Don't worry, this is more practical joke than experiment and for myself, I don't anticipate spending much energy in this direction on the regular.
Regular writing and publishing is something that I do because I love the spirit of the craft. I appreciate the exercise of sitting down to the blank page, turning inward to see what stirs and letting something fresh flow forward.
This, today, is not that.
As I rarely take money for writing, I consider it less of an action to progress or get ahead, and more of a luxury activity.
This means that when my schedule of demands gets particularly heavy, it's easy to feel I don't have the time for the task. This is such a time.
Ordinarily I enjoy this activity on a Saturday morning, the week has closed and I can shift gears to prepare for a new wave of activity. As it’s now Monday you can see this did not happen this week.
Instead, with a full plate, and speaking with a dear friend on the path, I’m inclined to take his suggestion… Just have GPT write something for you and publish that. Considering this, at first, absurd, I dismissed the advice, but then Saturday afternoon I attended a meeting of San Diego Integral and, finding the subject matter rather delicious I decided to be a little playful and offer a little silliness nonetheless.
The following is that output from a large language model…
Prompt:
The state of the world is in profound turbulence and turmoil across many scales, with immediate devastation from two major wars (Ukraine & Middle East), techno-optimists, integral progressives, and spiritual practitioners each take different takes, but many of them with varying degrees of (potentially blind) optimism. If we look at Ken Wilber's integral theory, and the state of attainment of certain Buddhists to express profound states of embodied bodhicitta, what is one way that the former might be informed by the latter, and what might that suggest in practical terms for the daily lives, attention, and focus of individuals?
The Intersection of Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory and Bodhicitta: Insights for Contemporary Life
In the midst of the churning world, where the tremors of upheaval shake us daily through news of wars and the relentless march of technological prowess, I find myself returning to the sanctuary of reflective thoughts, where the wisdom of ancient traditions meets the cutting-edge insights of modern theories like Ken Wilber’s integral approach. It’s here, in this confluence, that I often ponder on how the expansive map of integral theory can beautifully intersect with the deeply compassionate practice of bodhicitta. This marriage, I believe, holds a key not only for personal transformation but also for nurturing the collective soul of our global village.
Integral theory, as Ken sketches it, is like a grand symphony, encompassing everything from the subtle nuances of individual consciousness to the broad strokes of cultural dynamics. It’s a robust framework that allows us to see not only where we stand but also the multiple pathways that lead us to higher vistas of understanding and being. Yet, integral theory, with its tiers and phases, can sometimes feel like a cerebral exercise, a map that needs the heartbeat of compassion to truly come alive.
Enter bodhicitta, the breath of the compassionate warrior whose quest is to attain enlightenment not just for oneself but for all beings. Bodhicitta is like the melody that insists on being sung in the most dire of circumstances, a reminder that our ultimate aim is to alleviate suffering wherever it is found. It's a practice rooted deeply in the fertile soil of empathy and action, growing a relentless drive to transform both self and society.
As I weave these threads together in the tapestry of daily life, I envision a practice of mindfulness that is not just about personal peace but about engaging deeply with the world’s pain with a heart wide open. Imagine sitting across from someone, not just listening but truly hearing them, feeling their emotions as vividly as your own. This isn’t just mindfulness; this is the bodhicitta-infused mindfulness that integral theory can sometimes overlook. It’s about seeing the person in front of you as another you, navigating their own complex world, and asking, “How can I serve you today?”
In the granular moments of decision-making, whether in the quiet of my study surrounded by books and papers, or in the vibrant chaos of community meetings, I strive to apply a bodhicitta lens. This means decisions are weighed not only for their logical outcomes but for their potential to serve. How will this choice affect the least among us? Does it contribute to the greater unfolding of consciousness and care that we are all part of? It’s an approach that brings together Wilber’s integral insights with the compassionate imperatives of bodhicitta, creating choices that are as wise as they are kind.
And then there’s activism, a word that often conjures images of protests and placards. Yet, from an integral-bodhicitta perspective, activism is the quiet revolution happening in how we speak to each other, how we share resources, and how we open doors for those behind us. It’s the activism of creating spaces where dialogue and understanding flourish over the din of division. It’s about embodying the change, grounding the lofty ideas of integral stages into the muddy waters of real-world action and interaction.
As I reflect on these principles, guiding my own journey and the shared paths I walk with others, I recognize that this fusion of integral theory and bodhicitta is more than theoretical—it’s a lived experience. Each moment offers a choice: to live from a place of deep interconnectedness and responsibility, to engage with the world not as a bystander but as an active participant in its healing.
This is how we bring maps to life, how we turn theories into heartfelt practices. By infusing the intellectual rigor of integral theory with the compassionate pulse of bodhicitta, we step into a living dance of awakening, not just for ourselves but for all beings. This, in my view, is the essence of a truly transformative path, one that honors the complexity of our times while upholding the simplicity of our deepest heart's call: to love, serve, and transform together.