L E S S O N

UNBEATABLE
MIND
Secrets for developing
Mental Toughness and
an Unbeatable Mind!
By Mark Divine

4
L E S S O N

UNBEATABLE
MIND
Secrets for developing
Mental Toughness and
an Unbeatable Mind!
By Mark Divine

4
 Unbeatable Mind Copyright
© 2014-2015
by Mark Divine

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be

reproduced in any form or by any electronic or
mechanical means, including information storage
and retrieval systems, without permission in writing
from Mark Divine, except by a reviewer who may
quote brief passages in a review.
LESSON 4 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE INTEGRAL WARRIOR /p6

SO WHAT IS INTEGRAL THEORY? /p8
AQAL
Quadrants

THE BIG 3 /p10

Levels of Development: Adding to the Depth and Complexity
Lines of Development (Multiple Intelligences)
States of Consciousness

THE INTEGRAL WARRIOR /p17

Dimensions & Perspectives

AQAL AS A MENTAL MODEL – ANALYTICAL EXAMPLES /p21

AQAL IN RELATIONSHIPS /p22
SUMMARY /p24
LESSON 4 EXERCISES AND PRACTICES /p25
GUIDE TO MEDITATION PRACTICES /p27
1. Insight Meditation
2. Sound (Mantra) & Thought Meditation
3. Concentration and Visualization Meditation
4. Body Meditation Techniques

JOURNAL /p34

LESSON 4 5
LESSON 4

The Integral Warrior

LESSON 4 6
 “The word integral means comprehensive, inclusive, non-marginalizing,
embracing...in a certain sense, integral approaches are “meta-paradigms,”
or ways to draw together an already existing number of separate paradigms
into an interrelated network of approaches that are mutually enriching.”
– Ken Wilber

Daily we confront issues of a fragmented and chaotic world – extreme religious

fundamentalism, environmental destruction, volatile financial markets and hyper-
indebted countries, a polarized and paralyzed political system, failing healthcare
system and faltering educational institutions.
How do we make sense of all this, and navigate the chaos so we can be above
the fray and see the forest for the trees?
Certainly we must develop the capacity to include the multitude of disciplines
and worldviews in our understanding of our world, while transcending the limitations
of our own ego and ethnocentricity. We must embrace the whole without losing our
center or watering down values important, or some may say, crucial, to our way of
life. Confronting this challenge head on is a driving objective of the Unbeatable Mind
Academy.
But it is a daunting task – how do we reduce the noise and make sense out of
it all?
Our stand at SEALFIT and Unbeatable Mind is that the world is dangerous and
chaotic, but that destiny favors the prepared - in mind, body and spirit. As we continue
our journey to self-mastery, the powerful concepts of Integral Theory, introduced
to the world by American philosopher Ken Wilber, adapted to Unbeatable Mind for
leaders and warriors, will prove to be an immensely valuable tool for simplifying and
organizing the chaos.
Integral Theory’s “AQAL model” is a mental model that I have found to be
extremely helpful for organizing and synthesizing the vast array of complex information
we are exposed to daily. It is certainly not the “only” good model for organizing and
understanding the world we live in. There has been credible critique of Wilber’s writing
style and his metaphysical orientation. In spite of this, the way I see it, the AQAL
model that he presents is a major contribution to humanity. It passes the KISS test, is
extremely comprehensive and inclusive, and has proven very effective in our SEALFIT
immersion academies. I have come to rely on AQAL in my personal and professional
life, therefore have included it in UM as a framework tool.

LESSON 4 7
So what is Integral Theory?
Integral Theory weaves together significant insights from all the major human
disciplines of knowledge, including the natural and social sciences as well as the arts
and humanities. It seeks to create a more comprehensive map of reality that can be
used to better understand the various dynamics at play in any situation. Unlike many
disciplines that suffer from an impulse toward narcissism by attempting to reduce
the world to its preferred vision of how things work, the Integral method seeks to
integrate the various perspectives, disciplines, worldviews and areas of reality while
not biasing toward any particular discipline or vision.
Before diving deeper into the theory, consider the following scenario of a
morning at a SEALFIT Academy. You wake up and spend 30 minutes on journaling
and silent contemplation and begin to visualize yourself navigating the day effectively.
Simultaneously you are aware of and interact with your team, who are also starting
their day and preparing for the rigors ahead as individuals.
Your practice is brought to an end earlier than expected as the class leader calls
a quick huddle to discuss how to handle an issue that arose the night before with
a trainee who had a weak moment and tried to quit. Suddenly the team is loudly
interrupted by a group of SEALFIT instructors who direct you to pick up a heavy log
as a team, run to the beach with it and hit the surf. Once at the beach, your heart
rate races, your breathing rate picks up and adrenaline pours into your blood stream
as you sprint toward the ocean and jump through the waves.
In the opening hour of the day, you’ve experienced key elements of Integral
Theory’s AQAL model through a series of activities that emphasized different aspects
of Integral Theory’s Big 3 of “I, We and It”. How you viewed the rapidly evolving
events of the morning through the lenses of “I, We and It” would have had a profound
impact on your experience. I’ll explain how next, so keep this scenario in your mind.
Now let’s take a deep dive into the theory.

