Consciousness Studies Online

Green Tea & Consciousness: Can you help?

Eric W Thompson — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 21:20:04 GMT

Hi Everyone,
I'd like to ask for your assistance with a scholarship contest I recently entered, the TEA USA Calm-a-Sutra Video Scholarship. I created and entered a 2-minute video, which you can check out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMFWGW7fQbc. It literally takes only 2 minutes to watch, and you could help me out by giving it a quick glimpse. 10% of the judges' scores will be based on how many hits my video receives. I hope you'll find it interesting and enlightening.

Oh, and by the way, the scholarship is for $20,000, which I would hope to use when I transfer to Naropa University next year. And in case you'd like to enter a video for yourself, you can find the scholarship info here: http://www.teausa.org/calmasutra/. The deadline is 8/6/08 at midnight, so there is still time.

Thanks for your support!

Best wishes,
Eric Thompson

Activating the Brain's "Peace Circuits"

Eric W Thompson — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 21:16:49 GMT

"Is it really possible to activate inherent "peace circuits" within the brain?"

“Can peace be literally hardwired into the brain through mental training?”

I'll discuss two research studies that strongly infer that, yes, it is indeed possible to activate "peace circuits" within the brain and stablize them through cocnsistent mental practice.

In their scholarly paper, "Making a life worth living: Neural correlates of Wellbeing," Heather Urry and colleagues discuss their research findings on the particular neural firing patterns that mediate a profound sense of wellbeing, which they define as "eudaimonic wellbeing." According to neuroscientist Daniel J. Siegel, eudaimonic wellbeing “is more about a sense of equanimity than about the sensory pleasure focus of hedonia [i.e., pleasure through external stimulation]. A eudaimonic form of well-being embraces the psychological qualities of autonomy, mastery of the environment, positive relationships, personal growth, self-acceptance, and meaning and purpose in life." The higher levels of such wellbeing are intimately associated with profound peace and joy, and are less dependent upon outer surroundings and more dependent upon an individual's perceptions, interpretations, and inner way of being in the world.

The specific neural correlates of eudaimonic wellbeing — greater activity in the left prefrontal lobe, also define the basic neural shift that takes place with consistent practice of most forms of meditation. Numerous studies have highlighted meditation’s tendency to catalyze this left prefrontal shift, activating the brain sites most highly correlated with higher levels of meaning, purpose, peace, and compassion.

A scholarly paper by Antoine Lutz and company, "Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice," demonstrates this observation well.

Eight Tibetan Buddhists with a range of 15 – 40 years of prior training were examined during meditation. A control group of 10 student volunteers also participated. The two groups practiced Metta meditation, a “non-referential state of loving kindness and compassion.” Feelings of loving kindness and compassion are allowed to permeate one’s mental field.

Several interesting observations became apparent:

• There was more gamma band activity during relaxed states among Buddhist practitioners.
• 5 to 15 seconds after the meditation began, all meditators exhibited extraordinarily high degrees of
     synchronized gamma activity.
• The more hours each practitioner had practiced during prior years, the higher was their absolute gamma
     activity.
• Long-distance synchronizations were evident between the frontal
     and parietal leads. Long-term practitioners exhibited the highest degree of these synchronization effects.
• Two areas of the brain that were significantly active during meditation were the caudate and putamen: the
    formation of habits at successively higher-order behavioral and cognitive levels.
• Significant gamma band activity increased in the left middle frontal gyrus, which is correlated with positive
     emotions such as happiness, enthusiasm, and joy, as well as feelings of high energy and alertness.
• One Buddhist practitioner’s gamma activity, in particular, was the highest ever recorded in history.

First, it's important to understand that gamma activity, which is between 30 Hz and 80 Hz (or cycles per second), is associated with higher than average levels of sensory unification, the kind associated with intense "aha" moments. In fact, Dr. Richard Davidson, one of the principle investigators, theorizes that these monks live in a perpetual "aha" moment, continuously experiencing life in richer, more meaningful, multi-faceted ways.

Secondly, much of this increased activity was taking place in the left prefrontal lobe, which indicates that the specific brain sites correlated with higher levels of wellbeing were being systematically activated and developed through willed mental training. In effect, these results strongly infer that our basic emotional disposition, contrary to popular belief, can in fact be transformed in time to reflect greater peace, poise, and equanimity. Another way to express this idea is, “Temporal states become permanent traits.” In other words, these temporary higher states of consciousness, when evoked consistently on a daily basis, are eventually integrated into the brain’s neural firing patterns as permanent traits.

NeuroNirvana: A Brain Scientist's Experience of Consciousness

Eric W Thompson — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 21:05:32 GMT

"Oh my gosh, I'm having a stroke! I'm having a stroke! And in the next instant, the thought flashed through my mind, this is so cool!"

These were the thoughts of brain scientist (neuroanatomist) Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor as she was suffering a stroke in her left hemisphere. Remarkably, not only did she survive the experience, she also brought back a provocative story with profound implications. In this featured TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) talk, Dr. Taylor discusses her view of the left and right brain hemispheres, as well as her first-person experience of the stroke and the surreal, nirvana-like insights she received while her left hemisphere was, for all practical purposes, "offline." In her presentation, she theorizes that, if we exercise our brain's "peace circuits" by conscious choice, we can eventually embody peace and radiate it outward into the world.

The video is about 19 minutes in length. The entire talk is intriguing, but the last 10 minutes are nothing less than amazing:
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/229.

Dr. Taylor also appeared on a recent, short webcast with Oprah, wherein she expresses her belief that the neural correlates of profound inner peace are located deep within the core of the right hemisphere. You can view that video here:
http://www.oprah.com/spiritself/oss/guest/oss_guest_jboltetaylor.jhtml.

She has also written a provocative and highly recommended book, MY STROKE OF INSIGHT: A BRAIN SCIENTIST'S PERSONAL JOURNEY.

Questions:

Is it really possible to activate inherent "peace circuits" within the brain?

If so, how?

Can we cultivate peacefulness in a manner that actually hardwires peacefulness within the brain?

Is there really any scientific evidence for such an idea?

Is our society biased toward left-brained ways of being?

How do we, in Dr. Taylor's words, effectively "step to the right of our left brains"?

Are there specific methods for doing so?

Is there any research supporting the idea that humanity's deeper spiritual and altruistic capacities are mediated by the right brain?

What do YOU think?

