Everyone Is Right

Watch the full discussion here: https://integrallife.com/sex-identity-gender-beyond-wokism-and-trumpism/ Following Keith’s table-setting discussion of sex and gender last month, in this episode we push even further into the front lines of the culture war skirmishes that have become so plentiful over the last several years. Corey deVos joins Keith to discuss how our notions of sex, gender, and identity apply to some of the most contentious and pressing issues of our time — gender education in schools, men’s rights issues, the banning of drag shows, trans people participating in sports, the availability of gender-affirming care for young people, the impact of social media on gender identity, and more. In order to answer the question “what is a man” (or “what is a woman”), Keith and Corey carefully track sex, gender, and identity as fundamental aspects of the self that can exist in a state of fusion, differentiation, dissociation, or integration, depending on the developmental stage(s) the question is being asked from. This is one of the most common causes of conflict around this issue, as people have very different meanings of words like “gender”, which can refer to biology, identity, or the various social constructs we have inherited, depending on where we are in this sequence. Which is why, when it comes to the question of gender, people are constantly talking past each other, and why the conversation often stalls at the level of ideological doctrine and debate, which we see so often in the culture wars. How can we elevate the discussion into a more fruitful dialogue, discourse, and dialectic? By properly differentiating and integrating these factors into a more coherent vision of sex, gender, and identity. In a world where these topics often generate more heat than light, our aim is to bring clarity, insight, and a spirit of inclusive dialogue to the conversation. Our focus, as always, is bringing our most integral hearts and minds to these conflicts, so that we can provide the greatest opportunities for happiness, fulfillment, and freedom of expression for the greatest number of people, while also minimizing harm and promoting understanding, empathy, and respect among all parties involved. Watch the full discussion here: https://integrallife.com/sex-identity-gender-beyond-wokism-and-trumpism/

Listen to the full discussion here: https://integrallife.com/its-not-easy-being-turquoise-jim-henson-muppets-and-art-integral-puppetry Steve Whitmire spent 14 intense and creative years with the extraordinary Jim Henson before his passing. As of 2008, Steve has been the animating force behind, most notably, Kermit the Frog, for nearly two decades. This was not something Steve planned for in any way. Jim passed away at the age of 53 from an infection that no one could have seen coming—although it later became revealed that Jim had been considering Steve for the puppeteer of Kermit, so that Jim could explore other creative endeavors. However, their connection had started decades earlier. When Steve was a scant 10-years-old, he wrote Jim a letter to express his appreciation for his work, and to ask if he had written anything on the construction of puppets. In fact, Jim had not written anything on the construction of puppets at that time, but responded personally to Steve’s letter, and directed him toward some simple Muppet patterns that had been published a few years ago in a magazine. Thus started the career of a life-long Jim Henson puppeteer, aided by Steve’s mother’s sewing machine. As Ken comments, puppeteering can be, and has been, looked at by the world’s great Mystical Traditions as a metaphor for ultimate Spirit being the transcendental Puppeteer of all worldly phenomena. And there is much truth in that observation. Spirit, if nothing else, inhabits a massive number of multiple perspectives, and in order to perform puppeteering successfully, one literally inhabits, and becomes one with, the puppet’s personality. It is a minor re-enaction of what Spirit does moment-to-moment spontaneously, throughout the entire Kosmos. As with Jim Henson, Steve Whitmire is a very humble soul. If nothing else, Steve is honored to carry on a tradition started by a modern-day master, by whatever name. Jim’s productions have been among the most successful television series in history: Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and Fraggle Rock were all international sensations. Sesame Street alone has aired more than 4,100 episodes over a 38-season run, winning 109 Emmy Awards in the process—and it’s still going. To say that Steve is a modern-day backbone of the Muppet tradition is in no way an exaggeration. You may not see his face, but you can see Steve animating Kermit the Frog in a musical duo with Kylie Minogue on YouTube, along with many other notable appearances. Kermit the Frog was, and is, a public, (inter)national expression of the pluralistic, green worldview—but always with a subtle reminder of how multicultural expressions can be reconciled and brought together with an Integral View. It may not be easy being green, but it’s ever harder being teal (where an Integral understanding begins and expands). With the spirit of growth that Jim Henson embodied and intuited, and that Steve Whitmire carries on in an evolutionary context with a clearly Integral perspective, we invite you to celebrate this artistic and creative dimension of puppetry, and the “taking the perspective of other” that it implies, in this one-of-a kind-dialogue…. Listen to the full discussion here: https://integrallife.com/its-not-easy-being-turquoise-jim-henson-muppets-and-art-integral-puppetry

