Integral Universe Story
What needs to be included for the Universe Story to be more integral?
Not much, as it is inherently integral: It encompasses the unfolding of the world of form in all its expressions and in all four quadrants.
Organizing tool
Yet, the aqal model can be a very helpful framework in organizing and presenting all this material, using holarchies, the four quadrants, and the stages and lines of development.
Ground
And also, it is a reminder to include the Ground, the emptiness that goes with the form, the nature of Big Mind and not just its expressions, unfolding and evolution as form. This emptiness, stainless, absent of any characteristics, that is right here as that which the world of form arises within and as.
Currently
The four quadrants and evolution/development is inherent in the Universe Story, so just about anyone telling or using the story will cover these (with an emphasis on parts of it depending on topic and interest). Some, such as Michael Dowd, use the aqal model explicitly in their telling of the Universe Story.
What is often left out is the Ground or Big Mind. It may be implicit in the telling of it, but often not explicitly acknowledged, and there is even less of an invitation for the audience or participants to taste it for themselves, through for instance the Big Mind process.
Brief integral outline
So here is a recipe for making it a little more integral:
- AQAL framework
Use the aqal model as a framework in the presentation of the material - Big Mind process
Use the Big Mind process to allow the audience or participants a taste of Big Mind, of Ground, of emptiness dancing. The BM process can also be used to explore the world of form, including impermanence, evolution, Earth as a living system, the difference in operating from an identification with a human self and as Big Mind - the possibilities are endless.
Labels: aqal, integral, universe story
10/27/2006 12:01:00 PM
The Universe Story does not appear inherently integral to me. Most profoundly, it seems to presuppose a temporal evolutionary framework which does not include atemporal perspectives regarding the nature of existence and form.
Also, all tellings of the Universe Story I've read are presented as the evolution of right-quadrant objects in the physical universe. Only late in the story do left-quadrant aspects emerge from (i.e., are reduced to) the more basic right-quadrant realities that were originally present. A truly integral Universe Story would tell the story in a way that explicitly shows the presence and development of all quadrants from the very beginning. top
10/27/2006 12:18:00 PM
Thanks! I appreciate your insights - very good points as always.
I agree that most tellings of the Universe Story are as you describe them. My point is that it can be told within a more integral framework, as Michael Dowd does it, and it can also include Ground - the formless, timeless, spaceless.
Btw: I assume you are the same Anonymous that commented on the CSS and headless entries? What is your name? (Your initial wouldn't happen to be TMF...? If so, you probably know or suspect who I am :) ) top