Dan Rather Reports: Mind Science

Eric W Thompson — Fri, 09 May 2008 22:06:09 GMT

The following is a link to a Dan Rather Reports special on neuroplasticity and the power of mental training to dramatically change the brain. It features the research done on the Tibetan Buddhist monks conducted by Antoine Lutz, Richard J. Davidson and colleagues. It also features an interview with the Dalai Lama: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4846933362481486227&hl=en

I believe an important factor here is that by simply being exposed to this research, there is the prospect of opening ourselves to possibilities not previously considered. A study conducted by Carol Dweck at Stanford University illustrates thise idea very well. She found that children who had been exposed to the implications of neuroplasticity, thereby coming to believe that intelligence was able to be developed, were more likely to excel academically. You can read more about that here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7406521.

BRAINWAVE: an "only in New York" cultural festival

Eric W Thompson — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 11:59:44 GMT

BRAINWAVE asks how art, music, and meditation affect the brain and offers countless answers in more than a hundred public events, ranging from an exhibition of contemporary art and a cinema series to cutting-edge concerts, performances, talks, and panels.

This "only in New York" cultural festival is organized by six New York institutions: Rubin Museum of Art, Exit Art, Science & the Arts at The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, The Philoctetes Center at the New York Psychoanalytic Institute, and the School of Visual Arts, in association with the Public Programs/American Museum of Natural Histor y.

A Sampling of the Events:

RMA Friday, March 28, 7 p.m.

The Interfaith Experience: Spirituality, Science, and Consciousness: Exploring the Deepest Meeting Place

The second of the two-part presentation will explore current frontier studies in consciousness, science, and spirituality. With Dr. Kurt Johnson and Loch Kelley. FREE

RMA, Wednesday, March 5, 1 p.m.
Carl Jung and the Journey to Self-Discovery

Discussion Moderator: Armin Wanner, S.T.L., earned his degree from the Institute Catholique de Paris and is a practicing Jungian analyst in New York. He is a graduate of the C.G. Jung Institute in Zurich.

$10 / Free to RMA Members

RMA Saturday, February 9, 4 p.m.

The Tibetan Book of the Dead

What happens in our brains as we die'?"from the Tibetan Buddhist perspective. With Dr. Ramon Prats. $15

RMA Monday, April 7, 7 p.m.

The Satyagraha Synapse

Are we genetically predisposed to violence? Or are there other emotional forces at work that we are only now coming to understand? Mark Kurlansky, bestselling author of Cod and Salt and now of Nonviolence: Twenty-five Lessons From the History of a Dangerous Idea, exchanges ideas with neurologist Michael Meaney on the psychology of nonviolence to mark the new production of Philip Glass's opera Satyagraha at the Metropolitan Opera. Presented as part of The Satyagraha Forum $18

Aurobindo's Model of Consciousness: A Comparative Graphic View

Eric W Thompson — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 05:26:41 GMT

Below is a graphic presentation based on Aurobindo's horizontal and vertical stage models of human consciousness, as compared with those espoused by Jean Piaget, Spiral Dynamics. Plotinus, and Vedanta (the koshas). The only parts of Aurobindo's vertical system not represented in this graphic are the Subconscient and the Inconscient. I also took the liberty of adding the higher cognitive levels of Commons and Richards to Piaget's cognitive stage model. For a clearer, more detailed view, press Cntrl and + to enlarge the screen.

Holarchical Bodies of the Upper Right Quadrant

Eric W Thompson — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 05:00:23 GMT

The following is a graphic presentation I created, based upon Ken Wilber's Toward a Comprehensive Theory of Subtle Energies. The dotted arrows represent the substrate consciousness underlying all witnessed phenomena. For a closer, more detailed view, press Cntrl and + to enlarge the picture.

AQAL: A Graphic Presentation

Eric W Thompson — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 12:41:01 GMT

This is a short (3.5 min) graphic presentation of the AQAL model ("All Quadrants, All Levels, All Lines, All States, All Types," sans "Types"), based on Ken Wilber's Integral Framework. The accompanying soundtrack includes brainwave entrainment designed to encourage relaxation, and incorporates a carrier frequency designed to enhance physical invigoration. (It is generally accepted that it takes the brain at least 6 minutes to entrain to an audio stimulus properly.) Natural holarchies of subtle energies (UR) and their corresponding states of consciousness (UL) are also graphically represented.

AQAL: A Graphic Presentation

Brainwave Frequencies and Correlated States of Consciousness

Eric W Thompson — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:08:27 GMT

Brainwave Frequencies	Correlated States of Consciousness
*Epsilon/sub-Delta:* ¼ cycle per sec/1 frequency per 10 sec/1 frequency per minute - .4 Hz	Very rare, exceptional, ecstatic states of consciousness; deep spiritual insight; high level of inspiration; theorized to be the state Yogi's go into when no heart beat, respiration or pulse are noticeable.
*Delta:* .5 Hz – 3.5 Hz	Deep dreamless sleep; formless/expansive awareness; very deep meditation; healing and recuperation; deep relaxation; empathy; experience of transcending time and space.
*Theta:* 4 Hz – 7.5 Hz	Hypnogogic state; dreaming sleep; creative inspiration; insight/problem solving; vivid visualization; meditation; OBE’s, shamanic journeying; learning and memory.
*Alpha:* 8 Hz – 11.5 Hz	Accelerated learning; relaxed alertness; Zen meditation; open focus; nonlinear mental activity; the beginning of drowsiness and falling asleep; can stimulate the release serotonin (vital in the regulation of mood and sleep).
*Beta:* 12 Hz – 38 Hz	Sensorimotor awareness; physical impulses; wide awake, alert, focused; analyzes and assimilates new information rapidly, complex mental processing, peak physical and mental performance, cannot be sustained indefinitely otherwise exhaustion, anxiety, and tension result. Short bursts of beta have been used for improving cognitive intelligence, as well as euphoric states of short duration.
*Gamma:* 38 Hz – 90 Hz	Higher levels of brain organization; possesses a binding action noticeably absent in schizophrenic patients; above average integration of sensory information; hypnotic states; enhanced self awareness and insight; deep meditation; a sense of connection with the surrounding world; deepened compassion and loving kindness; clarity of mind. These brain waves are suppressed totally by anesthetic, which means they deeply influence waking consciousness and perception. Found in all parts of the brain, and are most prominent in highly developed practitioners of Tibetan Buddhist compassion meditation (metta) practice.
*Hyper Gamma:* 100+ Hz *Lambda:* 200+ Hz	Very rare; ecstatic states of consciousness; exceptional understanding and integration of sensory information; associated with the overcoming of barriers to personal development; tremendous focus/self awareness; deep feelings of love and joy. It has been theorized that Tibetan monks that walk barely clothed for days through the snow have exhibited high levels of these. They are difficult to measure and little is known about them. They are believed to be carried on the very slow moving Epsilon Waves (<0.5Hz).

Yoga Nidra: a treatment for excessive self-referencing?

