He argues that evolution is not random, accidental, or otherwise meaningless. On the contrary, its progressive advance reveals the presence of purpose. Not a preplanned or externally controlled type of purpose, but rather a creative generation of value that has been continually building upon itself for billions of years. When understood in its entirety, from the flaring forth of the big bang, through the emergence of our solar system, through the evolution of life, and up through the development of human society and culture, the grand panoply of evolution carries an unmistakably spiritual message. And despite its vigorous use as a weapon against spirituality, as our understanding of evolution deepens, we will increasingly come to see it as a profound and sacred teaching in its own right. Although most of the evolutionary science that provides the foundation of this discussion has been around for decades, it is only in the last few years that we have begun to grasp evolution in its fullness. And this new conception has resulted from the enlarged understanding of the cultural or psychosocial aspects of evolution brought about by the recent insights of integral philosophy.

STEVE MCINTOSH, J.D., is the author of Integral Consciousness and the Future of Evolution (Paragon House, 2007). He was an original member of the Integral Institute, and a member of the Evolutionary Leaders group spearheaded by Deepak Chopra. EnlightenNext Magazine has referred to him as “integral thinker par excellence.” An honors graduate of the University of Virginia Law School and the University of Southern California Business School, McIntosh is founder and president of the international manufacturing company Now & Zen, Inc. He lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife and two sons. Visit his website at www.stevemcintosh.com.

Thu. 8/5 at 7pm
Boulder Integral Members $10
Standard $15
2805 Broadway St. Boulder, CO 80304

Presentation and Q & A with Dr. Keith Witt

Friday, 6/12 @ 7pm (doors open 6:30pm)

$15 (Boulder Integral Members $10)

Evolution is relational. Atoms relating to other atoms relating to molecules relating to life relating to other life spirals upward into greater complexity and deeper consciousness. Human evolution is each one of us relating to ourselves, others, and spirit. When we are in intimate harmony with ourselves, others, and spirit, we optimize our personal evolution which contributes to the wave of development that started with the big bang and extends outward and inward to who knows where.

Mammals learn from social approval and disapproval. When disapproved of by significant others, mammalian nervous systems have shame reactions that evoke change. The gift of self-aware consciousness gives humans the capacity to approve or disapprove of others or ourselves in the past, present, and future. Disapproval can result in shame emotions like guilt, embarrassment, chagrin, or humiliation, which pressure us to seek relief by neurotically avoiding the feeling or growing toward compassionate caring for others and deeper consciousness. Such shame driven growth is central to individual and collective evolution.

This talk will explore the psychology, interpersonal neurobiology, and interrelatedness of shame, development, and transcendence. We will learn practical applications of transmuting shame into positive change, deeper wisdom, and radiant love.

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.

Monday October 13th, 2008
10am-5pm. $95
REGISTER NOW

Carter Phipps

Jeff Carreira

Join What Is Enlightenment? magazine’s Executive Editor Carter Phipps and EnlightenNext Education Director Jeff Carreira for an illuminating journey into the development of a new integral spirituality. In this day seminar participants will have a chance to gain a rare 360 degree view of a new integral, evolutionary spirituality. The day will unfold in three parts. In the beginning session, Phipps will guide participants through the spiritual and philosophical context of evolutionary spirituality, bringing alive in simple and accessible terms the powerful teachings and perspectives of great integral pioneers, from Sri Aurobindo to Teilhard de Chardin to Ken Wilber, setting the table for the session to follow.

In the second part of the day, Carreira will bring his inspirational teaching style to the personal and practical sides of evolutionary spirituality, sharing his unique distillation of Andrew Cohen’s teachings of “evolutionary enlightenment”.  This session will highlight the transformative power of a genuine integral, evolutionary spirituality and give participants a chance to bridge the gap between powerful theory and personal transformation.

In the third and final session, Phipps and Carreira will lead an experiential collective discussion. This session is designed to give participants a chance to experience for themselves the power of the evolutionary impulse, and the unique intersubjective or collective nature of 21st century spiritual practice.