Integral Life Practice

Based on a comprehensive map of human development, IIA’s Integral Life Practice (ILP) pages provide an outline of what is
involved in living a more integral life. They show key practices and applications as well as some useful resources that will
introduce you to these practices. After an overview the material is organised in a progressive way around the themes of
‘Waking up’, ‘Growing up’, ‘Cleaning up’ and ‘Showing up’, each of which plays out in ‘Body’, ‘Mind’, ‘Spirit’ and ‘Shadow’.

Currently, most resources are from the United States while some valuable resources are locally produced. IIA would like to
build up the level of content from Australia and New Zealand. We invite you to contact us if you have material that you would
like to share with our regional Integral community that contributes to an understanding and living of the Integral Life Practices
outlined below. Your resource might be in text, audio or video form. Contact us on the following email address if you would
like to make a contribution to the site: [email protected].

Integral Life Practice Overview

Practices Applications Resources
Healthy Living Roger Walsh’s 8 ways to wellbeing: Roger Walsh, 8 Ways to Wellbeing:
1) exercise http://www.8waystowellbeing.com
2) healthy diet Roger Walsh, 8 Simple Lifestyle Tips to
Improve Your Health and Happiness
3) stress management
http://integrallife.com/ken-wilber-dialogues/8-
4) recreation simple-lifestyle-tips-improve-your-health-and-
5) supportive relationships happiness
6) time in nature
7) religious or spiritual practices such as
meditation
8) service to others
Ethical Living Ken Wilber’s 5 levels of increasing Ken Wilber, The Integral Operating System:
embrace and responsibility: http://integrallife.com/integral-post/integral-
st
1 -person egocentric (me, self-integrity) operating-system
nd
2 -person sociocentric (our family, group, Sean Esbjörn-Hargens, An Overview of Integral
ethnic, national, and religious integrity) Theory: An All-Inclusive Framework for the 21st
rd Century: http://integrallife.com/integral-
3 -person worldcentric (integrity of all of
post/overview-integral-theory
us, humans)
th Jeff Salzman, A Primer on Integral Theory:
4 -person planetcentric (integrity of all of
States & Stages, Levels & Lines, and the
us, living beings)
th
Integral Map: http://www.dailyevolver.com/a-
n -person kosmoscentric (integrity of the primer-on-integral-theory
whole body-mind-spirit Kosmos)
nd rd th
Integral Relationships First-person, 2 -person, 3 -person, 4 - Martin Ucik, Integral Relationships:
th
person and n -person relationships in http://www.integralrelationship.com/
couples, families, teams, inter-subjective Robert Augustus Masters, Emotional Intimacy:
dialogues, masculine-feminine dynamics, http://robertmasters.com/
and inter-relating communions of diverse
Miriam Mason Martineau, Integral Parenting:
parties in local, national, and international
http://nextstepintegral.org/
organizations
nd rd th
Integral Communities First-person, 2 -person, 3 -person, 4 - Metaintegral: https://metaintegral.org/
th
person and n -person communities at Marilyn Hamilton, Integral City:
local, regional, national, and global levels http://www.integralcity.com/
Gail Hochachka, Developing Sustainability,
Developing the Self:
http://www.integralwithoutborders.org/
Integral Guide to Work Integral principles in integral organizations, Frederic Laloux, Reinventing Organizations:
according to Frederic Laloux: http://www.reinventingorganizations.com/
th
N -person CEO and board, teams of self- John Mackey & Raj Sisodia, Conscious
actualizing peers, striving for wholeness, Capitalism: http://www.consciouscapitalism.org/
 and tuning into organization’s evolutionary Ron Cacioppe, Integral Potential
purpose John Forman & Laurel Ross, Integral
Leadership
Jennifer Garvey Berger, Changing on the Job
Otto Scharmer & Katrin Kaufer, Leading from
the Emerging Future
nd rd th
Integral Systems in First-person, 2 -person, 3 -person, 4 - Mark Edwards, Organisational Transformation
th
Society and Environment person and n -person systems in for Sustainability
governance, religion, science, technology, Mark DeKay, Integral Sustainable Design
economics, business, education, health,
Richard Slaughter, To See with Fresh Eyes:
transport, communication, agriculture,
http://www.foresightinternational.com.au/
forestry, marine, and other systems
Integral Research Center
http://www.integralresearchcenter.org/