AQAL

As mentioned earlier, the model developed by Wilber to visually present integral

theory is referred to as the AQAL model. The five elements of AQAL (quadrants, levels,
lines, states and types) signify some of the most basic repeating patterns of our world

LESSON 4 8
and of human experience. The acronym is simply “All Quadrants – All Levels” but
is inclusive of all lines, all states, and all types as well. We will get to all this in a
moment, so hang with me.
By examining and including all of these patterns in how we view the world and
how we attempt to better understand it, and also to solve problems, we hope that no
major part of any view or approach is neglected. Each of these five elements can be
used to “look at” reality and at the same time they represent the basic aspects of
your own awareness in this and every moment.
Let’s dig into AQAL further. I am going to assume that you have not read Wilber
yet. If you have then this document will deepen your understanding and present the
Integral Warrior application for decision making.

QUADRANTS

Let’s start with quadrants. There are four dominant aspects of reality that generate
our world moment to moment. They are the subjective (just my internal awareness),
inter-subjective (you and me, or all of us sharing an experience and making meaning
of it, i.e. culture), objective (my physical body) and inter-objective (our collective
physical realities operating in a system, i.e. ecosystems / social systems). All four of
these must be consulted when attempting to fully understand any issue or challenge.
These four aspects of reality make up the four quadrants of the AQAL model.
The quadrants come from the realization that all of our human experiences are
“lived” from two fundamental distinctions: 1) an internal and an external perspective
and 2) from a singular and plural perspective. These two perspectives create four
dimensions, represented by four basic pronouns: “I”, “we”, “it”, and “its.” Each
pronoun represents one of the perspectives in the AQAL model, also stated as
Intentional (I), Cultural (We), Behavioral (It) and Social (Its). In this Lesson, we will
use some simple abbreviations to refer to the quadrant: UL for Upper-Left, LR for UR
for Upper-Right, etc.

LESSON 4 9
ALL QUADRANT ALL LEVEL (AQAL) MODEL

Interior Exterior
UL UR
“I” “It”
What I experience.
Individual

What I do.

Consciousness, states of Behavior, objective

mind, will, psychological realities, brain & organism
development

“We” “Its”
What we experience. What we do.
Collective

Shared values, culture & Social systems, environment,

world-view, relationships, visible societal structures,
communications, economic & political systems
LL boundaries LR
Subjective Realities Objective Realities

The Big 3
Since the UR (It) and LR (Its) quadrants both deal with objective reality, and at
Unbeatable Mind we are most concerned with subjective reality, it is often convenient
to collapse AQAL to “the Big 3” of “I / We / and It” for purposes of our discussion of
becoming an Integral Warrior.

LESSON 4 10
 “I”
UL
“It”
UR +
LR
“We”
LL

Like most good models, Integral’s AQAL can be a simple tool or a complex
theory…we want to keep it at the simple tool level and not get too buried in highbrow
philosophical and psychological language. We will stick with the KISS mantra and
use the model in as simple a manner as possible.
Viewing the world from any one of these quadrants while denying the others is a
cause of many of today’s challenges. Wilber cautions against reducing interiors to their
exterior correlates – such as is often seen in a systems approach to the natural world,
which represents consciousness through charts and feedback loops while leaving out
the first- and second-person experience.
Consider the case of a conventional western medical doctor who reduces interior
experience (UL) to mere chemistry and genetics (UR). This type of reductionism denies
the important role that consciousness, awareness and beliefs play in health and well
being. The same critique can be made of various schools of psychology which are only
concerned with consciousness, feelings, thinking and beliefs (UL) and don’t take into
consideration the role of the physical correlates to conscious experience such as the
brain and nervous system (UR). The role of the brain and nervous systems in producing
healthy or maladaptive mental and emotional functioning is important to consider.
Just think, how many psychologists or psychiatrists ask about diet, nutrition and sleep
-- all of which have effects on the brain/nervous system and therefore one’s thinking
and feelings. And, most doctors and psychologists don’t take into consideration how
culture (LL) and the environment (LR) play roles in human health and well-being.
To be integrally informed means that we understand and acknowledge the
interaction and interplay of all four quadrants (or the simpler “Big 3”) and use this

LESSON 4 11
insight to enlighten our experiences, make better decisions, and relate to others as
an “integrally informed” person.

LEVELS OF DEVELOPMENT: ADDING TO THE DEPTH AND COMPLEXITY

universal-focused,
World-centric actions serving
ex
pl mankind
m
co
to
…
e community-focused,
pl Ethno-centric
sim
group-serving actions

fr om

Ego-centric Body-focused, self-serving actions

time

The AQAL model goes beyond just understanding the quadrants – to looking at
the depth and complexity in each quadrant. First, we must begin with the premise
that the universe tends to evolve toward more complexity over time. This is true of
psychology (subjective - (UL), Culture (inter-subjective - LL), biological organisms
(objective - UR) and social systems such as teams (inter-objective -LR).
Additionally, there is credible evidence that each level of development “transcends
but includes” the essential aspects of those previous levels. This is called “holarchic”
growth – a holon is a unit or level of development that transcends but invites in and
includes the previous levels. Hence we have atoms to molecules to cells to multi-cell
organism to complex organs to functional systems (cardio respiratory) to a human

LESSON 4 12
being as an expression of holarchic growth in the UR (It) quadrant.
Integral Theory draws upon developmental psychology in the Upper Left (I)
cultural development theories such as Spiral Dynamics in Lower Left (We), biological
complexity models in Upper Right (It), and systems theory in the Lower Right (Its)
quadrants.

