Holistic
Personal Development
The shadow is the 'dark side of the psyche,' which is usually the cause of issues like projection and dissociation. The aim of shadow work is to free up mental energy and "...undo (...) repression and reintegrate the shadow in order to improve our pshychological health and clarity," (Wilber et. al, 2008, p. 41). We ultimately disown parts of ourselves we do not like and avoid them by various means. Shadow work helps us to embrace the totality of who we are: the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly.
Body
Spirit
Holistic Education presupposes the existence and importance of Spirit and/or Soul in the world and in each living being. There are many ways we can engage in spiritual practice which will bear much fruit in our personal and professional lives.
One does not have to subscribe to a specific religion in order to practice spiritually. Many practices include things we already do or would like to do (like be more focused and attentive, bring depth and presence to everday experiences) and engaging in atleast one spiritual practice will have many benefits.
Included in Wilber's AQAL model is the idea of developmental lines. Much like Gardner's Multiple Intelligences, developmental lines are areas of development that humans can foster. Spirituality is its own line of development and by engaging in relevant practices we can develop through several stages of spirituality.
As educators, we can only be at our best when our bodies are functioning optimally. This includes not only keeping our physical bodies healthy by eating nutritious foods and exercising, it also means engaging our suble and causal bodies which creates the conditions for holistic bodily health.
Shadow
Mind
Using the Integral Life Practice system as a guide for Holistic Personal Development ensures that we are giving attention to all of the necessary parts of our developing persons. By consistently engaging in practices that focus on the body, mind, shadow and spirit, we continue to grow as educators and work to attain higher and higher stages of development of consciousness. This helps us to experience things from many perspectives and understand interconnected nature of reality as well as come face-to-face with the ultimate metaphysical truths that higher consciousness brings.
Wilber et al. differentiate between our three bodies. The gross body is our physical body, the subtle body is made up of various energies like prana or chi that permeate the body, and the causal body is the embodiment of the 'ever-present witness' or what might be called the spirit or soul (Wilber et. al, 2008, p. 128). Various practices help exercise each of our three bodies while some exercise all three.
These are examples of pratices that engage the different bodies (Wilber et. al, 2008, p. 134). It is desirable to combine a practice in each category in order to gain the benefits of holistic development.
An example of engaging all three bodies in one workout is:
Causal Body: Begin with a meditation to ground yourself in the ever-present witness.
Subtle Body: Do a series of yoga postures to warm-up and active various energy centers in the body.
Gross Body: Engage in a weightlifting session.
Subtle Body: Cool down with some stretching.
Causal Body: End with a meditation or gratitude practice.
You do not necessarily have to combine these practices together into one work-out, especially if it is easier to spread them throughout the day. The important thing to remember is that the body is a holistic system. By exercising all three bodies we move from a fragmented view of health to one that is more holistic and more likely to improve our teaching practice.
A great practice for addressing the shadow especially for people who are to busy or do not have the means to attend therapy is the 3-2-1 process.
In this video, Diane Hamilton explains the 3-2-1 process which is a process of facing a disturbance in your life, talking to it, and finally owning it (Wilber et. al, 2008, p. 46). Many people give attention to the mind, body and spirt, which are important, however, the shadow is an essential part of ourselves we must re-integrate in order to continute to work towards wholeness.
When working with the mind module we are aiming to:
-
increase or capacity to sophisticated, complex, and accurate perspectives;
-
expand the mental organization used to view those perspectives (Wilber et. al, 2008, p. 67).
In working with the first point the practitioner simply engages in learning accross a wide array of developmental lines. Working with the various intelligences is one way to develop more completely. It is also advisable to learn about many things and to develop the ability to consider alternative points of view and acknowledging that everything is true but partial (Wilber, 2000, p. 140).
To address the second point, Wilber et. al have proposed using the AQAL model, which in its expanded form includes all quadrants, all levels, all lines, all states and all types. This framework allows us to understand the interconnectedness of all things. It is a map of the Kosmos. Exposing oneself to many worldviews encourages more sophisticated thinking about how things relate and the AQAL model is a map of worldviews.
An example of how one can practically use the AQAL model is the Quad Scan (Wilber et. al, 2008, p. 113). When making a decision we can consider the following:
1) What do I think or feel? (Upper Left Quadrant)
2) What are the perspectives of others? (Lower Left Quadrant)
3) What are the interconnections with larger systems? (Lower Right)
4) What are possible actions I can take? (Upper Right)
Wilber et. al describe several spiritual practices and I have provided many below in the form of the tree of contemplative practices. Three popular practices you may want to try are meditation, contemplation and prayer or communion.
Meditation: You let go of identification with the ego and recognize the witness, the suchness of the present moment. Common ways of engaging in meditation are vipassana meditation, shikantaza meditation, self-inquiry as well as many other types of meditation.
Prayer and Communion: You open yourself up to God and allow your soul to be touched by spirit- the ultimate consciousness. Common ways of engaging in prayer and communion are consent to the presence of God, various modes of prayer, singing, rituals, worship and service (Wilber et. al, 2008, p. 212).
Contemplation: In this practice you become aware of "the fullness of spirit" in all its forms and manifestations in the Kosmos. Common ways of engaging in contemplation are "...art, nature mysticism, philosophical and mystical contemplation, and service," (Wilber et. al, 2008, p. 211).
There are many studies that describe the positive effects of meditation (Miller & Nozawa, 2002). Engaging in these practices will be beneficial for you as an educator and for all of the students whose lives you touch so deeply.
Please visit the page on best practices for practices that specifically relate to teaching.
References
Miller, J., & Nozawa, A. (2002). Meditating Teachers: A qualitative study. Journal of In-service Education,28(1), 179-192. doi:10.1080/13674580200200201
Wilber, K., Patten, T., Leonard, A., & Morelli, M. (2008). Integral life practice: A 21st century blueprint for physical health, emotional balance, mental clarity, and spiritual awakening. Boston: Integral Books.