First Period of Integral Life Practice

Waking Up AQAL Style

Individual Community Resources
Body Strength training Body fitness communities Robert McNamara, Strength to
Awaken
(Gross Matter,
Subtle Energy & Shawn Phillips, Strength for
Causal Spirit) Life
3-Body workout 3-Body workout groups Ken Wilber, et al, Integral Life
Practice
3-Body sexuality 3-Body sexuality learning David Deida, The Enlightened
centres Sex Manual
Individual and team creativity Lifespan and inter- Dustin Diperna & H.B.
in dance, sports, yoga, and generational support and Augustine, The Coming
various other body practices challenge for body practices in Waves
healthy physical cultures
Mind Using the AQAL Framework: Using the AQAL Framework: Ken Wilber, et al, Integral Life
All quadrants: interior and All quadrants: interior and Practice
(Gross Waking,
Subtle Dreaming & exterior perspectives and exterior factors in self and Bill Torbert & Assoc., Action
Causal Witnessing) practices in self and community in arts, morals, and Inquiry
community sciences Howard Gardner, Multiple
st st
All levels of development: 1 - All levels of development: 1 - Intelligences
nd rd nd rd
person, 2 -person, 3 - person, 2 -person, 3 - Cindy Wigglesworth, SQ21
th th th th
person, 4 -person, and n - person, 4 -person, and n -
Huston Smith, Forgotten Truth
person perspectives and person arts, morals, and
practices sciences Wolfgang Smith, Science and
Myth & Ancient Wisdom and
All lines of intelligence: All lines of intelligence in arts,
Modern Misconceptions
perspectives and practices of morals, and sciences
cognitive, emotional, moral, Seyyed Hossein Nasr,
All states of consciousness:
spiritual, and other Knowledge and the Sacred
waking, dreaming, sleeping
intelligences and witnessing states in arts, Rupert Sheldrake, Science
All states of consciousness: morals, and sciences Set Free in USA (The Science
perspectives and practices in Delusion in UK)
All types in communities:
waking, dreaming, sleeping masculine and feminine, Sarah Nicholson, The
and witnessing states enneagram, and various other Evolutionary Journey of
All types in individuals: typologies in arts, morals, and Woman
perspectives and practices in sciences Susan Rhodes, The Integral
masculine and feminine, Enneagram
enneagram, and other
typologies
Besides AQAL lenses, many Besides AQAL lenses, many Mark Edwards, Organisational
other lenses are available in other lenses are available in Transformation for
st nd rd
Mark Edwards’ integral 1 -person, 2 -person, 3 - Sustainability
th th
metatheory, Roy Bhaskar’s person, 4 -person, and n - Roy Bhaskar, Sean Esbjörn-
Critical Realism, Edgar person arts, morals, and Hargens & Nicholas Hedlund-
Morin’s Complex Thought, and sciences de Witt, Metatheory for the
other sources with an integral 21st Century
or integrative pulse
Spirit 3 Faces of Spirit in self, with 3 Faces of Spirit inter-cultural Ken Wilber, et al, Integral Life
others, and in nature sangha Practice
(Non-dual, Absolute
& Infinite Source of Roger Walsh, The World’s
Presencing) Great Wisdom
Integral meditation practices Contemplative wisdom Christianity (Hesychasm,
communities centred in the Centering Prayer & Christian
Eye of Heart (Spirit) Meditation)
Judaism (Kabbalah)
Islam (Sufism)
Hinduism (various schools)
Buddhism (various schools)
Taoism
Indigenous traditions in Africa,
North and South America,
Asia, Australia, New Zealand,
Europe, and any other places
Big Mind, Big Heart Big Mind, Big Heart sangha Dennis Genpo Merzel, Big
Mind, Big Heart
Shadow 3-2-1 Shadow Process to 3-2-1 Shadow Process to Ken Wilber, et al, Integral Life
bring light into dark individual bring light into dark communal Practice
(Non-Presencing in
places places Mark Forman, A Guide to
Ignorance,
Addictions & Individual needs (survival and Community needs (vision and Integral Psychotherapy
security, identity and mission, law and order,
Allergies)
belonging, self-esteem and material and spiritual)
self-actualization) Uses and abuses of power in
Uses and abuses of power in families, groups, nations and
individuals and relationships organizations
Psychotherapy for current and Sociodrama for current and
past traumas and other issues past issues
Money issues Budget and economic issues
Individual justice issues Socio-cultural justice issues
Ecological sustainability Ecological sustainability
issues issues

