The Daily Evolver

The first debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden is over – and I didn’t start drinking! In this episode, I show how an integral view helps us see the debate for what it is instead of a defective version of “what it should be”. Then I look at some of the issues the candidates addressed, and how together they moved the ball. By the way, I hope you’ll join me for my live show every Wednesday at 1pm US Mountain Time. The Daily Evolver Live is hosted by IntegralLife – and now simulcast to my Facebook page! As always, I love hearing what’s on your minds and hearts, so keep your comments, questions and critiques coming! You can write me at [email protected], or leave me a voicemail (which I may play on the show). And don’t forget to Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter…

Hey Folks! In this episode, I respond to provocative comments from my very smart listeners, and share some photos from my trip to Trumplandia!  See topics and timestamps below. I love hearing what’s on your minds and hearts, so keep your comments, questions and critiques coming! You can write me at [email protected], or leave me a voicemail (which I may play on the show). And don’t forget to Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter… THIS EPISODE: 0:45 – “What’s up with these Trump people?” Trump supporters seen through the lens of Piaget’s developmental theory. 13:06 – The devilish details in the political integration of left and right. 24:16 – Rapper J Cole’s “vulnerable rap with a sword” displays integral consciousness. 30:52 – “Isn’t woke culture really warrior red, and critical theory amber fundamentalist?” 39:30 – Peak Barbra: a 24-year-old Barbra Streisand transmits early green consciousness in her signature song.

In this episode of “Shrink and the Pundit,” Keith and I explore breathing practices described in a powerful new book, Breath, the New Science of a Lost Art, by James Nestor, as well as a muscle conditioning program developed by Dr. Zach Bush in his 4-Minute Workout. Both systems promised – and delivered – big results from easy effort, enabling both Keith, a master practitioner, and I, a serial dilettante, to tap into new vitality from rethinking some basic biological functions. I hope it inspires you too! __________________________________ Attn: Apple Podcast users – please resubscribe Our link to Apple Podcasts broke, so new episodes may not be showing up. To fix, simply delete the Daily Evolver from Podcasts – then resubscribe. All fixed!

“Claire and I listened to Jeff’s latest podcast on Sunday and it was a breath of fresh air. Highly recommended if you’re upset by the current culture wars. (if you’re not, are you still alive?) Yes, Jeff uses some integral jargon from time to time but I think anyone will appreciate his view from 10,000 feet.” – Bill Epperly, PhD, of Integral Awakenings Every stage of human development is experienced by its subjects as an awakening into a new world. Traditional religious believers (amber/blue meme) “wake up” to the reality of a transcendent God or Nirvana. Modern rationalists (orange meme) create “the Enlightenment,” a world freed from the bondage of ignorance and superstition. Postmodern (green meme) progressives “get woke” to how the historic karmas of oppression continue to manifest, including in our own hearts and minds. People at each of these stages tend to hate and fear those who have not awakened into their world, and each has their orthodoxy, thought police and cancellation of heretics. This provides the fuel for today’s culture war (and the endless wars of history). I receive a lot of questions about what integral thinking can reveal about woke culture, and the challenge it brings to the established modern and traditional views. In this episode, I respond to a message I received from a listener who sums up his argument with a sincere question: “What’s so good about WOKE?”

Integral psychotherapist Dr. Keith Witt sparked this episode of our ongoing conversation, “The Shrink and the Pundit”, by writing to me about a dilemma that many evolutionaries share: In our personal relationships we are pretty good at harmonizing differences. But when it comes to politics and culture it is a much harder task. He writes: I’m mostly stable at teal and turquoise helping my clients at whatever Kosmic address they occupy, but I find that much more difficult when considering the larger social struggles. It’s as if a primitive part of me wants war so I can attack and defeat enemies, while the mature part of me wants to turn enemies into allies, even brothers and sisters. I can do this on the local, individual level, but keep struggling with it on larger cultural levels. I objectify and attack individuals, institutions, and groups, knowing I’m objectifying them, knowing that it is not the most beautiful, good or true reaction. I feel like I’m missing something that’s just on the edge of awareness. WDYT? Together, I think Keith and I found some answers, and may even have caught a glimpse of what can happen when the cats and dogs stop fighting. Enjoy and let us know what you think! Dr. Keith Witt is a practicing psychotherapist and author of many books and courses on integral psychotherapy.

