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New Wineskins: an Integral Approach to Christianity

Posted: December 19th, 2008

October 9-11, 2009
Registration is not yet open - details will be announced soon

In St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he commends them to “have the consciousness of Christ among you.” In order for the Holy Spirit to embody the consciousness of Christ within our being, knowing, and doing in the world, we must undergo deep metanoia—a lifelong, evolving transformation into our truest selves. Like those drawn to life in the early Christian communities, this retreat is intended for seekers, including those who have left the Christian path behind and those seeking to return.

Fr. Richard Rohr, O.F.M., Sr. Theresa Monroe, R.S.C.J., and Fr. David McCallum, S.J. will lead this retreat workshop, sharing how Christian spirituality can help us to grow through the purgative, illuminative, and unitive ways into a more integral life in Christ, a life of discerning love in service to and relationship with others.

This retreat will include:

  • Contemplative prayer practices from the Franciscan and Jesuit traditions;
  • Consideration of the Christian path through the Integral lens and Integral theory through the Christian lens;
  • A developmental view of spiritual maturation and its implications for the way we live our faiths

Lead Teachers

Fr. Richard Rohr, O.F.M. is a Franciscan priest of the New Mexico Province. He founded the New Jerusalem Community in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1971, and the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1986, where he presently serves as Founding Director.

Richard was born in Kansas in 1943. He entered the Franciscans in 1961, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1970. He received his Master’s Degree in Theology from Dayton that same year. He now lives in a hermitage behind his Franciscan community in Albuquerque, and divides his time between local work and preaching and teaching on all continents.

He considers the proclamation of the Gospel to be his primary call, and uses many different platforms to communicate the message. Themes he addresses in service of the Gospel include Scripture as liberation, the integration of action and contemplation, community building, peace and justice issues, male spirituality, the Enneagram, and eco-spirituality.

An internationally known speaker, Richard’s travels have recently carried the message to Europe and Australia/New Zealand. Teaching on such themes as adult Christianity, politics and spirituality, embracing the role of prophet in the modern world and presence to the Eternal Now, Richard has partnered with such esteemed teachers as Thomas Keating, OCSO, Ron Rolheiser, OMI, Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault, Joan Chittister, OSB and Jim Wallis.  Read more

Fr. David McCallum, S.J. - I am a Jesuit priest who, in the tradition of my brother Teilhard de Chardin, feel quite passionate about the evolution of the human race in relationship with the Cosmos, and am deeply committed to service of that evolution. In particular, through my studies and my work, I explore the connections between adult learning, development, and both leadership and spirituality (I just completed a doctorate at Columbia University in Adult Learning and Leadership, and have worked closely with Bill Torbert and Susanne Cook-Greuter). I work in NYC, offering spiritual and leadership retreats and workshops, and consulting in the areas of leadership for change and organizational development. For me, Integral Leadership is one way of envisioning and enacting this form of service by helping map the terrain of our experience, and offering insight into paths of action.

Sr. Theresa Monroe, R.S.C.J. Bio to be posted soon

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Video: The Wilderness (2/5)

Posted: December 18th, 2008

Boulder Integral co-founder Ross Hostetter and founder of Revolutionary Man, Jayson Gaddis continue chatting about The Wilderness in part 2 or their fantastic discussion. In this section they discuss the hero’s journey, rites of passage, cycles of self-identity and the importance of being able to bring back what one learns in the wilderness to daily life.

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Attunement, Integral psychology, and developmental neurobiolgy: Practical applications with clients, lovers, children, and friends Dr. Keith Witt

Posted: December 17th, 2008

Wednesday, January 21st, at 6:30pm

$15

Attunement is feeling into ourselves and others with caring intent. Secure attachment is necessary for satisfying relationships and involves lovers, friends, and family members feeling consistently known, accepted, and protected. All these relationships can appear different at progressive developmental stages while including the same principles and neurobiological processes.

Using music, exercises, and current research, Dr. Witt will demonstrate how simple principles like a attunement can access complex knowledge areas in therapy and other relationships.

Dr. Keith Witt (www.kwwitt.com): Author of, The Gift of Shame, The Attuned Family, Waking Up, and Sessions, offers 35 years experience as a therapist, lecturer, and teacher. He has conducted fifty thousand therapy sessions in Santa Barbara with individuals, couples, and families from all walks of life including the film and music industries, corporate management, information technologies, engineering, academia, the law, and a full spectrum of other cultures. He is a professor at the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute.

