Exploring Vertical Awareness and Integral Development: A Deep Dive into Ken Wilber's Perspective on Waking Up and Growing Up
Historical or evolutionary thinking refers to the consideration of the past in understanding the present and shaping the future. It involves appreciating the progression of events, ideas, and states over time, and the realisation that our current condition or state of being is influenced by and built upon what came before.
In the context of Ken Wilber’s work, this type of thinking is believed to contribute to “developmental depth” because it expands our understanding of reality beyond the immediate present. By considering the past, we can better appreciate the complexity and progression of the systems and processes we are a part of.
For example, when we reflect on the evolution of human societies, we can see how our present culture has been shaped by numerous factors and influences from the past. This gives us a deeper appreciation for the complexities of our current society and allows us to better understand and address the challenges we face.
Similarly, reflecting on our personal past – our childhood experiences, past relationships, personal triumphs and failures – can give us insight into our current behaviours, beliefs, and attitudes. This can lead to a deeper self-understanding and promote personal growth and development.
This reflective and evolutionary approach to thinking can be applied to any aspect of reality, whether it’s the evolution of life on Earth, the development of technology, or the progression of our own personal life journey.
By continually bringing this historical or evolutionary perspective to our awareness, we add depth to our understanding and appreciation of reality. We can see how things have evolved and developed over time, and how the past has shaped the present. This can lead to a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of reality, and a greater ability to navigate and influence the future.
Wilber’s suggestion to allow a developmental past to arise in one’s awareness while staying in the present moment refers to the practice of mindfulness and the inclusion of an evolutionary perspective. This approach recognises that our current state of being is a product of a progressive, developmental process and that understanding this can enrich our experience of the present moment.
Mindfulness typically encourages focusing on the present moment without judgment. However, Wilber proposes a slight modification of this concept by suggesting that we should also include an awareness of the past—the evolutionary processes and stages that have led to the present.
In essence, he advocates for maintaining presence and awareness in the now, while also acknowledging and respecting the journey that has brought us to this point. This means appreciating the different stages of growth and development we’ve gone through—whether they be personal, societal, or in the broader evolutionary sense.
For instance, when meditating, one might be focused on the immediate experience of breath or bodily sensations. At the same time, Wilber suggests allowing a sense of the past to arise, an acknowledgment of the journey that has led to this current moment. This could mean recognising the personal growth one has gone through, or contemplating the broader evolutionary journey of life.
By doing so, the practitioner enriches their mindfulness practice with an element of developmental depth. They’re not just experiencing the present moment in isolation, but seeing it as a point on a continuum of development. This provides a more expansive, comprehensive perspective on reality and can lead to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the present moment.
Wilber’s concept of “vertical awareness” refers to an understanding of existence that spans the full spectrum of evolution, all the way from the inception of the universe to the present moment and beyond. This perspective is developmental and evolutionary in nature, acknowledging the various stages of complexity that have unfolded over billions of years.
The visualisation exercise he proposes, starting from the soul level and retracing past states down to the Big Bang, is a technique meant to help cultivate this form of awareness. It’s a practice of “travelling” backwards through time and evolution, consciously acknowledging each layer of existence.
Here’s how the visualisation might work:
1. Start with the soul or spirit level. This could be conceptualised as a state of pure consciousness or enlightenment, the highest rung on Wilber’s ladder of development.
2. From here, move downward to the level of mind. This is the realm of thoughts, ideas, and mental processes.
3. Descend further to the vital body or life-force level. Here, we move away from abstract thought and into the realm of physical energy and vitality.
4. Finally, travel all the way back to matter, the most fundamental level of physical existence. Imagine going back to the state of the universe at the time of the Big Bang, where matter as we know it began.
This visualisation exercise is a way to mentally traverse the spectrum of evolution, from the most ethereal and abstract levels of existence down to the most tangible and physical. It’s a practice designed to foster a sense of interconnectedness and understanding of the deep, evolutionary history that has led to our current moment in time.