Eric W Thompson — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:55:12 GMT

Recent research (led by brain researcher Troels Kjær of the Kennedy Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark) on the practice of Yoga Nidra showed significant increases in globally coherent Theta rhythms during the meditation period. With the added observation that decreases in Alpha were insignificant, this evoked state was easily distinguished from common sleep states. All participants described the evoked level of concentration and relaxation as being effortless, spontaneous, and self-arising—nothing more than the result of employing a simple method of releasing all obstacles to such effortless being.

"It proves," stated the researchers, "that the 1.5 kg [brain mass] with the unknown content can control its own activity in an astonishingly precise manner. From a holistic point of view, it indicates that the soul and body act in unity."

The occipital and parietal lobes were principally activated during the practice of Yoga Nidra, implying that (because of their connections to the limbic system) this practice opens access to emotions and particularly vivid visualization practice. And because the parietal lobe's correlation with tactile (body) and directional (spatial) imaging, an inference can be made about Yoga Nidra's capacity to enhance the meditator's egocentric spatial representation system; namely, that significant improvements in an individual's three-dimensional body representation and coordination are possible benefits of daily practice of Yoga Nidra.

Interestingly, the junction at which the parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes meet has been associated with excessive self-referencing with the emergence of an infarct in that area. In the words of James H. Austin, people suffering from such an infarct (i.e., the death of tissue due to decreased blood flow) "seemed to have lost the normal frame of reference that we use to define, and cross over, a particular conceptual boundary, the boundary that separates our own construct of self from that of another living person." This being the case, it may be possible that Yoga Nidra practice enhances and cultivates the ability to integrate one's concept of "other" into the concept of "self," thus more profoundly harmonizing them.

SOURCES

Austin, James H. Zen-Brain Reflections. Cambirdge, MA: MIT, 2006.

Lou, H C, et al. "A 15O-H2O PET study of meditation and the resting state of normal consciousness." Human Brain Mapping 7.2 (1999): 98-105.

Alpha correlates in alcohol dependence, cognitive processing, and schizophrenia

Eric W Thompson — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:24:53 GMT

Alpha and Alcohol Dependence
A Recent research study revealed that alcohol dependence in Mexican-American young adults was associated with lower spectral power in the Alpha frequency range in the right and left occipital areas in the men but not in the women.

Alpha and Cognitive Processing
1) EEG peak alpha frequency has also been shown to correlate positively with cognitive performance and to correlate negatively with age after childhood. Alpha training in neurofeedback has been shown to improve cognitive processing speed and executive function in certain cognitive faculties.

2) Results another research study showed significant correlations of reading vocabulary and response control with peak alpha frequency in recrdings taken during and after reading, but not during initial rest. This study's research team believes that these findings may reflect some general cognitive ability involved with response control or the ability to acquire vocabulary (as opposed to memory or reading ability). Interestingly, these researchers suggest that cognitive ability traits are reflections of induced cognitive states. These findings seem to support the theory underlying the accelerated learning work of Georgi Lozanov; namely, that specific states of consciousness--largely those correlating with Alpha and Theta rhythms--support deep learning.

Alpha and Schizophrenia
Increases in peak alpha frequency have also been found to have significant effect in decreasing negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, researchers have successfully increased frontal Alpha amplitude, resulting in reports of significant relief from such symptoms.

SOURCES

Angelakis, Efthymios, et al. "EEG neurofeedback: a brief overview and an example of peak alpha frequency training for cognitive enhancement in the elderly." The Clinical Neuropsychologist 21.1 (Jan. 2007): 110-129.

Angelakis, Efthymios, Joel F Lubar, and Stamatina Stathopoulou. "Electroencephalographic peak alpha frequency correlates of cognitive traits." Neuroscience Letters 371.1 (16 Nov. 2004): 60-63.

Ehlers, Cindy L, and Evelyn Phillips.. "Association of EEG alpha variants and alpha power with alcohol dependence in Mexican American young adults." Alcohol (Fayetteville, N.Y.) 41.1 (Feb. 2007): 13-20.

Jin, Yi, et al. "Therapeutic effects of individualized alpha frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation (alphaTMS) on the negative symptoms of schizophrenia." Schizophrenia Bulletin 32.3 (27 July 2006): 556-561.

Causal Efficacy: Mind Over Matter

Eric W Thompson — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 20:11:33 GMT

Mike Merzenich's studies with monkeys reveal the power of attention to change the brain. His experiments were set up so that two groups of monkeys were studied. While both groups received identical audio and tactile stimulation, they differed in that one group was taught to pay attention to the tactile stimulation and the other group was trained to give special attention to the auditory stimulation.

The results were revealing. The tactile group exhibited specific neural development only in the part of the brain associated with that function, and the audio group likewise showed significant change only in the part of the brain associated with that particular function. Though this study would seem to offer evidence for the mind's causal efficacy over the brain, many researchers instead explain it by deferring the power of attention to brain states that generate attention.

The Perennial Philosophy, however, views the results of this study as simply the natural outcome of the Great Chain of Being: Matter, Body, Mind, Soul, and Spirit. Each succeeding level of the Great Chain possesses inherently greater power than its junior levels, acting as a kind of attractor field upon the lower levels, so as to express evolutionary emergence. Each higher level solves problems that the lower levels are incapable of handling. For example, the second law of thermodynamics dictates that matter must decay and die, thus apparently ruling out the possibility of evolution. Yet we know that biological systems do, in fact, evolve; and they do so precisely because the level of consciousness in which biological systems arise (i.e., Body) is inherently more powerful than that of Matter and indeed operates according to laws which supercede those governing Matter. The science of biology, therefore, is able to explain and contain more of the findings of physics than vice versa.

The same is true concerning psychology and biology. Psychology is capable, I believe, of explaining more of biology than vice versa, simply because it is of a higher level of consciousness (while remaining intimately connected with biology). In the monistic view of Buddhism, they are simply different levels of the same thing, each higher level being subtler and less rigid than its junior. Each higher level of consciousness only seems to emerge out of (or be caused by) its junior simply because it was already present as a field of potentiality all along.

We also observe the same holarchical relationship between Mind and Soul, I believe, when witnessing many of the problems occuring in the field of psychology and conventional psychotherapy. As successful as cognitive-behavior therapy, for example, can be, it still often lacks the causal efficacy required to oversome deeper psycho-spiritual issues. The level of Mind alone is just not enough to do the job. The levels of Soul and Spirit, however, are capable of acting as powerful attractor fields that overcome the problems and illusions of the lower levels, and they do this by virtue of being the Reality of what is, to which there is no actual opposite. Sri Aurobindo, who witnessed the beginnings of psychoanalysis (and was, in fact, a contemporary of Freud's), advised his students to first become intimate with the innermost being (i.e., Soul) before attempting to tackle the unconscious impulses. In his view, the innermost being was more causally efficacious than the unconscious, and was thus needed to be contacted in order to prevent the mind from being overwhelmed by the unconscious.