Listen to the full discussion here: https://integrallife.com/the-art-and-science-of-the-intentional-love-affair/ Our intimate relationships are typically the most important, challenging, transformative, frustrating, and fulfilling parts of our lives. Every relationship is a testament to the “miracle of we” — somehow, out of billions of people on the planet, we find each other, we share all of our hidden parts with each other, and we create entire new realities between us. And these relationships are never static. They are constantly shifting, morphing, and evolving as we both grow together, or as we grow apart from each other. And the more intentionality we can bring to our relationships, the greater the chances that our intimacy can not only survive the inevitable challenges and frictions of our lives, but actually thrive because of them. In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Keith Witt and Corey deVos delve into the intricacies of intimate relationships, exploring the concept of “intentional love affairs” and how they can be cultivated to deepen connection and intimacy. They discuss the importance of fostering better friendships, nurturing love affairs, and developing the ability to solve problems so effortlessly that they may not even appear as conflicts to others. Listen to the full discussion here: https://integrallife.com/the-art-and-science-of-the-intentional-love-affair/

Watch the full episode here: https://integrallife.com/what-is-a-man/ What is a man? Vulnerable? Gentle? Powerful? Big biceps? Tall? Strong? Innovative? Loyal? Logical? On the Left, more and more say a man is whatever you want it to be — penis or vagina, boobs or pecs, loaded with testosterone or almost none of it, masculine or feminine — it makes no difference. A man, or a woman, is a form of self-identity, freed from any biological constraints. If you say you’re a man, it’s my job to accept it and society’s job to validate it. On the Right, more and more say that a man, or a woman, are constrained by their biology if not outright defined by it, and all of this talk of “identity” runs the range from irritating to an existential threat on traditional gender roles. Conservatives say that a man and woman are defined by their biology first and foremost, and that there is no burying or obfuscating that truth. Who should we believe?

Watch the full episode here: https://integrallife.com/what-makes-us-happy-growing-toward-anti-fragility/ In this captivating episode of Witt and Wisdom, Dr. Keith Witt and Corey deVos engage in a thought-provoking dialogue that addresses the critical themes from Jonathan Haidt’s and David Brooks’ recent articles on the mental health of young liberals and the self-destructive effects of progressive sadness. Both Haidt and Brooks examine the increasing rates of anxiety, depression, and despair among young people, particularly in liberal communities, and the potentially maladaptive nature of their mindset. The conversation delves into the complexities of mental health and resilience among young people, emphasizing the powerful concept of anti-fragility and its role in balancing the poles of fragility and resilience, with the ultimate goal of addressing these primary pain points. Drawing inspiration from Haidt’s and Brooks’ articles, Witt and deVos explore the different happiness strategies associated with each stage of cognitive development, including creating community, practicing empathy and compassion, and pursuing personal transformation. By understanding and applying these approaches, individuals can effectively strive for progress, self-improvement, material success, empathy, and social justice throughout their lives. The dialogue also highlights the importance of adult guidance and mentorship in nurturing young people’s development. As teenagers face unique challenges and seek autonomy, it’s vital for adults to recognize the inherent tension between providing guidance and allowing young people the freedom to navigate their own paths. By offering support and challenge tailored to each individual’s needs, parents, teachers, and mentors can help cultivate healthy growth and resilience in the next generation. Please join Keith and Corey in this enriching dialogue, as they bring forth an integral perspective on the pressing issue of mental health and resilience among youth, and explore the transformative potential of anti-fragility and the happiness strategies that can empower us to create a brighter future for ourselves and the generations to come.

You can find the full 1-hour discussion here: https://integrallife.com/the-highest-stages-of-conscious-development/ Terri O'Fallon and Keith Martin-Smith dive into a deeper and more detailed exploration of Terri's STAGES model, focusing on a smaller section of the model: stages 3.0 – 6.0 (roughly Amber/Orange to Turquoise/Indigo). Terri outlines what makes each level of her model unique from the last, what causes people to shift from one level to another, as well as what the mature expressions look like for 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 stages. She goes on to explain how people can use the model’s parameters to determine the developmental expression of others in coaching, psychotherapy, parenting, teaching, negotiating, etc., and how the STAGES model's perspectival parameters can be a tool for generating more empathy and compassion. In the STAGES model, structure-stages (Amber, Orange, Green, Teal, etc.) and state-stages (Gross, Subtle Causal, Witness, Nondual) begin to merge and stabilize. Terri explains exactly how this happens, and how both states and stages underlie the developmental process. Finally, Terri explores her idea of developmental bypassing, and why we need spiritual work, shadow work, and developmental guidance to all in order to produce an integrated human experience.

Watch the full 1-hour discussion here: https://integrallife.com/navigating-the-meaning-crisis/ John Vervaeke, PhD is an award-winning lecturer at the University of Toronto in the departments of psychology, cognitive science and Buddhist psychology. His work involves constructing a bridge between science and spirituality in order to understand the experience of meaningfulness and the cultivation of wisdom so as to afford awakening from what is often experienced by members of society as “the meaning crisis.” In 2022, Nomali Perera facilitated a study group at Integral Life using the teachings of John Vervaeke from his Awakening from the Meaning Crisis YouTube video series. This video is from Mr. Vervaeke’s visit with study group participants for a lively Q&A. In the first half of this very rich discussion, John talks with Nomali, Jeff, and the rest of the group about his three major concerns about stage models, and why he doesn’t emphasize them in his own work: - Psychometric skepticism – uncertainty around how we are measuring and validating these measurements, - The problem of the “monolithic mind” — the idea that the mind is a “whole”, which wholly moves from one stage to the next, - Underlying founders’ bias — stage models often bias the model-maker, who tend to represent themselves as the highest stage(s) in the model. Whether we agree with John’s criticisms of stage models, or we see these criticisms already being addressed by other elements of Integral metatheory, these nonetheless offer some exceptionally important guardrails around how we wield and communicate these ideas. Integral theory in many ways represents a “simplicity on the other side of complexity” — but if we are being overly simplistic with these ideas, then we begin to lose some much-needed resolution, and are left only with a blurry map that can be misread and misapplied in all sorts of ineffective or even abusive ways.

