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23<br />
<strong>rapt</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>awe</strong><br />
consciousness is call<strong>in</strong>g to you to express your creative genius.<br />
Modernity is merely one stage <strong>in</strong> the evolution of consciousness,<br />
and attachment to contemporary modernist beliefs tends to resist<br />
and restrict this unfold<strong>in</strong>g developmental process. Aga<strong>in</strong> this is a<br />
habitual tendency that is becomes <strong>in</strong>gra<strong>in</strong>ed for each of us. Rapt <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>awe</strong> <strong>in</strong> its essence is about this evolution of consciousness and<br />
how our collectively disassociated m<strong>in</strong>dsets <strong>in</strong>hibit this natural<br />
progression. Integral Theory, eloquently framed and popularized<br />
by contemporary philosopher Ken Wilber, provides a structure for<br />
understand<strong>in</strong>g and analyz<strong>in</strong>g the evolution of consciousness, and I<br />
rely heavily upon it to illustrate the ideas with<strong>in</strong> <strong>rapt</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>awe</strong>. The<br />
Integral Approach 6 tells us that knowledge is <strong>in</strong>timately depen-‐<br />
dent upon perspectives. One’s cultural orientation and personal<br />
frames of reference will determ<strong>in</strong>e what is perceived. Each facet<br />
of <strong>in</strong>terpretation holds some aspect of truth, yet rema<strong>in</strong>s<br />
<strong>in</strong>complete without multiple perspectives. A s<strong>in</strong>gle photograph<br />
provides a perspective, whereas multiple images from various<br />
angles creates a much more accurate understand of the subject.<br />
The very act of <strong>in</strong>tegrat<strong>in</strong>g diverse modes of <strong>in</strong>quiry enables us to<br />
access Integral consciousness. The terms Integral 7 <strong>in</strong> this context<br />
directly refers to the act of <strong>in</strong>tegrat<strong>in</strong>g various viewpo<strong>in</strong>ts to<br />
create a more rich and comprehensive outlook. Ken Wilber<br />
identified the consistent correlations between multiple modes of<br />
<strong>in</strong>quiry and created the Four Quadrant Model 8 . The vertical axis<br />
dist<strong>in</strong>guishes subjective approaches from objective, spirit from<br />
matter. The <strong>in</strong>dividual and the collective are parsed by the<br />
horizontal axis.<br />
The model suggests that absolutely anyth<strong>in</strong>g can be<br />
looked at from a variety of perspectives or studied from various<br />
6 The Integral Approach refers to the application of Ken Wilber’s Four Quadrant model<br />
and the compliment<strong>in</strong>g bodies of knowledge from his colleagues with the Integral<br />
Institute. http://www.<strong>in</strong>tegral<strong>in</strong>stitute.org/, http://www.<strong>in</strong>tegrallife.com/<br />
7 The term Integral consciousness was first used by Swiss Anthropologist Jean Gebser.<br />
8 Wilber, Ken. Sex, Ecology, Spirituality (Boston & London: Shambhala)1995