The integral framework (part 1)

By Joe Perez

There is a comprehensive view of reality that is gaining ground at the leading edge of culture. Some call it integral, some say it’s second-tier, or post-postmodernism. My own take is that the integral philosophy is a systematic way of thinking, an interconnected mode of being, and a comprehensive model for defining and transforming the nature of self, culture, and world.

As I see it, integral begins with being authentic to one’s highest nature—claming who we truly are, individually and collectively, in every dimension of our being. Together with two articles to follow later this week, this article explores this emerging intellectual framework.

Integral is the next wave of development, helping us to find new ways to think and solutions to seemingly intractable complexities. It’s not just a movement in contemporary spirituality; it’s about cultural shift and social change in every sphere of life from philosophy to the arts, ecology to business, relationships to health. The aim of Rising Up is to explore some applications of integral theory in the real world—specifically, to see what insights integral offers primarily in the areas of gay culture, politics, and spirituality.

Although it’s common to refer to "integral theory," there are actually numerous integral theories. Various researchers have offered different models for studying consciousness in all its many forms. Many of these developmental and cultural studies are pretty similar. The integral model that I find most useful is the AQAL model developed by the Boulder-based philosopher and psychological theorist Ken Wilber. Although AQAL is superior to other models in terms of comprehensiveness and flexibility, it’s not labeled with the catchiest of acronyms, in my opinion. AQAL is short for All Quadrants, All Levels. But that’s just a shorthand reference for All Quadrants, All Levels, All Lines, All States, and All Types (so for accuracy’s sake, it should really be AQALALASAT).

To remedy the shortcomings of this acronym, I’ve coined a phrase. It’s a short slogan: going full STEAM ahead. It’s not really a different integral model than Ken Wilber’s. If AQAL were a computer program, then STEAM is like an application that runs on the Integral Operating System—or, at the very least, a skin that fits over the graphical interface.

Why the steam metaphor? Steam is the mixture of water particles and air. As water is heated, it evaporates and forms steam; as steam rises, it gets colder and changes again into drops of water. Since water is one of the primary elements of existence, steam is a great symbol of transformation. STEAM is not just part of a nifty catchphrase, but—as you have probably guessed by now—it’s an acronym that describes the components of integral theory and practice. These are:

• Stages—developmental levels (for example, prerational, rational, and tans-rational; or, tribal, egocentric, traditional, rational, pluralistic, and integral)
• Types—different patterns of awareness (for example, masculine and feminine, Enneagram types, etc.)
• Experiences—states (for example, waking, dreaming, sleeping)
• Angles—quadrants or perspectives (for example, I, We, and It; or, subjective, intersubjective, objective, and interobjective)
• Modes—lines or multiple intelligences (for example, cognitive, psychosexual, and moral)

So now you’ll have a clue what I’m talking about when referring to stages, types, experiences, angles, and modes. To learn more about each of these concepts, see the educational materials on the Integral Institute web site. Even better, read books by Ken Wilber such as A Brief History of Everything (Shambhala, 2000) and A Theory of Everything (Shambhala, 2000). Another book with an excellent discussion of developmental theory is Jim Marion’s Death of the Mythic God: The Rise of Evolutionary Spirituality (Hampton Road, 2004).

If STEAM refers to the five central elements of integral theory, then the phrase "full STEAM ahead!" conveys two additional meanings: "full" connotes the importance of combining all five elements and not leaving any out; "ahead" connotes the goal of integral practice: going forward and rising up the spiral of development.

One final remark for more advanced students of integral: although it can sometimes be useful to speak of an "integral worldview," it is technically inaccurate to say that integral or STEAM is a worldview (that is, a set of cultural ideas that define reality). Properly conceived, STEAM is a systematic and interconnected mode of thinking and being. It involves much more than purely mental notions and shared cultural symbols, though such things are important elements. The "integral worldview" is how post-postmodernism appears from the cultural or lower-left angle, when specifically referring to the integral altitude marker as it used to measure progress from one stage to another along the cognitive mode of development.