The levels within each quadrant represent the contour lines of the terrain of human
experience. The interior, left-hand quadrants reflect levels of depth of the internal
experience of individuals and groups. The exterior, right-hand quadrants reflect levels
of complexity of the physical body and respective social and ecological systems.
Let’s look at how levels unfold in each of the four quadrants. In the subjective
realm for one example (UL - I), as the human organism grows from zygot to baby to
young child toward adulthood they “complexify” in their cognitive capacities. They go
from engaging the world through sensations, which become impulses, which transform
to include emotions, which are transcended and included in mental symbols, finally
becoming complex concepts. Stated from a psychological perspective looking at self-
sense development (informed by the work of renowned psychologists Robert Kegan,

LESSON 4 13
Jane Loevinger and Clare Graves) self-sense unfolds from instinct, to animistic-magic,
to power -egocentric, to mythic-conformist, to formal, rational achiever, to sensitive-
pluralistic self, finally to holistic-world centric and integral self. Some of these levels
unfold as the natural result of biological growth and passing through life’s normal
transitions (early childhood instinctual and magic to late childhood and teen power
ego and mythic conformist, to early adult rational achiever, then, we hope, mature
adult sensitive and holistic). Often growth is halted at a level that a family, tribe or
nation claims as its dominant stage. Growth and development is also effected by diet
and nutrition, and other environmental factors.
In the inter-subjective realm (LL - We), historically, cultures develop from archaic
interpretations unfold to magical explanations, then mythical stories, then rational
views, then pluralistic and finally integral understandings. And since development is
driven by ‘transcend and include’, each new stage of culture integrates to some degree
its predecessors. Some researchers have collapsed interior levels of the UL and LL
quadrants to three: egocentric (pre-conventional), ethno-centric (conventional) and
world-centric (post-conventional) worldviews.
The inter-objective (LR - Its) quadrant see social structure levels evolve from
families, to tribes to feudal empires to early nations to corporate states then value
communities and we will see what’s next.
It is sensible to assume that, upon analyzing an experience using AQAL, we will
find that the levels are generally at the same developmental stage in each corresponding
quadrant. To whit a goal-driven executive (UL) who has high blood pressure (UR) most
likely will be found in a scientific-rational culture or subculture (LL), which usually
occurs in industrial corporate organizations (LR). In this example, all of these aspects
of experience are occurring at the same level of complexity and depth within their
respective quadrants.

LINES OF DEVELOPMENT (MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES)

I like to look at lines of development as distinct intelligences of the individual

and collective. As a starting point what is important for us to acknowledge is that
multiple intelligences have been studied at length and are a generally accepted
theory in psychology and education. In addition it is crucial to understand that we
can both retard or accelerate development of an intelligence, depending upon our life

LESSON 4 14
conditions and focus in life.
Common lines of development in the “I” quadrant include, but are not limited
to; cognitive, emotional, interpersonal, moral, and spiritual intelligences or capacities.
In Unbeatable Mind, our Five Mountain training roughly correlates to kinesthetic
development, cognitive (IQ), moral development, emotional development, interpersonal
skills, and spiritual growth.

Cognitive (IQ)

Moral
Development

Emotional
Development

Interpersonal Skills

Spiritual Growth

It is important to note that each line is not equally developed in us, or in others.
We tend to be more developed in some areas and weak in others. Just as some folks are
good athletes and others are good cooks, we all have innate strengths and weaknesses
of intelligence and skill. We have genius level skills in some areas and undeveloped
skill levels in others. We can also vacillate along a particular line of intelligence based
on circumstances. A person may be quite high as their center of gravity for a particular
line but due to life experiences and circumstances, they may swing down that line to
a lower level of development. This explains why communication is so much more than
just understanding language. We filter through our lines and levels of development,
which may or may not correspond with our neighbors, let alone that of a foreigner.
The key is, as Steve Covey says, “seek first to understand, then to be understood!”

