Dear friends,

No overarching theme this week, no special message. Let me just point out a few conversations you may have missed and a few places your input might be important.

Commenting on the second Integral Spirituality conference call, Fairyfaye has asked an interesting question about the way Ken presents the quadrants, the big three, and the Modernist denial of spirituality: “in 'integral spirituality' i heard for the first time, ken say that when the big3 value spheres(arts/morals/science) were differentiated, it should have been 4: spirituality was not differentiated. I'm trying to figure out, if the big3 value spheres are the 4q's then where does the spirituality value sphere fit into the 4q map??” At first blush it seems to be a slight wrinkle in the AQAL map. Do you have the tools to smooth it out for us? Some folks around the office suspect Ken would say that Spirit manifests equally in all four quadrants, and so spirituality as a value sphere transcends and includes all four quadrants. What do you think?

Speaking of wrinkles to be smoothed out, can you help Yschachter and Kessels figure out what the Wilber, as a unit, should measure? Integralism? Development? Rhetorical Force? 

One of the advantages of this blog is its opportunity to tie related threads together. A number of interesting discussions living an Integral Christianity have arisen separately in the forums, and may benefit from exposure to one another. Describing difficulties in his relationship with Mother Mary, Timelody says “… that is where I feel Christianity (and especially mystical Catholicism) has a lot to teach us about Spirit's manifest potential in the world/ or our own potential to manifest Spirit in the world. These things are just too extraordinary (and too real) to ignore.”  This raises issues not far afield from those mentioned in the “Integral Contemplative Christianity” thread that was quite active a while back, in which people discussed methods of personalizing their connection to Christ and Christianity, and also the “Is Integral Christianity still Christian?” thread, which deals with the challenges of taking Christianity beyond its mythic-rational expressions.

And it may be no coincidence that these all tie in nicely with the ongoing discussion of Integral Spirituality chapter 9, “The Conveyor Belt.” This chapter must have particularly captured the imagination of ISC members, as the conversation about it is still going strong, and getting deep into questions of what really causes or inspires developmental growth, and the help and hindrance of a cultural center of gravity. Says Davidd “Its the dynamic of evolution, that this must happen and also that, nevertheless, change happens and we lay posthumous garlands on the graves of the heroes in whose steps we follow.... “ One of the great opportunities offered by the Integral Multiplex is the chance to discover together how to move ourselves and the world beyond current modes.

Also – for those of you who attended the meeting with Ken in New York City last weekend, the rest of us want to know what you think. Please share your reactions with us here.

Finally, we’d like a little feedback here in the I-I staff as to how you think we’re doing with this blog. Do you read it regularly, and do you find it helpful? How do you think it could be improved? In the reorganization shuffle of going into Phase 2, we’re considering letting this one blog go, or perhaps only altering it. We’d love to know what you think. If you have any comments or suggestions, please send them to feedback@integralinstitute.org, mentioning “weekly forum digest” in the subject line of your email. Thank you very much, and keep on making these forums so spectacular.