Through such a practice, Wilber suggests that one can develop a greater appreciation of the multi-dimensionality of reality and the interconnectedness of all things. It can help to highlight that our present existence is built on layers of past states and that we are intimately connected with the entire history of the universe.
Ken Wilber’s concept of “vertical awareness” is a tool for broadening one’s understanding and perspective by contemplating the evolution of consciousness, from the most fundamental physical levels of existence to the most abstract and transcendent. This means considering the history of the universe and evolution, all the way from the Big Bang to the current moment.
Incorporating vertical awareness exercises into one’s daily practices is thought to deepen one’s understanding and appreciation of reality by integrating these developmental and evolutionary perspectives. According to Wilber, this is essential for reaching what he describes as Integral and higher levels of consciousness.
At an Integral level of consciousness, one is able to hold multiple perspectives, acknowledging the value and partial truth of each. This includes recognising the interconnectedness of all dimensions of existence and appreciating the complexity of reality. With this comes a deepened understanding and acceptance of paradox, ambiguity, and the inherent contradictions within life.
Furthermore, cultivating vertical awareness helps us to perceive the depth of reality. It’s not just about observing what’s happening in the present moment, but also understanding the deep evolutionary history that led to this point, as well as potential future trajectories. This added depth and breadth can lend a richer, more nuanced perspective to our experiences.
To achieve this, one could incorporate vertical awareness exercises into their meditation, contemplation, or mindfulness practices. For example, during a meditation session, one might imagine a journey through the layers of evolution, from the Big Bang to the present moment, and potentially even into potential futures. This kind of practice can help expand awareness, foster a deeper understanding of interconnectedness, and cultivate a more integrative worldview.
As this kind of practice is cultivated over time, Wilber suggests that the sense of depth and multidimensionality becomes increasingly apparent, contributing to a broader, more inclusive consciousness. In this way, the vertical awareness exercises serve as tools for personal and spiritual development.
Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory proposes a comprehensive approach to personal and spiritual development that combines and integrates various elements of Eastern and Western philosophies, psychology, and spirituality. In particular, Wilber highlights two key aspects of development, which he terms “Waking Up” and “Growing Up”.
“Waking Up” refers to the exploration and cultivation of different states of consciousness, often through practices like meditation and contemplation. This concept is well-known in many Eastern spiritual traditions, such as Buddhism and Hinduism, where the aim is to transcend the ego and achieve states of unity consciousness or enlightenment.
“Growing Up”, on the other hand, refers to the developmental stages or structures of consciousness that individuals pass through as they mature, a concept that is more often found in Western psychological theories. These stages or structures, often called “lines” or “levels” of development, include cognitive, moral, emotional, and social development among others. Each stage represents a more complex, nuanced, and integrated way of understanding and interacting with the world.
Typically, Eastern and Western approaches have focused on either “Waking Up” or “Growing Up” but not both. Wilber’s Integral Theory, however, asserts that both processes are crucial for a comprehensive and holistic approach to personal and spiritual development.
By integrating these two aspects, Integral Theory proposes that individuals can achieve both the transcendent awareness promoted in Eastern philosophies (“Waking Up”) and the nuanced, stage-specific understanding of self and others found in Western psychology (“Growing Up”). This integrated approach, according to Wilber, leads to a more complete and profound understanding of human consciousness and offers a roadmap for holistic development and growth.
Certain Western psychological models and psychotherapy practices have sought to incorporate elements from Eastern philosophical and spiritual traditions. Notably, they’ve tried to include concepts related to the Higher Self, True Self, or the idea of “no self,” typically found in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism. Here are some examples:
1. Transpersonal Psychology: This field emerged in the 1960s as a response to what some psychologists saw as the limitations of traditional psychological perspectives. Transpersonal psychology looks beyond the individual ego and seeks to understand human experiences that involve a sense of transcendence, higher consciousness, or spiritual awakening. Concepts from Eastern philosophies, including the idea of a Higher or True Self, are a significant part of this perspective.