“Tapping into Divine guidance” is a term most of us in the Integral family are familiar with. But what is the difference between that and prophesy or prophesizing? And what would practicing a prophetic modality entail? Join Lisa and Kevin with guest practitioner Rodrick Chambers, an ordained minister and spiritual coach, as we dive into the role of prophesy in the 21st Century.

Watch the full discussion here: https://integrallife.com/perspectives-on-develoment-introducing-the-stages-model/ Terri O’Fallon takes us on a guided journey through her STAGES model, an integrally based development model that charts human development from infancy to the highest levels of development that humans are capable of. Terri’s research is based in the number of perspectives a person can take (1st through 7th) – and she explains how different levels of fluency with these perspectives can often cause us to talk “past” or “over” one another, and how familiarizing ourselves with these perspectives can help us stop doing that. Terri and Keith start with a brief overview of what exactly adult ego growth is, and why it matters. They also explore why adult developmental psychology — despite being part of the academic culture for more than 100 years — isn’t more understood and used by mainstream therapist and psychologists. Terri also explores how many of our culture wars are generated from conflicts between these stages — certain perspectives are able to see (and therefore respond to) social challenges that other perspectives simply cannot yet Finally, Terri spends some time unpacking her data on a 5th person perspective (mature Integral, or Turquoise) what that perspective sees, how it relates to the Wilber-Combs Lattice and to Post-Modernity (and to Integral), and how one might know for themselves what this means.

Watch the full 2-hour discussion here: https://integrallife.com/transform-the-police-a-more-integral-approach-to-law-enforcement/ Mark and Corey are joined by Chris Orrey, a retired police lieutenant with over 30 years of service with the Hayward, California Police Department, to discuss the abuse and resulting death of Tyre Nichols, who was severely beaten by five Memphis police officers after a routine traffic stop. What allowed this tragedy (and others like it) to take place, and what sorts of institutional transformation are necessary to prevent them from occurring again? We were very excited to have Chris join us for this discussion — not only because of her experience as a former police lieutenant, but also because she is leading the Integrative Policing Transformation Initiative over at the Institute of Applied Metatheory, designed to map the fuller complexity of policing in the United States and examine how a transformation toward a fuller guardian model of policing might be achieved. If you are at all interested in supporting this tremendously important and timely endeavor, we encourage you to get in touch here: https://instituteofappliedmetatheory.org/donations/integrative-policing-transformation-initiative/ One of the primary factors we discuss is how our modern Orange standards of law and justice depend on Amber enforcement agencies being healthy, trustable, and reliable — otherwise the entire system breaks down as the public looses confidence in the police’s ability to serve the community. And without this Orange-stage accountability and oversight, Amber groups often go bad fairly quickly — we don’t only see this in policing, but also in organizations such as the military, the Boy Scouts, the Catholic Church, and others. Closed-off Amber groups often tend to normalize, justify, and cover for all sorts of abuse within the group — even when that abuse is coming from a small number within the group. There is a natural Amber drive to protect the group at all costs (such as the “blue line of silence” within policing culture) which prevents real accountability from taking place, and which in turn drives more resentment and mistrust between the population and the police in general. We go on to talk about a number of other critical factors and leverage points in each of the four quadrants, including: UL (Intentional problems/solutions) * Creating more support and healing for officers (e.g. helping officers with accumulated job-related traumas), * Training greater emotional intelligence to help with empathy and  de-escalation of violence * State training to help officers better regulate and manage intense emotional and psychological states of consciousness (e.g. the natural fight or flight response) in both officers and criminal suspects)
 UR (Behavioral problems/solutions) * Managing physiological states associated with interior mental/emotional states (e.g. adrenaline, overall physical health of the officer) * Identifying multiple skillsets to deal with different kinds of confrontations and social challenges, * Recruitment strategies to attract more healthy and ethical officer candidates LL (Cultural problems/solutions) * Expanding officers' sense of "we" to include the communities they are protecting, * Restoring trust by creating more connective tissue between police and the communities they serve, * Dismantling internal "blue wall of silence" culture within police culture, LR (Systemic problems/solutions) * External social/environmental conditions (overall social violence, proliferation of guns, race and racism, etc.), * Outmoded social inertias from previous policing eras that remain with us today, * Rethinking “qualified immunity” that often prevents abusive officers from being held accountable, * Various forms of corruption and bias in justice systems, * Bringing more Orange-stage accountability to Amber-stage police organizations