If what I just said doesn’t make sense to you at this time, don’t worry about it.

The 6 major stages of rising up

Stages are markers along the process of development from more rudimentary systems to more complex systems, and as such are an important part of what STEAM is all about. The psychologist Clare Graves describes stages as a dynamic spiral when he talks about the order inherent in the development of behavior systems:

[T]he psychology of the mature human being is an unfolding, emergent, oscillating, spiraling process, marked by progressive subordination of older, lower-order behavior systems to newer, higher-order systems as man’s existential problems change.

When writing about stages, I often employ a model that uses at least six levels or waves. The stages that I refer to most commonly are egocentric, traditionalist, rationalist, pluralist, and integralist (approximately corresponding to the developmental levels ranging from purple to yellow in Spiral Dynamics, a model for cultural analysis developed by Don Beck and Chris Cowan). SDi is short for Spiral Dynamics Integral, a version of Spiral Dynamics that is linked to Ken Wilber’s integral theory. Drawing upon the descriptions by Wilber and various other theorists, these are the major developmental stages—see Figure 1-1:

• 7. 8. 9. 10., etc. —Holistic, Psychic, Subtle, Causal, Nondual. There are a variety of mystical or advanced spiritual stages in which a transcendental unity to reality is directly apprehended. At advanced levels, there are stages of being that are sometimes described with terms such as Christ Consciousness, Buddha Nature, Enlightenment, and so forth. This is the level attained by some shamans, saints, sages, and enlightened masters. These stages are generally discussed under the umbrella "third-tier." the turquoise VMeme in SDi theory; the turquoise altitude and higher in Wilber-V.
• 6—Integral (integralists). Integral, post-postmodern, AQAL, STEAM (the yellow vMeme in SDi theory; teal altitude in Wilber-V). Generally available within a flexible, responsive, and flowing personal style. The key values are recognizing a developmental flow and transcendental unity to existence, living fully and responsibly; integrating differences into natural flows and synergies. Third worldcentric stage. Late rational (that is, arising after instrumental reason and pluralistic vision-logic). Some theorists call this stage "second-tier."
• 5—Pluralistic (pluralists). Relativistic pluralism, postmodernism, communitarianism (the green vMeme in SDi theory; green altitude in Wilber-V). Generally available within a spontaneous and emotionally connected personal style. The key values are freeing human spirit from greed, dogma, and conflict; affirming feelings, sensitivity, and spirituality. Second worldcentric stage. Early vision-logic rational. Mid-stage rational (that is, arising after instrumental or formal reason but before integrative vision-logic). This stage is in transition from "first-tier" to "second-tier."
• 4—Rational (rationalists). This is the rational, modern, achievist stage (the orange vMeme in SDi theory; orange in Wilber-V). Generally available within an independent and achievement-driven personal style. The key values are self-interest, self-reliance, vigorous competition aiming at victory, achieving success and accumulating wealth, belief in progress by scientific inquiry and reasoned debate. First worldcentric stage. Early rational (that is, arising before pluralistic and integrative vision-logic). This is a "first-tier" stage.
• 3—Traditional (traditionalists, moralists). Mythic-membership, purposeful, authoritarian (the blue vMeme in SDi theory; amber in Wilber-V). Generally available within a virtue-oriented personal style that flourishes by submitting itself to a higher authority. The key values are purpose in life, seeking transcendent causes and Truth, righteousness and virtue, building character, maintaining order based on law and discipline. Ethnocentric stage. Prerational (that is, arising before reason has fully emerged). This is a "first-tier" stage.
• 2—Egocentric (egocentrists, hedonists). Impulsive, hedonistic, and aggressive (the red vMeme in SDi theory; red in Wilber-V). Generally available within an impulsive and independent personal style. The key values are "if it feels good do it," break free of guilt or domination or constraint to satiate the self’s desires, ascending to the top of the pack, go-it-alone heroism. Second egocentric stage. Prerational (that is, arising before reason has emerged). This is a "first-tier" stage.
• 1—Tribal (tribalists). Magical and animistic (the purple vMeme in SDi theory; magenta in Wilber-V). Generally available within a superstitious personal style driven by magic, emotion, and sexual profligacy. The key values are keeping the spirits happy, obtaining safety and glory for the tribe, obeying signs and omens, respecting duty. First egocentric stage. Prerational (that is, arising before reason has emerged). This is a "first-tier" stage.
• 0—Survival (survivalists). Archaic (the beige vMeme in SDi theory; ultraviolet in Wilber-V). A survival-oriented, archaic mode of existence where the value is to stay alive and secure food, sex, safety and comfort. It is a pre-egoic stage.