All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2007 Eric Thompson

David Chalmers: The Science of Consciousness Thus Far

Eric W Thompson — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:45:04 GMT

David Chalmers: The Science of Consciousness Thus Far

Stuart Hameroff: Quantum Consciousness

Eric W Thompson — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:46:26 GMT

Stuart Hameroff: Quantum Consciousness

Altered States, Peak Experiences and Brainwave Signatures

Eric W Thompson — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:46:56 GMT

The following is a graphic presentation of reported states of consciousness as viewed from the upper quadrants of Ken Wilber's 4-Quadrant Model. The right half of the graphic is the Upper Right (UR - Individual Exterior), while the left half is the Upper Left (UL - Individual Interior). Whereas the UR represents the scientific, objective, third-person view of such states, the UL represents the subjective, phenomenological, first-person experience of various states of consciousness.

For better resolution, click on the graphic to view a larger version. You can also enlarge the picture simply by pressing Cntrl and + at the same time until the desired size is achieved.

Anecdotally and Empirically Reported Benefits of Entrainment Technology

Eric W Thompson — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 12:59:18 GMT

Anecdotally and Empirically Reported Benefits of Entrainment Technology

Accelerated learning, increased ability to handle stress, improved sleep, improved cognitive performance, calmness, centeredness, composure, resourcefulness, significantly increased creativity, joy, peace, contentment, self actualization, significant increases in IQ and GPA, self esteem, self confidence, increased freedom from fear, increased memory, significantly improved focus and problem solving

Normalizes the nervous system (releases stress, which in turn strengthens the immune system)
Stimulates new dendritic growth, new neural pathways and new synaptic connections
Stimulates the release of beta endorphins, acetylcholine, catecholemines, and vasopressin (all of which are vital for learning and memory)
Stimulates the release of serotonin (vital for mood control and sleep)
Stimulates the release of melatonin (vital for optimal sleep, rest, and recuperation)
Stimulates the release of dhea (vital for the regulation of all other hormones; anti-aging qualities)
Decreases the release of cortisol (stress-related hormone that accelerates the aging process and inhibits learning and memory)
Brief periods in the Theta brainwave pattern reinstate the proper sodium to potassium ratio, which is often thrown out of balance in the Beta state and is experienced as mental fatigue.

Increases in dentritic length

Increases brain mass

Increases cerebral blood flow

Decreases stress related neurochemicals

Boosts IQ

Increase alertness (in autism)

Reduce tantrums and aggressiveness (in autism)

Reduce hyperactivity (in autism)

Improved speech articulation and vocabulary (in autism)

Normalisation of sleep patterns (in autism)

More neural connections make learning easier

Improved long and short term memory

Encourages high efficiency "flow" states

Speeds recovery

Greatly reduces or eliminates chronic depression and anxiety

Eliminates or greatly reduces both chronic and transient pain

More AQAL Possibilities for an Integral Education

Eric W Thompson — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 03:48:14 GMT

The following are possibilities for incorporating the AQAL Model into an integral education. Of course, this represents just a small taste of the possibilities, and I have since found at least one article (by Sean Esbjorn-Hargens) that gives a great example of how Integral Theory can be applied to education. If I were to write on this subject again, I'd probably spend much more time on research. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Applying the Quadrants to an Integral Education

As a first step in conceiving what a genuine Integral Education might look like, we'll take a short tour through all four Quadrants. Beginning with the UL, we must incorporate solutions which address the paradigmatic problem within the interior consciousness of the individual, which might take the form of:

Addressing the student's (as well as the teacher's) negative beliefs about how difficult learning is supposed to be. In this regard, the research findings of accelerated learning and alternative education experts such as Lozanov, Scheele, Montessori, Steiner, and Wenger would prove very helpful, particularly their findings which strongly suggest that humans are born to learn. Likewise, the research of French psychologist Jean Piaget also suggests that learning, although aided by outside forces, is a naturally occurring and intuitive process that occurs spontaneously within children of all cultures. Such study and inquiry can only aid the student's progress in successful learning. When we become inwardly convinced of our innate abilities to learn, this conviction supercharges the entire learning process and we become comfortable with our ability to learn how to learn.
Encouraging each student's daily positive affirmation of his or her innate ability to learn and adapt. Without going into all the available research, it is sufficient to say that expectation really does influence perception and performance. When students become aware that how they affirm their learning experience actually affects their results, they can learn to affirm their innate ability to learn how to learn. And when this happens, they tend to get more of what they reinforce, which effectively lessens resistance to learning and actually makes the learning process more rewarding and exciting.
Discovering each student's peculiar learning style (i.e. visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc.), and then finding ways to cater to them.
Utilizing teaching methods and covering subjects which engage multiple intelligences. Whatever intelligences might not be practical for extensive coverage in class, can at the very least be brought to attention in ways that help build increasing awareness of them in individual students (further examples of how certain lines of intelligence might be addressed is covered in the Lines section below). Remember, cross-training between lines of development contributes to a degree of growth and development otherwise impossible by simply concentrating on a single line of intelligence.
Incorporating visualization in the classroom to facilitate greater ease of learning.
Incorporating the natural human capacity of the other-than-conscious mind for peripheral learning in the classroom, which refers to research that strongly suggests that the other-than-conscious mind (aka "pre-conscious processor") is constantly registering all stimuli in the field of awareness, though it is often doing so below the threshold of conscious awareness. According to learning specialist Paul Scheele, though the conscious mind is capable of processing an impressive seven bits of information per second, the other-than-conscious mind is capable of processing an amazing one hundred thousand bits of information per second. One of the ways in which Bulgarian psychologist and researcher Georgi Lozanov has incorporated the capacities of the other-than-conscious mind into the class room is by creating unique alphabet and lesson boards, lit by special lighting, which are strategically hung around the periphery of the classroom, to assist in what Lozanov refers to as spontaneous absorption of teaching material. Lauded by at least twenty UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Science and Cultural Organization) experts and many educators worldwide, Suggestopedia is a breakthrough accelerated teaching method which incorporates many synergistic elements to help draw out more of the child's innate reserves of vast learning potential (more of which will be introduced in the States section below). What follows are comments from just a few who have researched the vast learning potential of the other-than-conscious mind: "Your conscious mind is very intelligent, and your subconscious mind is a hell of a lot smarter." - Milton Erickson (eminent medical hypnotist); "The term paraconsciousness comprises also all non-verbal automated activities in their mental reflexion. It also comprises the unconscious automated elements within the limits of conscious mental activity. When we operate with various concepts, when we read or solve problems and are, on the whole, consciously concentrating our attention on some activity, we are not aware of many elementary components which constitute these activities and are unconscious for the moment. For example: the ideas which build up notions; the letters and even the words of sentences which we happen to be reading; the unconscious judgments and premises hidden in the shortened formulas of thinking, as well as the codes and symbols. Paraconsciousness is of paramount importance for suggestopedia because we make purposeful use of many of its resources. For example, by means of a wide variety of peripheral perceptions we quickly send what is to be memorised to the long term memory. The ease of the acquisition brings about the humanisation of the learning process. Paraconsciousness is a substantial source for development of creativity. A lot of interesting ideas can be hinted at by paraconsciousness. Paraconsciousness embraces the unconscious sides of creativity as well as intuition and inspiration." - Dr. Georgi Lozanov (developer of Suggestopedia)

