aspect(s) worth studying. In his model, the goal is to honor and embrace every legitimate aspect of human consciousness.

Ken also looks at reality as a hierarchy (holoarchy) made of wholes that are also parts. He calls these holons and each one has four dimensions; 1) subjective; 2) objective 3) collective objective (objective systems); and 4) intersubjective (worldviews and cultures). He further argues that each dimension is not reducible to any other, which means that the subjective and intersubjective are legitimate areas of inquiry with their own unique validation criteria.

Ken Wilber's model also embraces a synthesis of over 200 worldviews and he includes mystical experience and other ways of knowing as legitimate epistemologies. He goes on to explain that the subjective nature of reality is "real," but that the scientific method is not the correct mode of inquiry for this exploring this domain. However, he says that its existence is both undeniable and has been explored for thousands of years by highly developed people of all faiths. In other words, we can have real knowledge of this area.

His model honors the full spectrum of human experience including the body, emotions, mind, soul and spirit. These are presented as different developmental levels which exist within each quadrant that make up an entire holon.

Another important part of Wilber's model is the notion of evolution. According to him, we are evolving personally and collectively toward higher states of being that include subtle and non-dual states.

Ken opens the book with a definition of psychology which very nicely summarizes the scope of this work: "Psychology is the study of human consciousness and its manifestations in behavior. The functions of consciousness include perceiving, desiring, willing, and acting. The structures of consciousness, some facets which can be unconscious, include body, mind, soul, and spirit. The states of consciousness include normal (e.g. waking, dreaming, sleeping) and altered (e.g. nonordinary, meditative). The modes of consciousness include aesthetic, moral and scientific."

According to Wilber, "the development of consciousness spans an entire spectrum from prepersonal to personal to transpersonal, subconscious to self-conscious to superconscious, id to ego to Spirit. The relational aspects of consciousness refer to its mutual interaction with the objective, exterior world and the sociocultural world of shared values and perceptions." I think this describes his notion of development well, but this is even further developed in his book the Atman project.

This book really represents a well-research and holistic model of the psyche including its intersubjective aspects. This is often a piece that is left out as though we are isolated monads wondering through the world.

While this text is valuable, fascinating and thorough, it is not the easiest read for people with a weak background in philosophy or psychology. If this applies to you, you may want to read his book "A Brief History of Everything" first. This presents his major ideas in a more "user friendly" format.

June 13, 2006

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

A Brief History of Everything
by Ken Wilber

Integral Spirituality: A Startling New Role for Religion in the Modern and Postmodern World
by Ken Wilber

The Integral Vision: A Very Short Introduction to the Revolutionary Integral Approach to Life, God, the Universe, and Everything
by Ken Wilber

No Boundary: Eastern and Western Approaches to Personal Growth
by Ken Wilber

Sex, Ecology, Spirituality: The Spirit of Evolution, Second Edition
by Ken Wilber