Second Period of Integral Life Practice

Growing Up AQAL Style

Individual Community Resources
Body Novice, intermediate, and Novice, intermediate, and Robert McNamara, Strength to
advanced levels of theory and advanced levels of community Awaken
(Gross Matter,
practice support and challenge
Subtle Energy &
Causal Spirit)
nd rd nd rd
Mind First-person, 2 -person, 3 - First-person, 2 -person, 3 - Sean Esbjörn-Hargens,
th th th th
person, 4 -person, and n - person, 4 -person, and n - Integral Theory in Action
(Gross Waking,
person levels of person levels of Sean Esbjörn-Hargens,
Subtle Dreaming & understanding, embodying understanding, embodying
Causal Witnessing) Integral Education
and enacting individual and enacting community
Willow Dea, Igniting Brilliance
perspectives and practices perspectives and practices,
supports and challenges Sean Esbjörn-Hargens &
Michael Zimmerman, Integral
Ecology
Spirit Levels and dimensions in an Levels and dimensions in a Ken Wilber, Integral
individual’s conscious sangha’s conscious realization Spirituality
(Non-dual, Absolute
realization of the 3 Faces of of the 3 Faces of Spirit in
& Infinite Source of Spirit in self, with others, and community, with other
Presencing) in nature communities, and in nature
Shadow Levels and dimensions of Levels and dimensions of Ken Wilber, et al, Integral Life
understanding and enacting understanding and enacting Practice
(Non-Presencing in
shadow work in individual shadow work in community
Ignorance, needs, individual power, needs, community power,
Addictions & psychodrama & sociodrama & sociotherapy,
Allergies) psychotherapy, money, economics, socio-cultural
individual justice, and justice, and ecological
ecological sustainability sustainability
 Third Period of Integral Life Practice

Cleaning Up AQAL Style

Individual Community Resources
Body Making amends for past errors Making amends for past errors John Dupuy, Integral
in lifestyle factors, like in community policies and Recovery
(Gross Matter,
nutrition, exercise, practices
Subtle Energy & relationships, et al
Causal Spirit) Steering on purpose towards
Steering on purpose towards a healthy body-mind-spirit
healthy body-mind-spirit, communities that flourish with
moving through any physical, creativity and interconnectivity,
emotional, mental, socio- moving through any material,
cultural, or spiritual obstacles political, socio-cultural, or
in self or others spiritual logjams
Mind Making conscious Making conscious Diane Musho Hamilton,
unexamined thoughts and unexamined community Everything is Workable
(Gross Waking,
feelings assumptions and expectations
Subtle Dreaming &
Causal Witnessing) Generating and applying Generating and applying
truthfulness, goodness and truthfulness, goodness and
st nd
beauty in 1 -person, 2 - beauty in socio-cultural visions
rd th
person, 3 -person, 4 -person, and missions, policies and
th
and n -person ontologies, practices
cosmologies, anthropologies, Promoting truthfulness,
epistemologies, goodness, and beauty in 1 -
st

methodologies, axiologies, nd
person, 2 -person, 3 -
rd

chronologies, geographies, th
person, 4 -person, and n -
th

and eschatologies person governance, religion,

Advocating in private and science, technology,
public spaces for truthfulness, economics, business,
goodness, and beauty in arts, education, health, transport,
morals, sciences, communication, agriculture,
philosophies, and religions forestry, marine, and other
from premodern, modern, systems
postmodern, integrative, and
perennial sources
Spirit Being centred in universal Being centred in universal Dennis Genpo Merzel, Big
Spirit, not individual ego Spirit, not collective ego Mind, Big Heart
(Non-dual, Absolute
& Infinite Source of Releasing the self contraction Releasing the group Ron Cacioppe, Meditation
Presencing) of self and others contraction of us and them
Cultivating wisdom in and Cultivating wisdom in and
compassion with all beings compassion with all beings
and their communities
Shadow Detoxing the 3 poisons of Detoxing the 3 poisons of Ken Wilber, et al, Integral Life
ignorance, attachment, and ignorance, attachment, and Practice
(Non-Presencing in
aversion in individuals aversion in communities Elliott Ingersoll & David Zeitler,
Ignorance,
Addictions & Integral Psychotherapy
Allergies)

All Periods of Integral Life Practice

Showing Up AQAL Style

Individual Community Resources
Whole Body Living a healthy lifestyle as Building and sustaining Integral Life,
(Gross Matter, well as possible in current healthy communities as well http://integrallife.com
living conditions as possible in current living
Subtle Energy & conditions
Causal Spirit)
Whole Mind Presencing a whole mind in Presencing a whole Integral Life,
service to truth, goodness, community in service to truth, http://integrallife.com
(Gross Waking,
and beauty in self, others and goodness, and beauty in all
Subtle Dreaming & nature humans and all living systems
Causal Witnessing) in nature
Whole Spirit Presencing a divine heart in Presencing a divine sangha in Integral Life,
communion with all beings communion with the http://integrallife.com
(Non-dual, Absolute
communities of all beings
& Infinite Source of
Presencing)
Shadow Ceaseless readiness NOT to Ceaseless readiness NOT to Integral Life,
wander from staying present negate from staying present http://integrallife.com
(Non-Presencing in
with what is happening in the with what is happening in the
Ignorance, joys and sufferings in each joys and sufferings in each
Addictions & and every being and in all and every community and in
Allergies) beings altogether all communities altogether

Authors: Michael Fox & Gerard Bruitzman, Integral Institute Australia