In the UR, to address the paradigmatic problem within the exterior realm of observable, scientific facts in the individual, we might consider incorporating:

Various nutritional supplements which have been scientifically shown to support proper brain functioning and improved memory. While some substances, such as ginko biloba, have been shown to have no observable effect upon learning and memory, there are some which have, such as bacopa.
Both right brain and left brain learning techniques. Though some researchers debunk the idea of specialized learning capabilities peculiar to each hemisphere, many techniques which combine so-called left brain tendencies (which have been labeled as logical, sequential, analytical, and objective) with right brain capacities (often labeled as intuitive, holistic, random, synthesizing, and subjective) prove to be quite useful. For example, as an alternative to traditional linear note-taking, Mind-mapping notes in class utilizes not only linguistic memory, but also adds the greater capacities of spatial/visual and associative memory in the human brain.
Various brain/mind machines which use imbedded sound frequencies (usually binaural beat frequencies), listened to through headphones, to induce deep hemispheric synchronization. EEG studies done on some long-term users have shown that such deep synchronization actually becomes permanent to a large degree (after several years of use, of course), due to the brain's neuroplasticity (i.e. the brain's ability to grow in complexity in response to a repeated mental stimulus, such as meditation). In other words, as a result of being exposed daily (over the course of months and years) to the immense fluctuations created by the sound stimulus, the brain grows new synaptic connections and even new neural pathways (which increase communication between various parts of the left and right hemispheres of the brain) in response, and begins the consistent release of various life-enhancing neurochemicals (such as endorphins) and anti-aging hormones (such as DHEA). This growth in complexity actually leads to higher levels of functioning. One of the common benefits reported by users of some of these technologies is the emergence of accelerated learning capabilities (for example, some previously "C" and "D" students have reported becoming "A" and "B" students as a result of using such technology; my own extensive use of and experience with such technology certainly seems to confirm such claims). While one of the reasons for this increase in learning ability is surely due to increased communication efficiency within the brain, an even more profound reason is that many negative emotional influences are often spontaneously released during the course of long term use of such technology, which in turn results in less resistance to, and internal flux in, the learning process. Dr. Lester Fehmi, brain state researcher and director of the Princeton Behavioral Medicine and Biofeedback Clinic, has said, brain synchronization "is correlated experientially with a union with experience, and 'into-it-ness.' Instead of feeling separate and narrow-focused you tend to feel more into it...There's a whole-brain sensory integration going on and it's as if you become less self-conscious and function more intuitively." This ‘into-it-ness' of which he speaks is one of the reasons why such technologies need to be more seriously researched in both the academic and scientific arenas.
Lynn Freeman Dhority's twelve brain-based learning guidelines: 1) Each brain is unique. 2) The human brain can grow new synaptic connections at any age. 3) Most learning is subconscious. 4) Mind/body connections are vital. 5)The brain looks for meaning. 6) The brain develops in contact with others. 7) Learning involves whole-brain activity. 8) Language learning is influenced by specific developmental stages/windows. 9) Information is stored in multiple pathways. 10) Threat and high stress inhibit learning. 11) Emotions enhance attention, meaning and memory. 12) The brain adapts itself to its environment.

In the LL, the paradigmatic problem can be addressed within the interior and inherited Cultural values of the Collective by incorporating:

The power of Community. Waldorf schools and Suggestopedia methods both incorporate the power of community-based learning and anchoring in their rather successful approaches to education.
Transformative Learning. Having roots in psychoanalytic theory, critical social theory, and depth psychology, Transformative Learning was first developed as a concept by Jack Mezirow and later critiqued and re-shaped by others, such as Robert Boyd. As one writer (O'Sullivan) put it, "Transformative learning involves experiencing a deep, structural shift in the basic premises of thought, feelings, and actions. It is a shift of consciousness that dramatically and irreversibly alters our way of being in the world. Such a shift involves our understanding of ourselves and our self-locations; our relationships with other humans and with the natural world; our understanding of relations of power in interlocking structures of class, race and gender; our body awarenesses, our visions of alternative approaches to living; and our sense of possibilities for social justice and peace and personal joy." While the "terrain" covered here certainly touches the UL, the LL world of interior Cultural experience is also profoundly touched.
Discussion of, and serious inquiry into, how Cultural world views influence development in the other three Quadrants. For example, the context in which an individual's subjective conscious experience (UL) is born is largely determined by the LL. Pervasive, culturally-influenced gender values of the LL may occasionally clash with individual biological drives in the UR. Or, as this paper states, the Social System (LR) may have evolved to a level which the current Educational Paradigm (LL) is becoming increasingly unable to handle, which results in increased tension and entropy.

And in the LR, to address the paradigmatic problem within the exterior realm of Social systems and processes, we might consider:

Incorporating the non-threatening learning environment of Suggestopedia, which integrates classical art, aesthetics, songs, laughter, games, games in games, communication in the spirit of love, respect for man as a human being, specific gentle assignments of complicated tasks by means of ‘communicative suggestion,' the gentle and indirect correction of mistakes, the lack of complicated homework, a stimulating atmosphere, making use of conscious and sub-conscious processes, special lighting, and a unique method of concert listenings where lesson plans are rhythmically pulsed to the largo movement of various Baroque musical compositions in a manner that allows for spontaneous absorption of teaching material (more of which is expounded upon in the section on States, which includes the address of the official website of Suggestopedia's creator, Dr. Georgi Lozanov, for further research).
The teacher as Presence. In Maria Montessori's famous words, "Scientific observation has established that education is not what the teacher gives; education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual, and is acquired not by listening to words but by experiences upon the environment. The task of the teacher becomes that of preparing a series of motives of cultural activity, spread over a specially prepared environment, and then refraining from obtrusive interference. Human teachers can only help the great work that is being done, as servants help the master. Doing so, they will be witnesses to the unfolding of the human soul and to the rising of a New Man who will not be a victim of events, but will have the clarity of vision to direct and shape the future of human society."
Environmental learning "sound systems." These are sound technologies similar to the ones mentioned in the UR, but are designed for playback over public audio systems, and have been shown to assist in inducing and maintaining states of increased focus in the classroom.

