Integral Theosophy

I have just completed a weekend workshop called integral theosophy facilitated by Victor MacGill, and Linda Watts. For me it was a most thought provoking event. In my line of work as a coach educator, I am also a facilitator. It was interesting to watch the group dynamics of our well learned, intensely thought provoking people, each with their own filters, and learning agendas, all keen to further their journey. Here were all were in a course we all knew little to nothing about. We spent a large amount of our time simply trying to find our feet, so as to figure out how to relate to the concept and draw this mysterious idea into a place where we could once again be comfortable that we viewed the world from a place of understanding.

For me, being the rookie on the block, I found it to be right up my ally. The concept to me has acted as a catalyst for many different directions. Firstly, I thoroughly enjoyed the concept of looking at the evolution of civilisation, and the parallels of consciousness, via a colour coding, that gave me foundation to see what aspects of me as a being existed. It starts off from the animal individualistic man that focused on basic needs, instinct and impulses, who has no ability to cognitize the sacrifice made by others when he takes what he instinctively needs. Here sense of self evolves as an individual, being I am this individual, with a heirachy established through physical size and strength. Conflict is generally between nature, and the individual. This entity evolves through eventually developing an attachment to those around him, thus creating a sense of family, a first cognitive sense of belonging to something greater than himself. His sense of self is defined more towards the immediate group being 'I am my family'. Heirachy revolves around the provider, and head of the family. Here the value of the family is greater than the individual, in the eyes of those who can see the bigger picture. Something that has enough value, that one would eventually be willing to sacrifice ones self, to save the whole family.

Conflict arises due to a limiting of immediate resources to cover previous basic needs...food, shelter, warmth, and reproduction. With a growing family, more food is needed, so eventually supply becomes an issue, and a family is forced to move to go to where food is more readily available. Similarly, if a family has a sickness, or loss of female life, to the degree that the future of the family is in jeopardy, then the female resource being limited, requires males to go forth and steal them from other families. Here in evolves the next step of war. It was interesting to note that we identified that here was value within these aspects of ourselves when exposed to certain environments, and situations today. So these different aspects of our make up are not replaced when we evolve, but that they are stored, and lesser used, they become less apparent, but are always there. Each aspect has the capacity within each of us, to dominate our entity. But when through conditioning, it is not utilised for great periods is stored in such insignificant space, it feels as if it is no longer there. The next step in evolution is the warrior stage. This evolves over time via the warring families realising their capacity to conquer, and with growing size and strength, eventually become nations, conquering others for natural resources they no longer have. Here the strongest individuals rise to the top. Here they create a sense of group value that goes beyond family, but for which the individual is willing to sacrifice themselves for the perceived greater good. Here the patriot is born. That individual who is seeded with a bond to his group that surpasses any individuals within it. The force for sacrifice is not survival, but for power, wealth and pride, . Those at the top with the power gain greatly the wealth by creating a sense of pride amongst those that come below them.

The conflict here is the loss of a sense of self. It is lost in the vastness of the group. With this loss ends up coming a sense of questioning, and disenchantment.

This need created the next evolution that of organised religion. This enabled the leaders to almost future proof their power. The base still had a sense of belonging in the group mentality, it gave them a new purpose that went even further beyond their group, but cleverly, through which only the leaders could give them access. The individual was willing to sacrifice self for that perceived greatest of causes, because they were sold on the idea of a significant gain awaiting them in the advent of their sacrifice occurring.

The conflict here, was that purpose of war moved from the whim of the leader, to the attachment of the individual's religion. So the wars became religiously based. In addition to this, having a sense of self, was deemed to be a sin, thus this aspect was attempted to be buried. Hence the conflict began to be an individual one. Individuals began to awaken, and move away from the organized religions.

The next state of evolution came with industry. The individual had the capacity to gain their own creative power. The pursuit of which was engaged at the cost of all others, including the planet.

To keep the masses in control here, as they became empowered, those at the top with decision making power used media to direct the individual. Thus giving the individual the perception they were empowered, yet still able to direct them by controlling what you got them to perceive. If you could control their emotions, you would cloud their judgement. If you could control the flow of information so as to give them singular unchallenged perspectives from a source they had grown to admire, and trust, then you could control their behaviour, and the beauty of it is that they would think it was their decisions.

The next state of evolution was the stage of rebellion against the establishment. This concept really trumpets the individual at the detriment of the organization. The pursuit of free thinking is published to be the righteous ideal, with no regard to the group that orbits that free thinking individual. The issue is that this aspect is all about the individual...all about 'ME'. The conflict here then, is that the support structure that exists both man made and natural, is unable to sustain the detachment the individual has imposed on it. Here the sense of order is lost, man disconnects from his roots.

The next stage is the integral state. Where the free thinking individual is able to see the importance of their role. To see that they do not have to sacrifice the good of the greater, nor themselves to be able to fulfil the needs of the group. The conflict here is that of balancing the higher and lower self of the individual. They battle to balance when to give and when to take, for they still see themselves separate from the group.

The next stage of evolution is therefore that of a sense of self actualisation occurring not through service to the group as was previous, but as a sense of service to self as the group. Not only this, but that there be no label of this group, that it be fence-less, faceless, and expansive to the point of encompassing all as one consciousness.

Here in lies the point at which I awoke in this course with the realisation that I have been trying to become a 'great' individual, that I may be of service to the group. But now I realise, that all of this can be surpassed if I am able to see the bigger picture, lift that veil slightly more and boldly take that bigger step.

Thank you to everyone, who contributed all you thoughts, passions, interludes, and perspectives of this consciousness flexing weekend.