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Video: The Wilderness (1/5)

Posted: December 10th, 2008

Boulder Integral co-founder Ross Hostetter recently sat down with local men’s coach and founder of Revolutionary Man, Jayson Gaddis, to discuss the role of wilderness therapy in personal development. Ross and Jayson discuss their own personal experiences in the wilderness, how it impacted their personal growth, and how wilderness therapy and rights of passages might be useful for people from all walks of life. Enjoy part 1/5 of this informative, fun, and personal discussion between two fascinating men.

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Mondo Zen: Revealing the True Nature of Mind through Integral Zen Dialogue

Posted: December 9th, 2008

Friday, January 16, 2009, 6:30pm (Open to all)
$15 ($10 for members)

Saturday, January 17 - Sunday, January 18 (Weekend workshop)
$189 ($149 for members)
Registration at the gate: Check or cash only please

Rinzai Zen is known for its rigorous practice in attaining penetrating insights into our own True Nature.  Even for those who live in monasteries, it can take years to integrate these insights. Come experience a taste of the True Nature of Mind in a single evening! Enter into a group Zen dialogue with Jun Po Roshi and experience Ego Deconstruction which opens you to more creative and fearless perspectives. Taste what Ken Wilber in Integral Spirituality calls Turiya - the Freedom of Radical Emptiness. Learn how “your angst is your liberation” - and embody in your life what Ken calls Turiyatita and Radical Fullness.

The penetrating and enlightening Integral protocols of Mondo Zen will be led by Jun Po Denis Kelly, Roshi, first dharma heir of Eido Shimano Roshi. Jun Po is Abbot of Hollow Bones Zen. He has returned to the roots of Rinzai Zen and revitalized the Koan practice in a way that is truly Integral, unique and graspable for western minds like ours. Spend a fruitful and humorous evening with Jun Po Roshi and experience Mondo Zen.  Join us to learn more about Jun Po’s innovative, Integrally Informed and Integrally Embodied approach to Zen that enriches and deepens any spiritual practice.  Come - and One Taste!

Mondo Zen is not just American Zen, it is  integrally informed and integrally embodied Zen.

Mondo Zen  catalyzes high level, Upper Left Quadrant cognitive, emotional and  spiritual stages and states of awareness. These high levels are reinforced through  Upper Right Quadrant neuro-linguistic training. Because of this Integral  UL/UR strategy, your stage development evolves - and your perspectives and  perspective-taking evolve from egocentric to Kosmocentric.

Mondo  Zen further encourages the embodiment and enactment of UR speech and  behaviors - as well as inter-subjective and environmental enactments  (LL/LR Quadrants). The ultimate Mondo Zen realization is non-dual awareness (Turiyatita), spontaneously enacted through all aspects of your being.

Mondo Zen transcends and  includes all levels.  It is not a religion, but a practice for living an integrally Transformative Life. Mondo Zen engages body, mind,  shadow and spirit. If your spirituality  is Christianity, Mondo Zen will enrich and deepen your love.  Whether you’re a Christian or a Hindu, warrior in men’s work, a woman  of power creating a new world, a contemplative individual, a social or  environmental activist, an executive, or an Integral scholar, Mondo Zen  will enhance your awareness, clarity, energy and humor - with more  penetrating insight and effectiveness.

Imagine you as this,  abiding as this, being in the world as this, evolving and invovlving as this.

This is FREEDOM. This is Mondo Zen.

And for an alternative description with less “integral theoretical jargon,” because we welcome those who are new to Integral Theory!

At long last, we are finally awakening and  translating Zen into American culture. Mondo Zen is one of these  developments, these awakenings.

Zen is not just living  anthropology, just some Japanese cultural concentration practice, robes  and Buddha statues. Zen is the awakened state of mind represented by the  marriage of compassion (unconditional caring, respect and regard) and  wisdom (great fearless clarity) expressed in the ordinary actions of our  daily life. Mondo Zen’s Five Element training allows us to realize - and  exist continually - in deep clear mind and in heartfelt, fearless  psychological stability.

