Ken Wilber - The Pocket Ken Wilber

ABOUT THE BOOK

Ken Wilberthe author of over twenty books of philosophy and psychologyis a pioneering thinker who has developed an integral theory of everything that embraces the truths of both Eastern spirituality and Western science. The Pocket Ken Wilber highlights the personal wisdom of this popular author with short selections of inspirational and mystical passages drawn from his publications. These heartfelt writings include poetic passages of contemplative insights and reflections as well as inspired descriptions of Spirit, Nondual Awareness, the Witness, One Taste, and other topics.

KEN WILBER is the founder of Integral Institute, a think-tank for studying integral theory and practice, with outreach through local and online communities such as Integral Education Network, Integral Training, and Integral Spiritual Center.

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THE POCKET KEN WILBER

Edited by

COLIN BIGELOW

SHAMBHALA

Boston & London

2011

Shambhala Publications, Inc.

Horticultural Hall

300 Massachusetts Avenue

Boston, Massachusetts 02115

www.shambhala.com

2008 by Ken Wilber

The Pocket Ken Wilber is an abridged and revised edition of The Simple Feeling of Being: Embracing Your True Nature (Shambhala, 2004).

See for further copyright information.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

The pocket Ken Wilber / compiled and edited by Colin Bigelow.1st ed.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

eISBN 978-0-8348-2277-1

ISBN 978-1-59030-637-6 (pbk.: alk. paper)

1. Wilber, Ken. I. Bigelow, Colin.

BF109.W54P63 2008

191dc22

2008015064

To Mark Palmer, Sean Esbjrn-Hargens, Vipassana Esbjrn-Hargens, and Adam Leonard, compilers and editors of Ken Wilbers The Simple Feeling of Being, of which this book is a humble abridgement

WELCOME. It is my honor to introduce you to this compact tome of astonishing insight, compassion, and liberation. As Ken Wilber so eloquently summarized in the subtitle of one of his most recent books, The Integral Vision, his life work over more than three decades and two dozen books has explored and developed a Revolutionary Integral Approach to Life, God, the Universe, and Everything. Speaking as his personal assistant, I think that is a very fine summary indeed. Speaking as his peer and colleague (ahem), I do believe hes forgotten a theme woven centrally into his entire philosophical canon: s-e-x. If I may say so (and I dont think Im alone here), I personally believe sex is a deeply integral part of Life, God, the Universe, and Everything. Its rather hard to get a Kosmos going without it, yes? I mean, really, this all started with a Big Bang? Then a few billion years of subatomic particles enthusiastically colliding into each other, enacting a veritable orgy of substrate copulation, and POOF!, here we all are?

It appears that we humans are simply continuing this Kosmic tradition of colliding into one another, and quite often as creatively, eagerly, and frequently as possible. Well why not? After all, what is sex if not the active pursuit of uniting masculine and feminine energies (in whatever combination of bipeds we prefer) in a profound nondual integration, expressedplease god!through a mind-blowing orgasm? I mean really, who doesnt see god at the point of full body/mind/soul climax? Who doesnt, in fact, feel that they might actually be one with spirit for those brief moments when the incessant stream of mental chatter is temporarily blown out of the water? Who are you when every ounce of your attention is racing towards, and finally achieves, an earth-shattering union with your lover in a timeless moment ripped open to infinity? Thats right: you are the WorldLife, God, the Universe, and Everything. Literally.

Through your recognition of the erotic in you, your desire to find unity in and through another being, you have found the doorway to the recognition of Eros in you. Eros is the universal force of the Kosmos incessantly driving towards, and evolving towards, greater wholeness, greater depth, greater union and integration. Your participation in the erotic is one way that Eros expresses itself in and through you. If youve read this far, you knowperhaps consciously admitting it to yourself for the first timethat as deeply as you may desire erotic union, you powerfully yearn for the Ultimate union of self and Spirit that is your birthright. Not only is it your birthright, it is your true identity right now. This is the secret of the great mystical traditions: You have never been in exile, you have never left Home, you are literally One with the Realright now. You are Spirit. You are God. You are Buddha Mind. You are Christ Consciousness. You are creating this entire universe moment-to-moment. (This is not narcissistic wish-fulfillment, whereby you, as a personal ego, finally get to have your dream career, a perfect relationship, and a fantastic bodythat is a classic pre-conventional magical worldview, and clinging to this view is a guaranteed route to not realizing who you really are.) You are the Ultimate creative urge that brought forththat literally birthed, through the passion of Spirits infinite lust made manifestall that is, all that was, and all there ever will be.

Hence, from the intensely Erotic impulse that animates and enlivens every cell in your body, and every atom in the universe... here we all are. Well done. Shall we explore in a little more detail all that You have created? Shall we learn a little more about the majesty springing forth from your own Self, mysteriously arising effortlessly, timelessly, in an ocean of infinite freedom?

What this unassuming little book contains is an introduction to the most complete map of the territory of you (and You) that the world has ever known. Needless to say, the map is not the territory, but that is not an excuse to have a crappy map. Looking at a map of Hawaii is not a substitute for actually being in Hawaii, but it will help you not get lost, and it will point out special items of interestso the better the map, the more enjoyable your experience. Ken has literally spent his entire life trying to touch on all the bases of reality, and human life in particular, and then see how all those pieces fit together. Unfortunately, in todays cultural and academic atmosphere, the overwhelming emphasis is often on the differences in human cultures, subcultures, and historically marginalized groups of any kind. These differences are indeed real, and they must be respected, but when there is no attempt or even interest in finding the patterns that connect, the intrinsic basic features that humanity shares, then we are no longer a wildly diverse, radiant, holistic ornament of Spirit; we are shattered fragments of stained glass scattered across a gray and barren landscape, destined only to cut each other on the sharp edges of our stubborn demand to be the only special lens through which reality should shine, no matter how distorted or monochromatic that may be. This is what happens when pluralistic political correctness is taken to the extreme: everyone is equally special, and everyone is equally alienated, bleeding, and wondering why their special status leaves them feeling so miserable.