LESSON 4 15
STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS

All sounds good Mark, but what about a Peak experience? I have been in the
“Zone” or “Flowing” as if on the razor’s edge of awareness, but then I fall back to the
ground with a thud. What’s up with that?! Well you have had a peak experience. This
is a temporary state, and the AQAL model allows for states to be temporary “vertical”
stopping grounds at a different level than your dominant “ground level.” So if you are
a rational achiever and you experience an intense spiritual “I am connected to the
universe and we are one” experience, it doesn’t mean you have attained enlightenment
unless you don’t come out of that state. That type of experience would need to go
from a particular time limited state of consciousness to a stable level of consciousness.
That particular state would need to stabilize as a higher level of consciousness. In
that case, be careful what you wish for!
For those who have read Ekhart Tolle “The Power of Now” you will recognize
that he had temporary states of total presence, and then clicked into a permanent
stage or level that, literally, took him completely out of the normal range of human
experience to the point where he sat on a park bench for months without speaking.
He was basically homeless and would have been viewed the same as a psychiatrically-
troubled vagabond who made “normal” folks very uncomfortable! The wise fool was
actually enlightened, and needed to re-build some mental structures to come back
“down to earth” so to speak.
Please note that we can also slide into a temporary state we may call Hell when our
inability to control a profound negative emotion overtakes us. Depression and anxiety
are culprits for negative temporary states. The full range of states of consciousness
include; waking, dreaming, deep sleep as well as peak experiences, altered states,
non-ordinary states and meditative states such as those achieved doing Warrior Yoga
and Box Breathing.
Development along the lines in each quadrant happens in a somewhat choppy
manner – with some accelerated growth happening as a result of an experience (such
as SEALFIT Academy accelerating moral, emotional, interpersonal and spiritual lines)
or, on the contrary, there can be a stunting of growth as the result of lack of experience
or a bad experience – such as a pathological emotional state due to an early childhood
abuse situation, drug use, environmental poisoning or being shut off from interaction
with others for extended periods of time. Eventually we settle into semi-permanent
stages, which correspond to the levels discussed earlier.

LESSON 4 16
The Integral Warrior
Let’s return to our opening example of the inclusion and simultaneous arising
of all quadrants during a morning at the SEALFIT academy and look at how can we
apply AQAL as an “Integral Warrior” model.
As you wake up and spend 30 minutes journaling and meditating, you are in the
“I - interior-individual” quadrant, where you set your intentions and experience your
rich internal life. As your awareness shifts to your team and especially when called
together in a meeting, you are simultaneously experiencing your team in the “We
-Interior-collective” quadrant where the culture of SEALFIT Academy is unfolding
around and through you.
As the team meeting is interrupted with the ocean exercise, your experience is
altered by the “It - exterior individual” quadrant. The system of SEALFIT – as the
“Its” exterior collective” quadrant, has created a temporary state of controlled chaos
for the purposes of accelerating your development. The corresponding association in
your “I” quadrant is that your focus collapses to the present, your mind seizes on the
thought of the cold water and fear enters your consciousness. Your “I” processes what
is happening through cognitive, emotional, and other lines of intelligence, which are
affected by your requisite level of development (representing your consciousness at
this moment in time). The “We” of the team also takes on a very different hue as you
heave up the log and move out post haste to the beach.
To have a full understanding and appreciation of the arising of the experience
“hit the surf!” one cannot explain it fully through just the terms of psychology (UL),
or just neurobiology / physiology (UR), or just social and organizational dynamics
(LR), or just cultural meaning (LL). It is an integrated whole but it can be looked at
in its parts.
AQAL can be used for self-analysis, as in the “situational awareness” study
above. It can also be used more pragmatically as a decision model. Let’s look at two
key ways that AQAL will facilitate effective decision-making.

LESSON 4 17
DIMENSIONS & PERSPECTIVES

AQAL can be applied as a “dimensional tool” for self-analysis. In this approach

you place yourself at the center of the AQAL model. You can examine and interpret
an experience you are having by projecting yourself into each of the 4 dimensions of
the quadratic model. This is the approach alluded to in the above example – you have
an internal experience unique and very real to you (UL or “I”), there is a biological
correlate to that felt experience (UR or “It”), there is a cultural orientation that fuels,
informs and shapes the internal experience (LL or “We”), and there are a myriad of
social and ecological systems in this experience that also inform the ‘experience’ (LR
or “Its”).
The dimensional model, then, is an analytical tool that allows one to quickly
assess the various aspects or dimensions of a situation. Thus we include each in
informing our decisions, respond in an integrally informed manner that should be
more enlightened than a “non-integrally-informed” reaction.
I find AQAL very effective in leadership situations. I will fan out my awareness
to the Big 3 quadrants to assess where I am at in “I”, where my team is at in “We”
and what is happening in “It” that is affecting the “I and We.” Invariably this leads
to better self-awareness, and an ability to readily adapt to the changing situation.
Additionally, I can assess where my teammates are by inserting them into the model
and assessing, as best I can, how they are experiencing the same situation in the I
and We sense. Often this leads to a mutual understanding, greater empathy, and an
integrally informed leadership solution to whatever is challenging us all. Pause for a
moment and reflect on the SEALFIT Academy example – place yourself in the model as
a class leader. Through each activity, look at it through the lenses of your own personal
experience, your team members and of the system you’re training in (environment,
method of training, instructors, etc.). Consider how these perspectives could improve
your ability to provide effective leadership in a rapidly changing situation.

LESSON 4 18
 AQAL can also be used as a “perspectival tool” to analyze an external issue
of interest. The perspective approach puts an issues or challenge in the middle of
the AQAL model. The four quadrants then inform the analysis of the challenge. For
instance, you may desire to implement Unbeatable Mind training in your company.
You can look at how UM would affect the individual interior of your staff i.e. their
feelings, thinking, world-views and moral reasoning (I), the teams and culture of the
company (We), the health of the individuals in the company (It) and the policies and
systems that bound your organization (Its).
The structure of the UM Academy should be analyzed from an AQAL perspective
as well. It will be revealing to see where our education and training falls in the model.

