First off, I have to say kudos for a successful gathering. The amount of activity packed into 2.75 days was amazing. What a great beginning that leaves much anticipation for things to come.

Community

The concept and word are used so often. It seems a reality more yearned for then actually realized. The venue provided a great re-connection for those that already knew each other. It was a celebration of the quantity (and quality) of integral practitioners under one roof. It is rare to find true community building activities in groups that say they desire to build a bigger community, a more formalized family. Regular organic connecting has its place and value. It would be interesting for this group in particular to do “set the container” type activities (short but meaningful rotating small group interactions). What does it mean to truly BE a community? Putting individual initiative aside, how else will this occur?

Ego

It was a wonderful exercise of my ego to watch other egos. I, I, I. My method, my theory, my work, my experience, my thoughts and beliefs. The underlying nature of an academic gathering would certainly lend itself to ego in that we are displaying our work to others.

To create something is to set it on the stage of public opinion. It is to solidify it as "this" and not "that". It materializes in form, words, and graphics. The "that's" may not like the "this's" position. Creating is to play in this world of internal and external. We put forth a thought, theory, idea, or product. The world will look at it, take it in, measure, label, identify and make a choice to accept or reject. Is all that is created ok? Part of a macro mega "soup"?

I'd like to explore more the idea of myself as a vessel, tool, and conduit for source or the field of no-thing into this current reality. Are we truly but stewards of material things, our work product, our art and science?

It takes guts to get up and put ones self and ones work out there. Did we honor others efforts by our attention? Did we view the presentation like one of a smorgasbord of intellectual stimuli and if it wasn't tasty enough, did we leave through the squeaky exit door in search of something that would satisfy more?

“Consciousness Is Everlasting! We may worry our conscious "effort" may go UNNOTICED. In truth-It's IMPOSSIBLE to ignore! Today NOTICE just how much it's NOTICED.” –Frank Gjata

Déjà vu

I had the honor to help form the reflexology association of america back in the day. It was an effort to legitimize the modality to the world by formalizing organizations and moving toward licensure in the 50 states. Tension existed between those that truly only cared about helping others and those that understood/believed that formalization was imperative to reflexology's future and possible existence. The integral conference had a very similar "energetic" feel to it. The issues are different but similar. Some just want to “do” integral in their day to day life and work and be done with it. Others have strong feelings that it needs to penetrate into the academic realm to make it into mainstream, accepted consciousness. Internal infighting and politics set progress off the tracks for about 10 years in the reflexology world. Reconciliations have occurred in the past 2-3 years to bring in back in line with a vision and plan.

At least on the surface, I wasn't seeing/feeling any infighting tension in this group. There seems to be enormous potential in collaboration between individual practitioners, schools, institutes. If any group on the planet could integrally orchestrate a successful path of include and transcend… this is it!

Peace,

Robb Drury

Last Edited on 11-Aug-2008 5:51 PM