2. Mindfulness-Based Therapies: Therapeutic practices such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) are grounded in mindfulness practices derived from Buddhism. They encourage clients to step back from their thoughts and feelings and observe them non-judgmentally, akin to notions of “no self” or non-attachment in Buddhist philosophy.
3. Psychosynthesis: Developed by Roberto Assagioli, an Italian psychiatrist, this approach acknowledges the spiritual dimension of the human experience and incorporates concepts like the Higher or True Self. Assagioli drew on many influences, including Eastern philosophies.
4. Integrative Psychotherapy: Certain integrative therapies draw from both Western psychological theories and Eastern spiritual practices to treat the whole person – body, mind, and spirit. Ken Wilber’s Integral Psychotherapy is one such approach that incorporates stages of consciousness development (Growing Up) and states of spiritual awakening (Waking Up).
While these examples show a fusion of Western and Eastern ideas, it’s essential to remember that Western psychology and Eastern philosophical traditions have different historical contexts, methodologies, and goals. Therefore, such integrations must be done carefully and respectfully to maintain the integrity and depth of the original concepts.
While a number of Western psychological models have attempted to incorporate elements of Eastern spiritual traditions, Ken Wilber asserts that there have been only a few serious attempts at full integration.
By “serious endeavours,” Wilber means models or approaches that:
1. Show a deep understanding of both Western psychological models and Eastern spiritual traditions.
2. Seek to integrate these two realms in a comprehensive, holistic way that respects and retains the integrity and depth of each.
3. Acknowledge and accommodate the complexities and subtleties involved in such integration, rather than oversimplifying or appropriating concepts.
4. Have been developed or proposed by individuals with both the academic/professional credentials in Western psychology and a deep, experiential understanding of Eastern spiritual practices.
Furthermore, when Wilber refers to “this integration,” he specifically means the integration of “Waking Up” and “Growing Up”—in other words, combining the structural stages of psychological development (Growing Up) with states of spiritual awakening or enlightenment (Waking Up).
It’s important to note that while there may have been numerous attempts to fuse Eastern and Western paradigms, Wilber’s comment suggests that he believes only a few have truly succeeded in creating an authentic, balanced, and effective synthesis. Wilber himself is known for his Integral Theory, which is one of these attempts at a comprehensive integration of multiple fields of knowledge, including psychology and spirituality.
Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory aims to combine both "Waking Up" and "Growing Up" in a single model, which he sees as a unique feature of his approach that sets it apart from others.
"Waking Up" refers to the spiritual or mystical journey toward enlightenment or awakening. This path involves experiences of different states of consciousness, from ordinary waking consciousness to non-dual awareness. It's a journey found in many spiritual and religious traditions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christian mysticism.
"Growing Up," on the other hand, is about developmental psychology. It refers to the various stages that humans pass through as they mature, from infancy to adulthood. These stages represent increasing complexity in our cognitive, moral, and self-identities. Examples of these models include Jean Piaget's cognitive developmental stages, Lawrence Kohlberg's stages of moral development, and Jane Loevinger's stages of ego development.
According to Wilber, most spiritual traditions focus on "Waking Up" but pay little attention to "Growing Up." On the other hand, most modern psychological models emphasise "Growing Up" without considering "Waking Up." He proposes that a more holistic understanding of human consciousness and potential comes from integrating these two paths.
In Wilber's view, one could be spiritually awakened (having "woken up") but still have some areas of immaturity or unhealthiness at their current stage of development (i.e., needing to "grow up"). Similarly, someone might be highly developed in terms of cognitive abilities or moral reasoning but have little or no experience of spiritual states of consciousness.
Thus, the full integration of "Waking Up" and "Growing Up" is central to Wilber's Integral Theory and represents his unique contribution to both spiritual and psychological understandings of human consciousness and development.