In today’s episode I recount my own evolution through the spiral of development and share how the integral vision has illuminated my world(s). I was approached for this interview by two dear friends: Nomali Perera, with whom I’ve worked on many integral projects since 2004, and Lee Mason, whom I’ve come to know more recently. Nomali and Lee are both coaches, facilitators and teachers in the integral arena, and have teamed up to create a series of offerings called Practical Integral. In addition to this interview, they asked me to join them in producing short introductory videos on each of the five dimensions of Ken Wilber’s AQAL Theory (all Quadrants, Levels, Lines, States and Types). It was a perfect lockdown project that we enjoyed thoroughly, and the videos, Back to Basics: Introducing Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory, are now available on their site. I encourage you to check them out (and perhaps send them to someone who might enjoy hearing the lived experience of integral consciousness more than the fine points of theory). I hope you enjoy both the interview and the new video series. And please do get in touch with Nomali and Lee if you are interested in integral facilitation and coaching. About Lee Mason and Nomali Perera Based in Amsterdam, Lee Mason will be teaching the fourth edition of his comprehensive Integral Flourishing course, starting on September 14th, 2020. Nomali Perera, a certified Integral Master Coach will be offering three new  Immunity to Change™ group coaching sessions in August and September. You can find more details on www.practicalintegral.com.

One of the most powerful projects to come out of the integral movement is the practice of “authentic relating” with its core 2nd-person technology of “circling.” The Boulder Integral Center was a laboratory for its development, and Jason Digges was in the thick of it, first by being personally transformed, then by teaching it to others … and now with his terrific new book Conflict = Energy, The Transformative Practice of Authentic Relating.

We are in a cultural moment regarding race where we can literally see and feel the movements of history. It’s making for many great conversations among integralists, and in this episode I share one I enjoyed recently with two evolutionary thinkers, Greg Thomas and Phil Anderson. Our topics include differentiating the often-conflated concepts of race, culture and development … recognizing and harmonizing both poles of the culture war … and exploring the uniquely cosmopolitan role that Black folks play in the ever-accelerating evolution of humanity. As always you are welcome to join the conversation by writing to me at [email protected] or leaving a voice mail here. Greg Thomas, CEO of the Jazz Leadership Project, is a writer, intellectual, and entrepreneur. Greg was instrumental in developing programs such as the National Jazz Museum in Harlem’s flagship interview series, Harlem Speaks. He has written about culture, race, and democratic life in publications ranging from the Village Voice, Integral+Life, New Republic, Salon, UPTOWN, The Root, the Guardian Observer, and the New York Daily News—as jazz columnist. Greg has lectured on American cultural history and jazz at Columbia, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Hamilton College, and Harvard. His blog is Tune In To Leadership. Phil Anderson has a background in electronics hardware design and software engineering and has spent the last few decades engaged in various Internet-related entrepreneurial activities. An epiphany that occurred in 2007 when trying to model the process of evolutionary emergence using engineering control theory concepts led Phil to the idea of Holons, Holarchies and Wilber’s Integral theory, although because of how Phil arrived at Integral thinking, he retains his own unique holonic Integral perspective. His blog is published at Integral World.

My last episode, Toward A Post-Progressive View of Race Relations, sparked a lot of letters from listeners. In this episode, I answer some of the very good questions and very smart criticisms I received. Keep them coming! Send email to jeff[at]dailyevolver.com or leave a voicemail here. – Jeff

The videotaped murder of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis police and the subsequent two weeks of demonstrations has galvanized the nation. In part 1 of this episode (00:10), I look at the evolutionary potency of the events of the last two weeks, which have brought into searing clarity the realization that a part of the American family has been grievously discounted and mistreated. And that we as a country passionately desire to set things right. I describe a resulting turn of the “spiral of development” regarding race, with red behaviors becoming more constrained, traditionalists becoming more professional, and modernists becoming more sensitive and humane. In part 2 of this episode (12:50), I look at the continued development of the leading edge of society: postmodernism. What might growth beyond contemporary political progressivism look like? I attempt to flesh this out under the guidance of two leading African American intellectuals, Ibram X.Kendi, author of How to Be an Antiracist, and Thomas Sowell, author of Black Rednecks and White Liberals. Though each of these men come from opposite poles of contemporary American politics, both bring essential truths to the table. Integrating them reveals a more complete understanding of America’s tragic racial legacy and the unique role of Black America in building an ever-more vibrant nation of ever more vibrant people.