FIRST QUADRANT - I/PSYCHOLOGY (SUBJECTIVE):

• Awareness practices - concentration, meditation, breath control, yoga,
mindfulness, positivity, fox walk.
• Emotional practices - emotional transmuting, Shadow work, authentic
listening, etc.
• Cognitive development – mental models, decision tools, reading,

LESSON 4 19
 contemplation, thinking outside the box, learning to learn.
• Creative intelligence - visualization, affirmations, background of obviousness,
envisioning, purpose finding.
• Moral development – values cultivation, effective decision practice,
developing moral courage.
• Spiritual development - Cultivating your heart center, Authenticity practice,
20X & Kokoro camp, Service & Discipline attitude
• Integral Psychograph – mapping your inner terrain as a benchmark of your
current “stage” and lines of development.

SECOND QUADRANT – WE/ CULTURE (INTER-SUBJECTIVE):

• Communication – authenticity, emotional control, empathy, non-verbal skills.
• Trustworthiness – acting in such a way as to cultivate trust amongst your
team.
• Leadership – serving your team and making decisions that empower and
move the team toward mutually determined, ethical and rewarding goals.
• Shared experience & shared risk – especially amongst those who undergo HQ
training.
• Modeling – projecting heart centered power and positive example for your
teams.
• Coaching – moving from learning to coaching and teaching the UM way of
life.

THIRD QUADRANT – IT: (OBJECTIVE)

• Physiological adaptations from your new level and type of physical training.
• Neurological adaptations from awareness and meditation practices, which
affect the neuro-plasticity of the brain structure.
• Physio-neurological adaptation from your ability to perceive and filter stress,
moderate the stress response and direct the response toward positive
performance factors.
• Cleansing and detoxification of your internal organs from Yoga practice.
• Heightened energy as a result of learning how to breathe properly and
habitually.

LESSON 4 20
 • Functional and graceful movement
• Injury avoidance – especially from injuries arising from an ignorance of
how to be functionally fit. Move with alertness and awareness, avoiding
unnecessary falls or accidents.
• Self Defense – particularly as a result of avoidance due to heightened
awareness and confidence in your skills and defensibility.

FOURTH QUADRANT – ITS: (INTER-OBJECTIVE)

• Enhanced awareness - of the relationship you have with the structures and
systems that intersect your life daily.
• Organizational leadership – the knowledge and courage to positively lead
and change the structures and systems in your life.

AQAL as a Mental Model – analytical examples

From the field of psychology comes our first AQAL analytical tool example (from
Michael Ostrolenk):
“When I see a client (coaching/counseling); I take an initial assessment which
includes asking the client about their subjective experiences in their life i.e. how and
what they feel (generally and specifically related to issues at hand), what they think
about and how they think, their goals, challenges and life vision, their moral code, (I
inquire into their UL) I do so (hopefully) in a way that makes them ‘feel’ comfortable
sharing (sub-culture of trust and connection- LL).
In my inquiry, I learn about their worldview(s) and how they make meaning out
of the world (I learn more about their UL & LL- LL since they are imbedded in various
cultures and subcultures). This would include the state of their various relationships
(how they give meaning to each of them i.e. spouse/partner, workmates, neighbors,
etc.).
I also ask about their diet, nutrition, sleep, fitness, etc. (UR). I also observe their
UR (i.e. how they stand, sit, breath, move, etc. (UR)). If it’s a couple I see, I will
also observe not only what is said between the two but how it’s said (tone, quality,)
and what’s not said as well as body posture, breathing patterns, eyes, etc. I see the

LESSON 4 21
‘couples’ culture in the room being expressed in meanings (LL), in interpretation (UL)
and in behaviors (UR).
LL is also relevant if I am working with a client from a particular ethnic, racial
or religious group whose expressions, ways of relating and meaning making differs
from the majority in the community in which I work.
All of this of course relates to the LR in terms of social structures (could be a
class issue /economic, access to care issue-such as transportation, location of nearest
hospital or clinic- economic, size and connection of community in which person lives
(small town, big city, rural, urban, etc.).
So, when I work with a client(s), I as an integrally informed practitioner take into
consider UL, UR, LL, LR i.e. AQAL (also states and lines in the UL obviously) when
I figure out how best to work with them and create a team of support and practice.
My decisions of care are therefore informed by AQAL. If I don’t think more
holistically, than I can and will mostly likely miss out on key issues to address in the
coaching/counseling sessions.“

AQAL in relationships
For this example we draw from a future lesson (#6) where we discuss a level of
cognitive development called Vision Logic. Let’s assume for this discussion that you
are you are at that particular level of development (which is likely as a student of
Unbeatable Mind).
Vision Logic is characterized by the ability to see the earlier levels and structures
within yourself and others i.e. you can take perspective on your various perspectives
and realize that they are merely perspectives. That particular level of development
also allows you to see patterns and recognize systems within systems. There are a few
different levels of Vision logic but to make this easier, I am going to collapse them
to one.
So, in a relationship, with your spouse/partner, let’s assume you are arguing
about your son’s education. He is 15 and is not doing well in his local public school.
You use AQAL as a tool of analysis of the situation.
UL- you check in with your own feelings, thoughts and value system. You ask
yourself, what role, if any, am I playing in this situation? What am I saying? How am
I saying it? How do I think my son and spouse are receiving my words? Does my body
language match my oration? Does my energy match it? What value have I put on