Lines

As previously mentioned, Lines refer to individual developmental lines of intelligence, all of which touch and influence each other, yet have been shown through extensive research to develop in a manner that his highly independent. Using the Cognitive and Moral lines as examples, we can say that cognitive intelligence is necessary but not sufficient for the development of moral intelligence. As our earlier money embezzling example demonstrated so well, it is possible and quite common for an individual to possess a highly developed cognitive line of intelligence and still remain under-developed in the moral line. However, further research has suggested that extensive development in the Intrapersonal and Spiritual lines of development (e.g. via contemplative and meditative traditions, practices, and intensive self-inquiry) most often does result in a measurable rise in moral development.

In any case, just a short tour through the reality of multiple lines of intelligence is enough to illustrate the current paradigmatic problem within our current education system of catering to only a few of the intelligences available to all human beings. And as previously mentioned, evidence suggests that the right combination of intelligent cross-training goes a lot further than rigid specialization.

With that in mind, we might incorporate this knowledge into an Integral Education by:

Engaging in activities which, in some way, touch upon the major lines of intelligence and encourage the student's deepening awareness of them.
Incorporating the Kinesthetic line of intelligence into the classrooms. For example, in Suggestopedia children practice their vowel sounds as their classmates give them back massages. As certain areas of the spine are massaged, the students sound out each vowel in exaggerated, relief-filled tones (e.g. "ah," "oh," "ooh"). Various other types of light touch are also used in order to kinesthetically anchor learning in developing children.
Incorporating the Intrapersonal line of intelligence into lesson plans. According to cognitive psychologist Howard Gardner, intrapersonal "intelligence, (self smart) refers to having an understanding of yourself, of knowing who you are, what you can do, what you want to do, how you react to things, which things to avoid, and which things to gravitate toward. We are drawn to people who have a good understanding of themselves because those people tend not to screw up. They tend to know what they can do. They tend to know what they can't do. And they tend to know where to go if they need help." Intrapersonal intelligence is the ability to really know one's own emotions, aspirations, and intentions. Incorporating this intelligence in the classroom would entail the encouragement of: the expression of one's likes and dislikes in particular activities; the communication of feelings; an awareness of strengths and weaknesses; confidence in one's own abilities; the setting of appropriate goals; a healthy ambition; understanding oneself; focusing on one's inner dreams and feelings; learning to follow one's intuition/instincts; following one's personal interests; and the virtue of originality. Waldorf schools have successfully incorporated such intelligence into class curriculum, as is evident in the school's description: "Developed by Rudolf Steiner in 1919, Waldorf education is based on a developmental approach that addresses the needs of the growing child and maturing adolescent. Waldorf teachers strive to transform education into an art that educates the whole child-the heart and the hands, as well as the head."
Incorporating the Emotional line of intelligence into the classroom. As we all know, emotions exert such a powerful influence over our level of success (or lack thereof) in any level of endeavor. What makes this intelligence so crucial is the fact that it touches and influences so many other lines of intelligence, including the Intrapersonal (confidence, intentionality, self-control, curiosity, etc.) and Interpersonal (relatedness, capacity to communicate, cooperation, managing relationships, etc.) lines of development. According to Daniel Goleman, author of the 1995 bestseller Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, Emotional Intelligence can be divided into the following five competencies: 1) The ability to identify and name one's emotional states and to understand the link between emotions, thought and action. 2) The capacity to manage one's emotional states - to control emotions or to shift undesirable emotional states to more adequate ones. 3) The ability to enter into emotional states (at will) associated with a drive to achieve and be successful. 4) The capacity to read, be sensitive to, and influence other people's emotions. 5) The ability to enter and sustain satisfactory interpersonal relationships.
Incorporating Visual/Spatial Intelligence. As LdPride.net (the official website of Learning Disabilities Pride) states, this line of intelligence is best incorporated through the use of maps, charts, pictures, videos, movies, puzzle building, reading, writing, charts and graphs, sketching, painting, visual metaphors and analogies (via the visual arts), constructing, fixing, designing practical objects, and interpreting visual images.
Incorporating Musical Intelligence: Research has suggested that children involved in learning musical instrumentation regularly perform higher in mathematical skills.

Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list. But it may serve as a jumping off point from which a greater understanding of how a more encompassing and engaging education may be accomplished.

Levels (or Stages)

The concept of Levels simply refers to the developmental stages which have been thoroughly researched in developmental psychology, and derives its importance in education from the notion that each level of development has a peculiar effect upon learning, that various approaches to teaching can be strategically implemented during specific stages of development. For example, according to the extensive research of French psychologist Jean Piaget, all humans, regardless of culture, evolve through several stages of cognitive development, all of which produce specific effects upon the intuitive learning process. These stages are: the sensorimotor stage (ranging from simple to complex sensorimotor skills); the preoperational stage (the use of symbols); the concrete operations stage (the use of logical operations and principles in problem solving); and the formal operations stage (which advances to logical operations within abstract contexts; adult-style thinking).

Although Piaget's developmental scheme only addresses the evolution of cognitive intelligence, it still gives an idea of how an Integral Education could be designed to be stage-specific, though it might attempt to avoid being too narrow in its interpretation of what is developmentally appropriate. Several other such developmental schemes, along various lines of intelligence, could also be investigated.

States

I believe one of the major paradigmatic issues of our current education system needing to be addressed has to do with the mental states which we commonly (and mostly unconsciously) cultivate within the learning environment. And one of the major advances in our understanding of how virtually anyone can accelerate learning comes from extensive research done on relaxation techniques, visualization, and meditative practices which help to induce ideal states of consciousness conducive to accelerated learning.

The three most basic states of consciousness which virtually every human experiences every twenty-four hour period are waking, dreaming, and deep sleep, each of which have corresponding brainwave states that have been thoroughly researched. The waking state, the state in which most people commonly approach a learning situation, has a corresponding brainwave state that researchers refer to as the Beta brainwave state, and has been shown to be largely ineffective for many learning situations. What researchers have found regarding the dream state is that its associated brainwaves (Alpha and Theta) are not only conducive to optimal learning, they can also be induced via training in techniques of relaxation, visualization, and meditation, as well as by the use of specific musical compositions and embedded sound frequencies.

