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MATRIX INTEGRAL NEWSLETTER #4: AUGUST, 2004
Hi again everyone!
The sun shines on our offices on both sides of the Atlantic ocean. In Colorado, we’re getting involved in the Integral Education domain of Integral University and making connections with Integral Ed activists in Vancouver. At the same time, we’ve made valuable connections in Scandinavia, exploring possible collaborations with the Nordic Integral team and the IEF-Center in Copenhagen, as well as sponsoring the establishment of a Scandinavian Communicology network. We are very excited to experience a seemingly exponential growth of interest in comprehensive approaches to modern issues.
IN THIS ISSUE:
(1) - Interview with iNEXT director Clint Fuhs
(2) - Integral presence in Scandinavia
(3) - Internationalizing Communicology
(4) - The Integral movement - an international community
(5) - Brief reflections on embodied transformation
(1) INTERVIEW WITH iNEXT DIRECTOR CLINT FUHS
Recently, Katie Heikkinen, co-founder of Matrix Integral, interviewed Clint Fuhs, founder of iNEXT, about his work with "connecting the global integral movement," the history of iNEXT, and his future plans.
"In January 2004, I contacted Clint Fuhs, the director of iNEXT, about the possibility of Matrix Integral collaborating with his organization. He quickly suggested a visit. While I was visiting, a room opened up in one of the Integral houses in Boulder (home to James Wagner, director of IN-Town, www.in-town.org, Boulder’s local salon, among others). I jumped on the chance to move in. Since then, Clint and I have become great friends. I’ve also gotten to know Lynne Feldman, co-director of iNEXT and Director of Student Affairs and Curriculum Development at Integral University–expect an interview with her shortly!"
Read the entire interview! – http://www.matrixintegral.org/inext.htm
(2) INTEGRAL PRESENCE IN SCANDINAVIA
While the general level of development in Scandinavian countries may be among the highest on the planet, so far, there have been proportionally few explicit moves towards second tier (Integral consciousness). That’s why it has been especially refreshing to connect with the Nordic Integral team and the IEF-Center in Copenhagen.
Nordic Integral is presently working actively to document successful change work within the educational institutions in southern Sweden. As Nick Drummond at Nordic Integral says, "We need evidence that clearly proves the efficiency of an Integral approach to education." They are doing a truly vital task of pioneering Integrally-informed changes inside a postmodern educational system while continuously documenting their progresses. On their website (http://www.nordicintegral.com), you can find several interviews and documentation of their work.
Visiting the IEF-Center (Impersonal Enlightenment Fellowship) in Copenhagen was a true energy injection. With a thorough focus on vertical transformation, they have taken on Andrew Cohen’s challenge to explore the question: what is the goal of spiritual life in the 21st century? With regular visits from international speakers, weekly meetings where Enlightened Communication is practiced, and a modern interior design, they’ve managed to create an environment that brilliantly combines high efficiency with deep contemplation.
There’s a feeling of increased synergy in the Nordic region, and we anticipate it will only grow. With the coming launch of Integral University in the US (offering online education globally) we believe there will be a considerably increased interest in these matters in Scandinavia as well.
(3) INTERNATIONALIZING COMMUNICOLOGY
Communicology is a relatively new field of study, defined as "the study of the structure and dynamics of communication and change." During the last twenty-five years, two Norwegians, Trulls Fleiner and Jorunn Sjøbacken, have offered a training program in Scandinavia where students develop an "Interdisciplinary Meta-Competence." The program offers a multifaceted practical experience of the real-time applications of "master keys" - the active ingredients in communication and change.
So far, this program has only been available in Scandinavian languages (Norwegian-Swedish), except for a few rare exceptions in California. Therefore, we’re especially proud to include this material in the Matrix Integral educational program, thus becoming the first organization to offer a program in English that includes the knowledge and competence from the field of Communicology (briefly mentioned as Transformative Communication on our website http://www.matrixintegral.org/integral/transcom.htm).