LESSON 4 22
education? How do I define education? Formal? Informal? Schooling vs. learning? You
ask these and many more questions of yourself. You sit with your answers. Are they
‘true’ and authentic’. You need to do this repeatedly so you can bring light to your own
shadow, the limitations of your own thinking, your possible lack of integrity, perhaps
your changing value systems, better grasp of your own rules, roles and identities (to
be discussed in Lesson 6)
LL- Now, you also do the same in a non-judgmental way with your spouse and
son. It’s not that you don’t judge, discrimination is important but more important as
this point to better understanding both of their worldviews, visions, ideals and ideas,
thoughts, feelings and experiences. In these discussions with your son and spouse, you
can talk about society’s expectations, cultural, subculture and familial expectations.
You might discover through this inquiry process that your son actually does like to
learn but the setting is not conducive (LR) to learning or that the way the subject
matter is taught (LL) is not conducive to him learning the best way he learns (UL).
You might find out that your son has other difficulties that are interfering with his
learning such as a girlfriend, sports, bully, peer pressure, or even (UR) problems such
as lack of proper nutrition (many children suffer from eating the Standard American
Diet-SAD), or medications use or recreational drugs, lack of sleep, vision or hearing
problem, learning disability, etc.
So, you can even organize your inquiry based on AQAL trying to explore and
understand the various factors at play such as those mentioned above i.e. UL- personal
learning style, motivations, goals, interests of your son, etc. LL- teaching style, cultural
and sub cultural expectations and understanding, curriculum, etc. UR- diet, nutrition,
drugs, medications, sleep, health status, hearing, seeing, etc. and LR- class size,
travel to school, safety and security of learning institution, resources at school, etc.
The idea is to hold as big a picture as possible and explore as many factors as
possible which gives you a better chance of creating the conditions to change the
problem to a challenge to be overcome by the family. Perhaps, it’s as easy as getting
new glasses or a new teacher or teaching your child to manage their thoughts and
feelings better or you need a tutor or you need to deal with a conflict with your spouse
that’s manifesting in your child’s poor academic performance.
The point is that by using the AQAL model as a tool for analysis it allows you
a better chance to figure out what is the root(s) problem and address it in a more
sustainable manor and in the process you’ve deepened your own self-awareness and
connection within your family. Obviously, since this is a generic ‘problem’ it’s tough

LESSON 4 23
to get into any details and its very important to understand the family dynamics such
as family rules, roles and id as well as background story to the situation. Nothing
happens in a vacuum. As a member of the family, most of you are caught up in it (as
we all are) and it can be difficult to see clearly but not impossible)
That’s why the UM program is so important. It can give you the skills and
capacities to do these types of things and create a community of support so you can
try on new hats, new roles, and new ways of being in relationships.

Summary
My objective with this lesson was to enhance your understanding and appreciation
for the power of UM Integral Warrior Development and AQAL as a decision support
model. The learning falls squarely in the second mountain of Mental Development,
and will help us be better leaders and followers.
Combined with other mental models that help us make sense of the chaos –
including KISS, SMEAC, OODA loop, Game Theory and Mental Processing Theories
(Blink – Confirmation Bias), AQAL provides a powerful method for analyzing complex
issues and helping us understand our own place in the midst of a complex scenario.
Please integrate this knowledge through practice and further study.

Be unbeatable! --Mark Divine

LESSON 4 24
LESSON 4

Exercises and
Practices

LESSON 4 25
1. Integral Awareness Practice – read PDF, listen to audio and do practice.
2. Meditation types – read the Guide to Meditation Practices below and listen to
the audio on Meditation.
3. Nutritional Awareness – read the PDF and view nutrition video. In a single
24-hour period track and journal every item of food you put in your mouth.
Compare to the Paleo-Zone nutrition guide. Make an honest assessment of
your fueling habits and commit to change just one thing this month. If you
have any sugar in your diet – a good place to start is to eliminate that.
4. Physical Training – Time to start ramping up our physical training – the first
mountain. Continue to practice form for the movements. If you are not working
out at least 3X a week, then now is the time to start.
a. Beginners: work up to doing the following workout in one setting: [Run 1
mile, then 50 pull-ups (band assisted), 75 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 150
Air squats, Run 1 mile]. Do it “for time” or “as fast as possible” but with
the best form possible on every rep. Scale the run distance and rep counts
until you can do the entire workout with only short rests between rep sets.
If you are new to CrossFit / SEALFIT style of training, then please review
the exercise videos on sealfit.com, and work on your range of motion and
form for the body weight movements before adding loaded movements
with Kettle Bells, Dumbbells and wall balls.
b. Intermediate – work on scaled versions of the Operator WOD, SOF WOD, or
our online coaching workouts.

5. Authentic Communication Continue to practice: Speak only if these conditions

are present:
• What you have to say is truthful
• What you have to say adds value to the conversation
• What you have to say is positive and not negative

6. KISS practice: Take your KISS practice to a new space – office, garage, etc.
Also pay attention to what is happening with the spaces and areas of your life
you started to apply KISS to during the last lesson.
7. M
indful News Practice: Continue to practice a modified news blackout –
simply scan headlines (WSJ left columns, Google News, etc.)
8. F
ive Mountain Self-Mastery Plan: Continue to flush out your personal Five
Mountain plan.

