Integral Life Interviews with Saniel and Linda

// April 5th, 2009 // Audio

The Conveyor Belt One of the great advantages of 21st century spiritual experimentation is that we now have an enormous body of psychological and sociological data at our disposal, as well as a highly refined perception of the universe around us—all of which offers a much clearer view of the role spirituality plays in our lives. Two of the most useful concepts to help us understand the full spectrum of spiritual realities are the notions of stages of human growth (as revealed by such developmental pioneers as Jean Gebser, James Fowler, Carol Gilligan, Jean Piaget, Abraham Maslow, etc., describing human growth as evolving through archaic, magic, mythic, rational, pluralistic, and integral stages) and states of consciousness (descriptions of gross, subtle, causal, and nondual experiences that are found cross-culturally, in almost every major tradition.)

Mapping the New City It is as though a whole new world is just beginning to come into view—a world that feels as familiar as it does novel, as timeless as it does historic. It is as if we are discovering a “new city” built into the fabric of history itself—a city that can only be seen by glimpsing the inescapable totality of knowledge, values, and perspectives now available to us; whose architecture can only be discerned by recognizing the intrinsic patterns shaping all of our human experiences.

Awakening Through Skillful Means As teachers of integral spirituality, Saniel and Linda both share a passionate drive to share their awakening with anyone willing to receive it. However, the reality is, even if a spiritual teacher is trying to communicate ever-present states of consciousness—states that are readily available to anyone at any time (e.g. effortless awareness, centering prayer, ecstatic dance, etc.)—a student’s experience and interpretation of these states changes dramatically from level to level, requiring the teacher to be able to cognitively gauge where the student is in relation to his or hew own psychological and spiritual maturity. Furthermore, it demands a certain level of interpersonal sophistication to skillfully meet the student at his or her own level, reframing the teaching in a way he or she can receive.

The Microcosmic Orbit Here Ken asks Saniel and Linda to share their experiences teaching together, with particular emphasis upon the actual energetic dynamics that play themselves out between them. He uses the example of an ancient Taoist meditation practice that dates back to prehistoric China, known as the “microcosmic orbit.” The microcosmic orbit seeks to circulate life and light through the entire body, and is traditionally regarded as a highly advanced practice—people are advised not to engage in it without the guidance of an accomplished teacher, or without proper preparation and purification of the energetic body. However, Ken has offered on several occasions a distilled version of this powerful practice, one that can be used at any point throughout our day.