As was mentioned in a previous section, the common presence of threat and high stress in conventional education actually inhibits learning. Experimenting with a new approach in 1964 at the Department of Psychiatry of the Postgraduate Medical Institute in Sofia, Bulgarian researcher and psychologist Dr. Georgi Lozanov discovered that by utilizing the largo movements of select Baroque compositions (averaging sixty beats per minute in tempo, which is roughly equivalent to the average human heart beat), he could effectively induce a light Theta state (which is just short of the point where sleep begins to kick in) in students which placed them in an ideal learning state where the sense of threat and stress where all but eliminated. While students were relaxing in this state (stretched out on lawn chairs), lesson plans were rhythmically spoken in conjunction with the music, creating a virtually stress-free learning environment. To document the effectiveness of this approach, Lozanov brought in a group who had had no prior training in the French language, and used the method to teach them one thousand words in one day. These were words picked by each individual, indicating no prior knowledge of what these specific words meant. When a comprehension test was given to the group afterword, the average score was an incredible 98.08%. Apparently, when deep hemispheric synchronization (such as is afforded in both the Alpha and Theta states) is induced, along with the implementation of what Lozanov refers to as tender communicative suggestion (that is, non-hypnotic suggestion) in the spoken lessons, the brain simply operates more efficiently, with less energy required and more accuracy. Research also suggests that the Theta state (4Hz - 7Hz) opens access to deep memory. It would seem that in such a deeply relaxed state, the other-than-conscious mind is able to readily absorb and organize material in a much more efficient manner than usual, allowing that material to be more readily available as it is needed.

A startling example of the kind of effects which can occur when more efficient and accelerated learning states are used in the classroom comes from 1997's Superlearning 2000: New Triple Fast Ways You Can Learn, Earn, and Succeed in the 21st Century by Sheila Ostrander and Lynn Schroeder. In it they describe some of the rather amazing and unexpected benefits experienced by young students when their French teacher began using Lozanov's Suggestopedia methods in class. While Bach's Goldberg Variations played in the background, students lounged peacefully on lawn chairs and listened to their lesson plans spoken rhythmically to the music, and did so while being immersed in profoundly relaxed states in the Alpha to Theta range. Not only did this teacher find that her worst students were now getting As and Bs, she also noticed something she never expected: her students began giving her numerous reports of how much better they were getting along with their families and other children, and her student's parents were reporting how much more well-adjusted their previously troubled children were behaving as a result of having attended her class. This and many other examples from extensive research very strongly indicate that not only do such accelerated learning states release the stress which inhibits learning (this stress itself being a natural by-product of our current inefficient, linear educational paradigm), they also are conducive to releasing profound emotional trauma that can often lead to neurosis. In other words, this new paradigm introduced by Lozanov not only makes learning much easier and more organic, it also helps to produce healthier and more emotionally balanced human beings. This, of course, also has implications in the development of Emotional Intelligence.

So we find that these kinds of states give us access not only to our deep memory potential, but also open us to profound emotional healing. As Dr. Georgi Lozanov writes (from http://dr-lozanov.dir.bg/, his official website):

"First of all, in our medical psycho-therapeutic practice we have witnessed many a time fits of super recollection of a number of details from life, which have connection with the disease. This is not about Freud's ungrounded sex hypotheses but the simple hypermnesia (super recollection). Most often this hypermnesia showed a tendency to complete healing. The better, the more systematically and the more emotionally the patient recollected, the more stabilized his/her recovery was. There are two Bulgarian psycho-therapeutic methods, those of N. Krastnikov (1929) and K. Cholakov (1933), with which the healing effect is based on hypermnesia. That is something we later noticed with suggestopaedia. The students have a considerably enhanced memory and a by-product of suggestopaedic learning is the healing stabilization [italics mine]. This was something which the seven Bulgarian professors also detected. Those were specialists who under the request of the Ministries of Education and of National Health had to give a qualified opinion about the possible injuries suggestopaedia might have on health. However, they reported that suggestopaedia can be even a psycho-therapeutic method."

Furthermore, not only does forty years of experience with Lozanov's methodologies suggest the supercharging of both long-term memory and emotional healing, it also repeatedly demonstrates what Lozanov refers to as a provoked hyper-creativity. Again, Lozanov writes:

"Intuition is activated and states similar to inspiration arise. These are outwardly expressed in a decidedly greater creative manifestation of personality. A number of experiments have shown that the manifestation of artistic, musical and even mathematical abilities (in accordance with any given person's manifested and potential abilities) increases considerably both quantitatively and qualitatively. Suggestological experiments have shown the possibility of accelerated creative self-development. Here again we find the same psychophysiological laws that are characteristic of hypermnesia (some absolutely the same and others with certain modifications according to the nature of the reserve phenomena)."

Other methods of learning which have successfully incorporated the induction of accelerated learning states, such as Learning Strategies Corporation's PhotoReading Whole Mind System, Lynn Schroeder's and Sheila Ostrander's Superlearning program, and the Brain Management program by Subliminal Dynamics, can be easily researched on the internet, if further interest ensues. Athough healthy skepticism is always advised in such matters, I believe understanding how our mental states affect the learning process is crucial in developing a new model and methodology for an Integral Education.

Ken Wilber's 4 Quadrants & Integral Education

Eric W Thompson — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 03:25:39 GMT

A civilization's technological power base in the LR can often evolve faster than the Cultural paradigm of education in the LL, contributing to a felt tension as a culture struggles, waiting for its interior world to mature to a level of competence relative to its exterior development. We can see this scenario play out in many high schools where the analytical methods of teaching and learning first instituted during the Industrial Revolution are still used today. Although our current techno-socio-economic base has evolved far beyond that of the Industrial Revolution (LR), our basic educational model (LL) has not. Today's children inhabit a complex world (LR) unforeseen fifty years ago, yet we maintain the confines of an academic model (LL) incapable of adequately handling its demanding provocation. The backwash manifests as tension, stress, anxiety, and overwhelm.

The study of dissipative structures reveals that when an open system (which is what an education system really is) begins to experience such overwhelm, it is due to the system's inability to disperse enough of the increasing entropy (chaos) into its surrounding environment. When this occurs, only one of two outcomes can result. Either the system will become overwhelmed by the increasing entropy and die, or a bifurcation point will arise in which an entirely new system evolves out of the old, producing a higher level of functioning. Likewise, our current educational paradigm is showing signs of such building entropy, and is coming to a point where its ability to contain the incredible stimulus of the Information Age will necessitate a jump to an altogether new model capable of doing the job.

All four Quadrants will need to be accessed in order to reach a consensus as to what an Integral Education encompasses. While the currently popular field of neuroscience is providing many answers as to how and why humans learn, it represents only one quadrant (UR). In order to engage the whole person, we must engage all the Quadrants. A few simple examples of incorporating the other quadrants include: addressing each student's inner beliefs about how easy or difficult various subjects are for him or her to learn (UL); incorporating Maria Montessori's concept of teacher as "felt presence" in the classroom (LR); spiritual community-based learning (LL); Lynn Freeman Dhority's twelve brain-based learning guidelines (UR); utilizing teaching methods which engage multiple intelligences and encourage awareness of other intelligences not focused on in class (UL); implementing Suggestopedia's innovative brain state-specific learning methods and environments (LR); incorporating visualization in the classroom to facilitate ease and flow of learning (UL); and the use of environmental learning sound systems, which utilize special audio frequencies in the classroom to effectively encourage calm, focused attention and optimal brain function (LR). These are merely a few of the many available approaches each of the Quadrants is able to offer us in effectively making the jump to a higher Educational Paradigm.