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LESSON 4

Guide to Meditation
Practices

LESSON 4 27
 Meditation, awareness and concentration practices are a rich source of opportunity
for us in Unbeatable Mind to develop our self-mastery.
The landscape can be confusing – there are as many types of meditation
techniques as there are fitness programs. This is a good thing, because we will be
drawn to a certain style of practice. All the practices eventually lead to the same
outcome – enhanced awareness, deeper connection with others and the world at large,
and “enlightenment.” This article provides this overview of the significant meditation
techniques to help you de-clutter the noise and note the differences.
If you are adventurous and athletic you will likely be drawn to a moving meditation
style such as a martial art and yoga. If you are not inclined to movement, then a more
static style such as sitting Zen would suit you. If you are “strong minded” then you
would enjoy the approach of thought, mantra, visualization or concentration. Of course
you will likely do a combination, such as we present in Unbeatable Mind.
Overall, there are several broad categories under which we can capture most of
these different meditation practices.

1. Insight Meditation:
These are the meditations of choice for the Gyan Yogis or those drawn to the
intellectual path. It incorporates the advanced meditation techniques from the Zen
school of Buddhism, the Advaita Vedanta school of Hinduism, certain schools of
Western Religions among others.

1. WHO AM I Meditation Technique: This technique comes from the school

of Advaita Vedanta (Non-Dualism / End of Knowledge). The meditation
was popularized by Shri Ramana Maharishi and is based on negation of
the false self in order to realize one’s True Nature. Here is an example of
my experience with WHO AM I MeditationPractice.
2. Koan Meditation Technique: These meditations come from the Zen
School of Buddhism and are designed to break down the ordinary pattern
of conceptual, dualistic thinking. By breaking down the interference
created by the thinking mechanism the practitioner is brought to confront
the non-dual reality of “what is” directly and thus Awaken.
3. Contemplation Meditation Technique: These meditations utilize
introspection, self-study, reflection, study of spiritual texts and

LESSON 4 28
 contemplation to cut through the layers of false conditioning and false
understanding that deludes the mind. These meditations have their roots
in many Western Religions and are also a part of Eastern philosophies.
4. Witness Meditation Technique: This meditation technique is my
contribution to this category and it involves directly perceiving the
thinking process. Described in Lesson 1 of Unbeatable Mind.

2. Sound (Mantra) & Thought Meditation:

The meditations that fall under this category use the science of sound and
thought vibrations (Naad Yoga), along with rhythm and music (Laya Yoga) to purify the
heart and mind. These meditations have a wide range of applications, from bestowing
Enlightenment, to improving health, wealth, happiness, peace etc…

1. Mantra Japa Meditation Technique: This meditation method uses the

repetition of a mantra (a particular sound, word or phrase) verbally or
mentally to create the necessary conditions for purification, refinement
or expansion to take place. Mantras are essentially keys which allow one
to tune into the individual energy field or tune into the Universal Energy
field to produce certain desired results. Here is an example of using OM
Mantra to activate the Third Eye Chakra.
2. Rhythm Meditation Technique: This form of meditation uses the
combination of rhythm, chanting, music and breath to calibrate and
perfect the system. The excellent Three Step Rhythmic Breathing (3srb)
meditation technique of Sage Pantanjali and many Kundalini Yoga
meditations fall under this category, among others.
3. Meditation via Song: Most of the meditations from the path of Devotion
(Bhakti Yoga) and Love, designed to dissolve the ego belong in this
category. This is a path most dear to those who are emotional in nature
and feel a deep love for the divine. Christianity, Gospel, Sufi Meditations,
Hare Krishna Meditations, Kirtans and Bhajans are some examples of
techniques in this category.
4. Meditation via Prayer: All religions have meditations involving prayer and
worship. This may be the most practiced form of meditation.
5. Thought Power Meditation Technique: The power of thought is becoming

LESSON 4 29
 well-recognized world over and many of the ancient Eastern techniques
using this science are starting to gain popularity in the West now as well.
Meditations that use the power of intention, law of attraction, desire
manifestation, self-hypnosis, positive thinking and laughter belong in
this category. These meditations can be useful to everyone. We have used
laughing yoga in the SEALFIT Academy – it is a lot of fun.
6. Feeling and Emotion Meditation Technique: In these meditations one
uses the combined power of feelings and attitude to produce the desired
affects. This technique is usually combined with and is a part of other
types of meditations, but can be done independently as well. Meditation
such as Zen’s Loving Kindness, Osho’s crying meditation and many
meditations which deal with maintaining an attitude of surrender, giving,
gratitude, forgiveness etc., fall under this category.

3. Concentration and Visualization Meditation:

These are probably the most common and well know of all the meditations and
often meditation is defined by these styles of meditations exclusively. They are closely
related to the Insight Meditation Techniques with the difference being that Insight
Meditation Techniques utilize the active application of intelligence and discernment,
while the Concentration Meditation techniques use the power of focused attention
to a greater degree. To some extent these meditations lay the groundwork for the
Insight Meditations that need a high degree of concentration as a prerequisite to
being effective.