Through concentration/meditation  practices and philosophical dialectic dialog conversations, we experience  who we truly are spiritually. We experience the freedom of realization of  our ordinary deep clear mind. We learn the real nature and function of our  emotions. We find our exit strategy from unnecessary suffering - and  finally an end to psychotherapy. We clarify and reorganize our  understanding of our minds - and through expression of this new  understanding in thought and action, we liberate ourselves from many  confusions.

Mondo Zen practice begins with a two hour provocative,  humorous, dialectic dialog adventure - your investigation into - and  sharing of - new, transformational states of mind of exquisite quality.   Buddha taught that the first thing we must do to awaken to the truth  is change our mind. This dialog practice gives us a change in mind. Then,  when you’re tested by the continuous and exciting challenges in the normal  events and actions of your daily life, your new heart and mind is  spontaneously expressed and enacted - and experienced as being vastly  preferable to your old self. Through this training, your center shifts  from ego contraction and suffering into spirit openness. Through this  training you learn that what you thought was your angst is in fact is your  liberation.

Imagine waking up each and every morning, looking out  through the eyes of your soul filled with gratitude and excitement for the  gift of another day. Imagine feeling deep caring, respect and regard -  with the great fearless clarity of a Samurai. Imagine living as the source  of infinite creativity - with the Power to enact it.

Imagine being  FREE. This is Mondo Zen!
<http://www.hollowbones.org/>

Check out pictures from our other events with JunPo Roshi here

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Holacracy: An Evolutionary Approach to Organization

Posted: December 9th, 2008

Friday 2/6 Open Evening $10 (Members Free)
Full day workshop on Saturday 2/7 & 2/8

$495 Early bird ends January, 9th 2009
$595 Regular registration

To register for the weekend event, please click here.  If you have technical trouble registering, there is a “help” link here.

Lead Trainer: Brian Robertson, with Tom Thomison
brian r.jpgtom.jpg

Rarely do organizations live up to their full potential. Even our most progressive approaches to human organization and management are often insufficient for navigating today’s complex and rapidly changing world.

What if we questioned our deepest assumptions about organizational design in light of the challenges and opportunities we face today?  Could we transform our most fundamental approaches to organization to enable entirely new levels of agility, health, and results?

These questions are being asked by a growing number of organizational pioneers, and a compelling possibility is emerging.  It’s called Holacracy.

About Holacracy: www.holacracy.org

logo.jpgHolacracy is a complete system for organizational governance and management that honors conventional business fundamentals while integrating cutting-edge transformative practices. With its unique structure and processes, Holacracy integrates the collective wisdom of people throughout the organization, while highlighting the needs of the organization distinct from those of the individuals within. The result is greater agility, innovation, transparency, and health; liberating the organization to live up to its full potential.

About the Workshop
This workshop dives into the core principles, structure, and practices of Holacracy through interactive lecture and immersive simulations. Attendees will witness Holacracy in action and actively participate in Holacracy’s key meetings and decision-making processes, and leave with a first-hand experience of Holacracy’s leading-edge organizational design and practice.

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Integral Law: An Exploration of its Meaning and Application, with Mark Fischler, J.D., Plymouth St. University

Posted: December 9th, 2008

Tuesday, January 6th, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
$10 (Free to Members)

Whether you are a lawyer or non lawyer, laws and those who practice law effect our lives no matter what we do. The following presentation will apply the basic model of Integral Theory to the practice of law. Utilizing this approach we will demonstrate it’s usefulness in creating a more comprehensive practice and approach to legal problems. By creating a more comprehensive practice, the level of lawyer and client satisfaction will rise as a result. In addition, we will begin to explore the limited nature of the interpretative models currently relied on by our Courts; revealing in the process how an integral approach to interpretation is therefore a more whole and just approach to legal interpretation.

MarkFischler.jpeg.jpgMark James Fischler is currently an Assistant Professor of criminal justice at Plymouth State University in NH. He teaches primarily criminal procedure and ethics to undergraduate students. Before teaching, Mark practiced law as a NH Public Defender for three-and-a-half years representing indigent people accused of criminal acts. He also worked as Guardian Ad Litem representing the best interests of children in divorce cases. His principle mentor as an attorney in style and approach is trial attorney Gerry Spence (a teacher of his). After leaving the law Mark went out on a personal journey for a year and a half working in the Buddhist and Toltec traditions and upon return joined the Plymouth State University faculty.