Recently, we’ve been in touch with a wide range of certified communicologists who are eager to connect and exchange services among themselves, and we are now building an internal network for this purpose. As this network becomes more connected, it will be a tremendous resource for our future students at Matrix Integral. Not only will they immediately have hundreds of Scandinavian colleagues, but they will also be able to find organizations and companies looking specifically for their competence.
We are very excited about taking part in building such a resource, and are positive it will prove invaluable to our students as well as others well-versed in the field of communicology.
(4) THE INTEGRAL MOVEMENT - AN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
This section is a permanent section meant as a way for our readers to stay informed about what is going on in the Integral movement. (This list is the second list, to read the first list, visit http://www.matrixintegral.org/integralmovement.htm.)
Nordic Integral - http://www.nordicintegral.com
As mentioned above in section one, this organization is presently documenting their pioneering work with applying an Integral approach to the Swedish educational system. Yet their overall vision is broader, "focused on facilitating the development of more complex levels of leadership, thinking and social responsibility within the Nordic Region and the world."
Andrew Cohen - http://www.andrewcohen.org
A dynamic site containing interviews and high quality multimedia content. Andrew Cohen has long since applied an Integral approach to human transformation and is one of the most influential people working to increase an Integral awareness around the world. (Click on "centers" and "copenhagen" to visit the homepage of IEF-Center in Copenhagen.)
What is Enlightenment? - http://www.wie.org
This is the website of a paper magazine focused on leading edge thinking, in spirituality to science to business. With its extensive content, you are sure to find plenty of interesting material.
Live Real - http://www.livereal.com
An interactive site with articles and a forum for people to ponder on "the big questions." What’s life all about? How can we "seize the day"? Worth a visit for all Integrally curious minds.
Spiral Dynamics Integral - http://www.spiraldynamics.net
The official website of the work of Dr. Don Beck in elucidating human development, individually and collectively. The very accessible color scheme of developmental levels is frequently used to explain the complex matter of interior human history and future potentials.
(5) BRIEF REFLECTIONS ON EMBODIED TRANSFORMATION
This section will feature musings on transformation, spirituality, and living in the world from various young integral thinkers. This issue: MI founder Hannes Aurell starts us off.
"I am just as much a part of ‘the greater good’ as anyone or anything else."
I can’t get over how thrilling, as well as frightening, life becomes when actively pursuing vertical transformation. Yet it’s so easy to get caught up in distractions and narrowing your understanding and perspective in a frightened grasp for something permanent, only to in the next moment experience that very permanence as unfulfilling and dull stagnation.
Everyday life offers a constant stream of (spiritual) challenges, perpetually demanding a higher perspective, a greater understanding, and a deeper compassion. As Surya Das says, "A spiritual experience, or training, or event, is not enough. Even an epiphany, a breakthrough, or satori is not enough; an enlightenment experience is not enough! It has to be worked out as an enlightened life." (Integral Naked)
One of my greater personal challenges has been the paradox of balancing a state of equanimity where you rest in simple being, fully accepting what is, with the equally true understanding that our world is in desperate need for transformation and the ambitious efforts that comes with it. It seems so easy to get wound up in our culture of achievement, especially when I can see that my work is appreciated and believe that it contributes to a greater good.
But it is vital not to forget that "I" am just as much a part of "the greater good" as anyone or anything else, and thus, to truly contribute to an authentic greater good, I must recognize that true universal care applies just as much in caring for yourself as it does in caring for others.
It seems obvious to me now (after somewhat successfully applying this quite simple, yet fundamental understanding in my own life) that my abilities to resonate with and understand others are considerably sharper when I’m in resonance with myself; not settling with an awareness of my interior life, but also ensuring that my daily actions reflect it and are true to it.
Feel free to contact us with questions or ideas concerning this newsletter or our projects. We hope you will continue to have a wonderful summer!
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