A Thoughtful Exploration of Integral Philosophy, Stages of Awareness, and the Meaning of a Good Life - Essay Sample

Integral philosophy commonly referred to as "theory of everything", initially endorsed by Wilber, is important in exposing individuals to a wide range of theories that are useful in developing their spiritual beliefs. The scope of the integral theory, according to Wilber, ranges from aspects that are independent, intersubjective, and on an individual level at the same time (Paulson, 365). However, the theory is often rigid when applied. For example, applying the integral theory is often regarded as a mechanical process in which an individual willing to apply it can download it as it is presented in the form of a preserved recipe. The theory advances authentic spirituality in which an individual should be in a pole position to develop his or her spiritual practice.

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Wilber's position as the father of integral philosophy is anchored on two components that are theory and practice. He uses the integral theory to orient the worldview map. On the contrary, the theory has faced criticism for its orientation, although it serves the intended purpose. The practices are not fully developed and only consist of several canned methods that are believed to encourage integral evolution and progress. Over the years, Wilber's theoretical approach has consistently been heard in transpersonal psychology (Paulson, 367). He slowly built on it without deserting his original view. At the dawn of the new millennium, Wilber's theoretical systems incorporated other disciplines such as sociology and business among others which resulted in him shifting his perspective of life to consider it in both spiritual and ordinary ways (Wilber, 79). The universe was viewed as a self-adaptable system that could easily change.

Another notable contribution by Wilber is that he advanced the debate on modern science and integrated it with indigenous spiritual beliefs in coming up with an all-inclusive range of realization. "Orienting generalization" encompasses both the aspects of "Evolution" and "Spirit." Both aspects are individually evolving from the simplest forms to more complex forms. In this regard, all the aspects are simultaneously evolving in all the four quadrants. The work of Wilber, according to Koestler, can be depicted as "Everything that exists consists of holons." (Koestler, 233). The sentiments are reiterated by stating that each instance or item is generally part of a larger system and any larger system is composed of smaller units. He further states that there is nothing that exists in its reality, and no system is completely independent since all systems are made up of independent parts that contain the whole system. In this view, Wilber suggests that we should incorporate individual holons within each of the four quadrants to evolve independently and not only the natural way of considering only the interiors and exteriors and the individuals and systems (Wilber, 406).

Wilber defines the state of awareness as a subjective, unsolidified, and temporary condition. For example, dreaming, meditating, and walking among other states. Stages are defined as more off-permanent levels of growth. The different stages of growth are then subdivided into different streams of growth like intellectual, ethical, and spiritual steams (Paulson, 365). Advanced stages are characterized by greater holding capacity and a new development stage has some aspects of the previous stage and the ability to further develop. Wilber does not put much concern on evolution that is to happen in the future but rather on the fact that different aspects of life have already gone through various stages of evolution. Besides, the very advanced states and stages of awareness are possibly right with us and not in some future date to come.

Miller's statement about what matters at the end of life is that at the end of life is death and the strange thing is that we are never scared of death but the suffering that they might experience before they die. Initially, the healthcare systems were designed with the diseases taking center stage. Still, it is prudent to incorporate people in the design process because they are the primary users of the systems. The suffering that a person goes through should be minimized since caregivers and hospitals should be aimed at reducing the pain by offering comforting care. Therefore, at any given stage, an individual should be able to get the required care and should not be limited to hospitalized persons. At the end of one's life, a person must be contented with the life he or she has lived. We should be able to have moments in life during which the thought of living or dying does not surpass the thrill that is brought by that moment. During death, we should be able to celebrate the life of the person properly and not like what happens in a hospital as soon as a person dies. The healthcare systems should be designed with the thought of making life more delightful and not making it less terrifying.

According to Randy Pausch, life is a marathon in which a person can become a winner or a looser. In this regard, if a person fails to win a marathon after trying and completing the marathon should be celebrated. In the same way, celebrate failure that comes from persistent trying. People who are extremely good in there are of expertise are quickly accepted in any setting they are deemed to be valuable. Always hold high the value you have and no one should pull you down. Another important message is that we should not lose that child-like wonder because it is instrumental in driving us to help others when they are in need. We should continue dreaming like children as we work as adults to achieve our goals.

Robert Waldinger's assertion in a TED talk about the composition of a good life is that social connections are vital as compared to what we have always considered to be a good life that is centered on recognition, wealth, and hard work. Secondly, the quality of the connection we have is vital in that it is better to have fewer connections that are of quality than a pool of connections that do not have substance when called upon. Lastly, good associations are good for our physical and mental well-being.

Works Cited

Paulson, Daryl S. "Wilber's integral philosophy: a summary and critique." Journal of Humanistic Psychology 48.3 (2008): 364-388.

Wilber, Ken. Sex, ecology, spirituality: The spirit of evolution. Shambhala Publications, 2001.

Wilber, Ken. Integral psychology: Consciousness, spirit, psychology, therapy. Shambhala Publications, 2000.

Koestler, Arthur. "Beyond atomism and holism—the concept of the holon." The rules of the game: Cross-disciplinary essays on models in scholarly thought (1969): 233-247.

Wilber, K. "A Brief History of Everything. (Collected Works, Vol. 7)." (1996).

"What Really Matters at the End of Life, by BJ Miller". Dailygood.org, 2020. Online. Internet. 8 Aug. 2020. Available: http://www.dailygood.org/story/1165/what-really-matters-at-the-end-of-life/.