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Ken Wilber Study Group

Posted: December 9th, 2008

Next group is on Friday 12/19 at 3pm. The topic for this session is Shadow and the Disowned Self (Chapter 6 of Integral Spirituality)

kwsg.jpgEvery other Friday we host a Ken Wilber Study Group, to get a deeper understanding of the foundational work that has inspired today’s international integral movement.  Everybody is welcome, from those who have not yet read Ken Wilber to those who are experts. Please note: Mr Wilber is not a participant of this group.

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Perspectives & Latest Research on Ego-Development, with Dr. Susanne Cook-Greuter and Beena Sharma

Posted: December 9th, 2008

Tuesday 12/16 - 6:30 - 9:00 pm
Entrance $15 (Members Free)

Susanne CG.jpgbeena.jpg

At this event, Susanne Cook-Greuter and Beena Sharma will anchor an intimate dialogue about their work in understanding and applying ego-development stage theory with individuals and organizations. Susanne and Beena do intensive workshops on developmental coaching, and also work with various groups and organizations around the world, supporting an evolved and sophisticated understanding of the developmental perspective.  In 2009, Susanne and Beena will be delivering workshops in Brazil, UK, Europe, South Africa and Asia.

In our evening together, Susanne will share with us her perspectives and the latest research on ego-development.  Susanne and Beena will discuss cases where a developmental perspective has illuminated the coaching and development process. We will get an overview of how this work is being applied in organizations and both the potential and boundaries that define this work.  The forum will be an open and interactive one, and you are invited to bring your own questions and understanding to make this a collective meaning-making conversation!

About the presenters

Dr. Susanne Cook-Greuter is a principal of Cook-Greuter and Associates, LLC, a consulting and research firm. Susanne is an internationally known authority on adult development and travels worldwide to give workshops and presentations in the LMF and scoring the MAP. Susanne has a doctorate from Harvard University. Her thesis, Post-autonomous Ego Development, is a landmark study in the characteristics and assessment of highly developed and influential leaders. Susanne works with Beena as her business partner in several initiatives.

Beena Sharma brings with her significant experience in facilitating leadership and organizational learning and development, including designing and anchoring large scale change efforts using Integral, Real Time Strategic Change (RTSC), Polarity Management and Action Learning methodologies. Beena co-facilitates workshops with Susanne on deep immersive excursions through the various stages of ego development. Beena is a certified MAP scorer, and also co-facilitates with Susanne, the training of scorers.

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Authentic Man/Woman Game Night, with Alyson Schwabe

Posted: December 9th, 2008

Saturday, December 13,  6 -9:30pm (6 -6:30 arrival; meet & greet. 6:30 start)
$20 per person (Pre-Registration required by December 12th)
To register, contact Casey Capshaw at 303.881.3954 or CaseyCapshaw@gmail.com

This event is for 15 men and 15 women (first come, first served basis)

Ever notice how difficult it feels to truly reveal your most authentic self?
Join like-minded men and women as we playfully explore and practice revealing our authentic selves. These “game nights” are dedicated to helping men and women learn how to relate authentically and create intimacy and attraction in a free, fun, playful, and relaxed environment. These nights are worth their weight in gold. You will hear honest feedback on how you’re received by others and then get to experiment with new ways of being. Themes of the night include play, polarity, authentic contact, and desire. Walk away with an embodied sense of your presence, integrity and radiance.  Space is limited so register soon. Contact Casey Capshaw at caseycapshaw@gmail.com or 303.881.3954 to reserve your spot today.

About Alyson

PT Web Photo.jpgAlyson Schwabe has been in the mental health and human services field since 1996. Currently, Alyson teaches Gestalt Therapy at Naropa University’s School of Graduate Psychology. She also facilitates women’s groups, therapeutic workshops, and gestalt-based intensives across the country. Alyson very much enjoys working with Authentic World and Authentic SF, co-facilitating The Authentic Man Program (AMP), and The Authentic Woman Experience (AWE) in San Francisco, and is currently working to bring AWE to Colorado. She sees private clients in her north Boulder office weekly, and is committed to teaching people to live intentionally and relate authenticity. She is thrilled to be offering more opportunities to the public that are rooted in this work. To read more about Alyson, click here: http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/36416 or: http://www.AlysonSchwabe.com

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