1. Breath Meditation: The heart of Zen Meditation is Zazen, the meditation

of the Buddha. In this meditation awareness and concentration are
brought to the breathing process to help build mastery over the mind
and free the system from dualistic thinking. An in-depth look of this
meditation can be found in the popular article Zen Meditation Technique
(Zazen) - Free Book of Guided Meditations. Another breath-based
meditation is Vipassana. In Vipassana one extends one’s awareness from
one’s breath, to the body and the sensations that rise and fall within it.
The objective being to have insight into the workings of the mind through
self-observation. This form of meditation is also called Insight Meditation

LESSON 4 30
 as it helps one develop insight into the true nature of things.
2. Concentration Meditation Technique: There are many meditations that
utilize an external object as a focus point for the mind. Zazen/Vipassana
belong in this group as well, but due to their widespread use I mentioned
them separately. The objects of focus can be anything from a point on
the ceiling, to a flower, to external sounds in the environment. These
meditations all develop focus, concentration, self-knowledge, calmness
and the witnessing consciousness. Their ultimate objective, though, is to
have the meditator finally drop the object of concentration and encounter
the non-dual nature of Reality directly. Some examples of these
meditations can be found in the following articles: Sound Awareness
Meditation Technique and candle flame gazing (Trataka) as described in
Brain Development and Enlightenment - Awaken the Senses.
3. Visualization Meditation Technique: This technique is powerful and a skill
I believe we must develop for Unbeatable Mind. In this technique the
meditator uses visualization techniques to produce the desired results.
These can range from simply moving awareness to various areas of the
body, to visualizing internal flows of light, to imagining mental places
etc. Many internal Chakra Meditations, Kriya Yoga Meditations, Kundalini
Yoga Meditations, Yantra (geometric shapes) Meditations fall under this
category. In additions meditations on the image of God, visualizing places
of power or peace, etc, belong in this category as well.
4. Mindfulness Meditation: This is a wonderful technique and one that
can be practiced throughout the day. Mindfulness meditation means to
have moment-to-moment flowing awareness of your physical, emotional
and mental activities. In other words, to be aware of what is transpiring
in the here and now. This is ultimately the goal of all meditation —
to awaken you to the present. Others definitions of this meditation
are J. Krishnamurti’s Chioceless Awareness, Osho’s Double Pointed
Awareness,Gurdjieff’s Self-Remembrance and S. N. Tavaria’s Awareness
of the Divine Fragment. An article demonstrating this meditation
technique in action is The True Meaning of Laziness.

LESSON 4 31
4. Body Meditation Techniques:
These meditations and practices may suit those inclined to physical activity, but
as you will see from the list below there are meditation techniques using the body
which can easily by enjoyed by all. In addition, the meditations of this type almost
all have the added benefit of keeping us fit and healthy.

1. Yoga as Meditation: All forms of physical yoga are meant to be done

with full awareness of the postures and movements. In addition breath
is combined with the movements and poses to help open up the energy
channels and free the system from the debris of the past. There is no
prerequisite for the practice of Yoga, such as flexibility or diet, and all
can benefit from the blessings this ancient and powerful technique
bestows.
2. Walking Meditation Technique: This form of meditation should not be
underestimated. It is really a treasure. In Zen, walking meditation has
been formalized and is called “Kinhin”. There are many styles of walking
meditation, but for all these styles, awareness is a key component.
In walking meditation you can either be fully tuned it to the physical
process of walking, or you can be fully aware of the environment, either
inner or outer, as you just walk. It either case, the objective is be in the
present moment as best you can.
3. Dance Meditation Technique: The only prerequisite to Meditation by
dance is that you are alive. The range of this meditation done via this
technique is quite remarkable. There is the Dervish dancing of the
Sufi mystics, the Dance Meditation of Master Gurdjieff, Osho’s famous
meditations using dance and movement, Lord Shiva’s Cosmic Dance —
the Tandon and the list goes on and on. Dance Meditation is not only for
celebrating life, but is a valid and powerful method to build awareness,
induce catharsis and encounter Reality. .
4. The Martial Arts as Meditation: “Grasshopper… life is a dream within
a dream.” For those of us who grew up watching the TV show “Kung
Fu” know well the intimate relationship between the martial arts and
meditation. Zen Archery, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and other related techniques
all belong here in this category. Common to all these techniques is the

LESSON 4 32
 intimate connection between the breath, the life-force it contains (Qi,
Chi, Prana), the mind and the concept of Oneness.

LESSON 4 33
LESSON 4

Journal

LESSON 4 34
Was I disciplined with my practice this month? How often did I practice? What can
I do better next month?

Am I deepening my connection with my “witness?”

How long can I maintain my equanimity after a practice session? Notice when you
get pulled out of the temporary state of bliss. Is it a phone call or conversation? What
about self-propelled urge to check your email? What does this mean?

LESSON 4 35
Do I feel more focused and peaceful? Can I quickly get myself back to being focused
and peaceful when I notice that I am not?

How is Unbeatable Mind practice changing my outlook on life? My view of myself?

Other thoughts?

LESSON 4 36