Figure 1-1. Stages of STEAM

So now you’ll know what I’m talking about when I speak of integralists, pluralists, rationalists, traditionalists (or moralists), egocentrists, and tribalists. And you’ll have a clue what I mean by egocentric, ethnocentric, and worldcentric. Or prerational, rational, and transrational.

Class dismissed! Your homework assignment is to learn more about the Spiral Dynamics Integral (SDi) model of development and Ken Wilber’s critical integral theory. For extra credit, investigate Harvard professor Robert Kegan’s theory of human development as explicated in The Evolving Self: Problem and Process in Human Development (Harvard University Press, 1982). Here’s a Web site with a concise summary.

The major types of rising up

In a "full STEAM ahead" perspective, it’s important to bear in mind that different types of awareness exist at all stages of consciousness. A type is a typology that helps us to make sense of variety and differences in being, such as personality types. Examples include the Enneagram, Zodiac, Jungian types, Myers-Briggs personality tests, and so forth. If you are, say, an introverted personality type this is so regardless of your stage of development. Your introversion expresses itself differently at different points in your growth.

Let’s take the example of modern Western astrology as a model for exploring the nature and variety of types. Astrology claims that there are personality types that exist in three various sets: duplicity, triplicity, and quadriplicity. This is a fancy way of saying that there are many ways of dividing personality into types, but they all boil down to a few basic combinations.

The first set of types is the fundamental duality between masculine and feminine modes of being—see Figure 1-2.

• Masculine—Agentic, directional, active, penetrating. Traditionally called yang. Strong, independent personality types that can be overly domineering and poor at connecting with others.
• Feminine—Communal, relational, receptive. Traditionally called yin. Emotional, flexible personality types that can get lost in relationships or fail to develop independently.

Figure 1-2. Types of STEAM

These personality types look different at different levels of development. In the previous diagram, you can see that masculine and feminine types show up in each of the major stages of consciousness.

The second set of types is the fundamental triplicity between the various ways of expressing being in time.

• Cardinal—Initiatory, active, focused. Associated with driven personalities with strong motivation, but weak at completion and follow-through.
• Fixed—Steady, stable, peaceful. Associated with dedicated personality types that are good at follow-through, but prone to being stubborn and inflexible.
• Mutable—Changing, flexible, dissolving. Associated with adapable and changeable personality types that can be wishy-washy or lack focus.

The third set of types recognized by modern Western astrology is the fundamental quadriplicity between the four major elements.

• Fire—Subset of the masculine type. Associated with creative, enthusiastic, and dynamic personalities that can also be bossy and egotistical.
• Earth—Subset of the feminine type. Associated with personalities of a practical, grounded, and resourceful nature that can also be materialistic and insensitive.
• Water—Subset of the feminine type. Associated with emotional, intuitive, and artistic personality types that are susceptible to becoming lost in emotion or fantasy.
• Air—Subset of the masculine type. Associated with intellectual, curious, and expansive personalities that can also be cold and unemotional.

The zodiac is a tool for looking at these three sets of personality types in the 12 basic permutations. Whether you’re looking at the zodiac, Enneagram, or a personality typology of modern psychology, types are helpful tools for understanding how seemingly intractable differences fit into a bigger picture. They are an important element of STEAM.