~ Eric ~

The following video presents some interesting neurological and consciousness-based reasons for the problematic nature of the coventional structuring of finals week in most universities. While the logic presented makes sense, keep in mind that Dr. Travis is clearly advertising for the Maharishi University of Management. Regardless, I believe the basic message is important. That being said, allow me to state that I do not practice TM, I am not associated with either MUM or the TM organization, and my intention in presenting this kind of material is to promote contemplative practices in general.

Finals Week: It's Crazy

Though the following video refers to integral education, the speaker uses the term according to Sri Aurobindo's use of that term rather than to Ken Wilber's. It is still a revealing look into what education can look like, however. Please bear in mind that when the term "psychic" is used, this refers to Aurobindo's term for the innermost being of an individual, claiming--rightly, I believe--that it is this innermost being that must be cultivated at an early age.

Integral Education: An Aurobindian Perspective

Evolution of the Lower Right Quadrant & Psychological Disorders

Eric W Thompson — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:48:18 GMT

Evolution of the Lower Right Quadrant & Psychological Disorders

In one of my recent psychology classes my professor stated that prior to the sixties the reported cases of multiple personality disorder per year were minimal, but exploded into the thousands after the movie adaptation of "Sybil," which created a national fascination with MPD (now known Dissociative Identity Disorder [DID]). He suggested that a combination of misdiagnosis, sensationalism and narcissistic fascination with being "special" accounted for this rise in diagnosis of MPD. I politely commented that this was probably the case, at least in part, but certainly not entirely. I suggested that many people have "fallen through the cracks" prior to that time because of the stigma of finding professional psychiatric help, and that a lot of people still to this day neglect treatment due to the stigma that follows. He didn't seem to share my sentiments, so I let it rest. Later, during a discussion of the DSM IV, Wilber's All-Quadrant model served as a flash of inspiration vividly illustrating how such a proliferation of psychological disorders could be arising so quickly. I shared the illumination in an email to my professor:

Hi,

Just realized something a few moments ago. I was talking to a friend about the DSM IV, and he mentioned how new disorders had been added. I asked myself, "How could such new disorders be arising? Is it simply because of the attention such disorders have gotten of late, and possibly because people are simply convincing themselves they have such disorders?" It seemed this could be the case, and I'm certain this is true in many cases, but it didn't provide a completely satisfying answer.

Then a flash: the lower right quadrant (LR) has evolved at an alarming and ever-increasing rate over the last two hundred years. With such an accelerated pace of techno-socio-economic development, individual consciousness in the upper left quadrant, in many cases, is finding it increasingly more difficult to handle the stress. Thus, with a lack of coping skills to keep up with the accelerated pace, certain dysfunctional behaviors manifest as types of mostly unconscious coping mechanisms.

In the meantime, such individuals often find themselves also having to raise children even while unsuccessfully coping with their own place in the ever-evolving world. Consequently, the younger generation finds itself not only having to cope with a social system that is evolving faster than they are evolving subjectively (in interior consciousness in the UL), but they are also subject to parenting that itself is the product of less than successful inner adaptation to the outer social environment.

Historically, the UL simply doesn't evolve as fast or as readily as the LR, creating an ever-increasing tension that grows in complexity as each new generation inherits at least some of the inefficiencies of the older generation. Of course, I'm not saying that each generation has been entirely unsuccessful. Certainly not. Spiritual evolution has, thank God, happened in spite of such inherent weaknesses in the human social condition. However, it seems to provide a viable clue as to why many new psychological disorders have emerged, as well as why older ones have grown in number. In other words, something really is happening psychologically on a large scale.

I think that with the acceleration of the socio-economic system, consciousness in the UL is being perpetually stretched and urged to develop. However, since most individuals tend to move outward to try to find the peace the they are seeking, it actually works to only increase the stress as well as the manifestation of dysfunctional behaviors. The good news is that with such unrelenting stimulation provided by the LR, the UL is all the more motivated to find genuine peace and genuine answers. It seems to make sense to a degree.

Sincerely,
Eric

The Information Age, Scientism & Developmental Fragmentation

Eric W Thompson — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:48:54 GMT

The Information Age, Scientism & Developmental Fragmentation

After entering the blog on The Evolution of the Lower Right Quadrant & The Development of Psychological Pathologies, I read Ken Wilber's Integral Spirituality for a third time and came across a footnote on page 190:

"Industrialization (LR) can contribute to dissociation, but only if there is no spiritual wisdom at the same level to balance it...."

The dissociation Wilber is speaking of here is the dissociation of Science from the other value spheres of Art and Morals (all three of which make up the Big 3: I, We & It[s]), the result of which is the absolutizing of Science, which Wilber refers to as scientism.

He goes on to mention in the footnote that scientism tends to absolutize the UR (via empirical studies of the fundamentals of material reality), and can also engender "hyper-idealization of rationality and a repugnance of all things mythic..." This being the case, scientism often represents the conventional stage of development and thus tends to categorize all spiritual disciplines as magical thinking. Such categorizing commits what Wilber refers to as a Pre/Trans Fallacy, which confuses postconventional or transpersonal development for preconventional development, or vice versa. Even when scientism doesn't commit this fallacy, as in the case of neurotheology, it nevertheless reduces all mystical experience down to neural processes.

This absolutism of Science (or the Right-hand Quadrants) stems, Wilber says, from a Level/Line Fallacy (LLF): the modern and postmodern world, fed up with the mythic (or amber) level of spirituality (occupying the Left-hand Quadrants), confused the spiritual line of intelligence stuck at the amber level with spiritual intelligence itself, thus developing both a contempt for mythic-membership modes of thought and an unbalanced faith in Science, as well as denying the spiritual line of intelligence altogether: the birth of scientism.

Now with all of this going on, I believe, it makes much more sense that certain pathologies would begin to develop in the UL, particularly because it's been largely marginalized. Even psychology has had (and still has) a struggle of being accepted as a genuine scientific field of endeavor, and conventional psychology rarely enters into the realm of spiritual wisdom needed to adequately meet the demands of a hyper-accelerated Information Age. The results from such LR-acceleration and UL-deceleration (in the face of scientism) is developmental fragmentation and the ongoing emergence of new psychological disorders in the UL.