Introduction!

I got into Ken’s work a couple of years ago (jeez how time flies). I got introduced to it via my dad, he was well in with the men’s movement back in the day: Robert Bly, James Hillman etc, but has transcended them now ;) It was pretty amazing to have him and another very close friend there to validate things and put it all into context.

I remember very vividly the summer between my 2nd and 3rd years at uni, when I really got hold of it, talk about an accelerated transformation, it was intense. I think I’d been ready for it for a while, but had just got really blocked in very mean green values. Once I grasped the AQAL model my preconceptions and stereotypes crumbled pretty darn fast. I was pretty obsessed for the first 6 months or so, read and listened to just about everything I could get my hands on.

At the end of my third year I wrote my final thesis using AQAL. I’m a musician, and my degree was in Community Arts, I don’t think its called that in the States, but its basically a green meme approach to art – trying to include as many people in artistic opportunity whoever they are – very relativistic and egalitarian! My supervising tutor was *very* green, an avid student of Derrida – so it was really fun as you can imagine. Quite an education in skilful means, as well as a real lesson in 1st tier lenses; didn’t matter what I said/did he simply could not see Integral, and definitely couldn’t trust it. Aside form the frustrations of it, it was a wonderful crucible for my Integral writing, a real test!

Currently securing myself a stable salary before saving up some pennies for further study. Not sure exactly what direction my mission will go next, musing with psychotherapy, maybe music theory…not sure, and enjoying not being sure! Would absolutely love to do the JFK masters in Integral Theory, but the cost is way out of my reach.

Have made contact with a number of the people here in the UK, and am part of the online presence of the London Integral Circle, though London is a bit of a trek to attend their actual meetings. A bit frustrated at the level of Integral activity here, am trying to build relationships and push for more groups/events when the time is right.

I’ve just read the appendices in Integral Spirituality, they absolutely blew my mind. Ken is pushing into some really new and exciting areas, laying down those Kosmic grooves! Also just started the extracts from Kosmos vol. 2, stunning, stunning stuff. I’m chomping at the bit to get writing about this stuff, just need to work out in which avenue I feel most excited about, and could contribute to.