The 5 major experiences of rising up

Experiences (the "E" in STEAM) are temporary states of consciousness. In Ken Wilber’s integral psychology, states and stages go together as the being and knowing aspects of reality respectively. Experiential states are the structures of being (that is, planes or realms of reality) and stages are the structures of our knowing about reality (that is, consciousness or selfhood). It’s important to bear both experiences and stages in mind, because different stages of selfhood can encounter different stages of reality (that is, we can encounter different experiences at different stages). For more, see Wilber’s Sex, Ecology, Spirituality: The Spirit of Evolution (Shambhala, 2000) and Integal Psychology: Consciousness, Spirit, Psychology, Therapy (Shambhala, 2000).

Peak experiences deserve our special attention. Altered, non-normal or non-ordinary states of consciousness include drug-induced trips, near-death experiences (NDEs), and meditative states. When they occur, very often the result is what’s called a mystical or peak spiritual experience.

Experiences may be catalogued into five major categories that derive from the Great Chain of Being, an ancient metaphor for the ontology of the universe—see Figure 1-3:

• Nondual—A realization of the ultimate reality that there is no separation between mental, physical, and spiritual. When "all things become nothing but God," (Eckhart), the "simple feeling of being . . . the final decentering of all manifest realms, in all domains, at all times, in all places . . . the rise and fall of all worlds, ceaselessly, endlessly. . . ," (Wilber), the self identifies with its true nature, the thisness and suchness of being.
• Causal—An encounter with the causal, spirit, or infinite realm of existence. Beyond the unity of Self or World Soul and God, there is a sense of identity with pure awareness in itself, timeless Spirit. The duality between the Soul and God is overcome into formless Emptiness (in the Buddhist sense or as in the thought of Meister Eckhart).
• Subtle—An encounter with the subtle, soul, or celestial realm of existence. The self extends and deepens its identification with the Self or soul and the World Soul (Emerson), Divine, or God. Includes the "Dark Night of the Soul," the period after the taste of unity with Spirit but before it is solidly established.
• Psychic—An encounter with the psychic or astral realm of existence. The self identifies with the "witness" to consciousness rather than with the mind or mind/body. The Self or soul is discovered "within and beyond," not in mythic or symbolic expressions of truth.
• Gross—An encounter with the gross, mundane, bodily, and terrestrial realm of existence. Includes development of the self to embrace the instincts, emotions, body, and mind (from rudimentary rationality to integral awareness). Includes psychotic, pathological, and shadow or unconscious aspects of the self.

Figure 1-3. Experiences of STEAM

So now you’ll have an idea of what I’m talking about when I mention the gross, psychic, subtle, and causal experiences or nondual realizations.

Although peak experiences happen to persons at virtually any stage of growth, the interpretations of those experiences depends in part on a person’s stage. Peak experiences are transient sates that require ongoing psychological and spiritual development to become permanent traits. Meditative states are important for such development to occur because they access higher realms in an intentional and prolonged fashion. Thus, with practice, the transient states may eventually become more enduring traits.

The 4 major angles for rising up

Let’s say you’re a human being faced with making a decision. (Like that’s a hard hypothetical scenario to step into!) STEAM tells you that the best decision in your dilemma is one that is inclusive of the widest number of ways of looking at reality: stages, types, experiences, angles, and modes. To consider only one of those at the moment, let’s look at the four major angles on the decision—see Figure 1-4:

• Personal (Subjective) —You should consider the consequences of your decision on your emotional state, sense of self/identity, general mental well-being, understanding of your ultimate concern (inner spirituality), and so forth. Will you feel better or worse about yourself as a result of your decision? How will the decision impact your individual body, mind, and spirit?
• Personal (Objective) —After ruminating over your feelings and inner life, try to get detached, objective data about how your decision will change the facts in your life. For example, if you anticipate increased psychological stress or encounter depression, are there medications that could alleviate your symptoms?
• Relational/Cultural (Intersubjective) —After thinking all about you, you, you, it’s time to start thinking about how your decision will impact others and how the boundaries of your decision are determined by interpersonal and cultural contexts beyond your control. How is your decision impacted by the values of your partner and family? Friends? Boss and co-workers? The mores of your community at this point in history? Try to step outside your own limited vision and imagine yourself in their shoes, with their beliefs and worldviews. What would they say? What advice would they give? Can you even imagine stepping outside the relevant cultural frameworks involved?
• Social/Political (Interobjective) —Values and culture don’t just appear out of nowhere. They’re all part of the socio-political sphere of life, also known as the "meat world." Consider how you are functioning as an agent in a wider system of interlocking relationships. How are social forces, including police and military institutions, conditioning the scope of permissible options that you may consider? What are the economic structures (capitalism, socialism, etc.) involved? What are the national and international structures of political power that set boundaries of control over your possible actions?

Figure 1-4. Angles of STEAM

Going full STEAM ahead means that the best decision you can make is one that considers as many angles as possible: personal (subjective) angles, personal (objective) angles, cultural angles, and social angles. Such a decision would be informed by the widest, most inclusive range of values, and the broadest array of variables.

In reality, few people consider so many angles on the decisions of life. Even our cultural and political critics very often include only one of these angles in their analyses and seldom regard issues in all quadrants as important. In other words, most thinking is done at a less than fully integral stage. This fact shouldn’t be surprising. The ability to consider multiple perspectives simultaneously and hold them in creative tension is a relatively highly evolved cognitive ability.

The 6 major modes of rising up

A full STEAM ahead perspective is inherently developmental. That means referencing stages of personal, cultural, and social growth, such as the movement from prerational to rational to transrational consciousness. But just what is it that’s moving to higher stages of being and knowing?

According to respected and reputable consciousness researchers, the answer to that question is various modes, variously known as modules, streams, lines, or multiple intelligences. These modes include a variety of relatively independent capacities such as these:

• Affect/emotion
• Artistic
• Cognition
• Communication
• Concern
• Creativity
• Defense mechanisms
• Gender identity
• Ideas of the good
• Interpersonal abilities
• Kinesthetics
• Morals
• Needs
• Psychosexuality
• Religious faith
• Role taking
• Self-identity
• Worldviews

Although there are many modes that develop through the stages of consciousness, I have chosen six examples to illustrate the concept of modes—see Figure 1-5:

• Physical—A variety of capacities that include bodily needs, kinesthetics, and athletics. For example, development from haphazard eating to strict dieting to intuitive nutrition.
• Psychosexual—Capacities related to sexuality and related emotional needs. For example, development from premonogamous to monogamous to postmonogamous sexual styles.
• Interpersonal—Capacities to have fulfilling relationships with others. For example, development from traditional to egalitarian to postegalitarian relationship styles.
• Moral—The capacity to exercise morality and ethics. For example, development from selfishness to care/justice to universal care/justice.
• Cognitive—Intellectual and mental capacities. For example, development from prerational to rational to transrational cognitions.
• Spiritual—A variety of capacities that are considered "spiritual" such as care, openness, concern, religious faith, and meditative skills. For example, development from orthodox theology to liberal theology to liberation theology.

Figure 5. Modes of STEAM

So now you’ll have an idea of what I’m talking about when I refer to the physical, psychosexual, interpersonal, moral, cognitive, and spiritual modes (or lines) of development. Together with the stages, types, experiences, and angles, these are the building blocks of STEAM.

For more information about modes, a good place to start is Howard Gardner’s Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences (Basic Books, 1993).

In part 2 and part 3 of this series on "The integral framework," we will answer frequently asked questions about STEAM and examine the types component of the model more closely.

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Joe Perez is a Seattle-based writer and editor-in-chief of Gay Spirituality & Culture. This article is an excerpt from his book Rising Up: Reflections on Gay Culture, Politics, and Spirit and is republished by permission of the author. To learn more about the author, visit http://www.joe-perez.com or the Until blog at http://until.joe-perez.com