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What is Integral?
When something is integral it is essential to the whole. It is essential for a sense of
completeness. The process of integration occurs when things which were initially
separate in some way join together to form a bigger, more cohesive entity.
Integration involves the relationship between parts and wholes and, as the
philosopher Arthur Koestler points out, everything in the entire universe and beyond
is simultaneously both a whole unto itself and a part of something bigger. ‘Holon’ is
the term he uses to describe things involved in these whole/part relationships, and it
is easy to see how the entire world we know is made up of these holons. What
affects whether we see something at any given moment as a whole unto itself or a
part of something bigger has to do with the context in which we are experiencing it.
Atoms are wholes unto themselves while simultaneously being parts of molecules,
which are wholes unto themselves while simultaneously being parts of cells which
are parts of living tissue and organs and complex organisms such as human
beings. On another level, human beings are whole unto themselves while
simultaneously being parts of families, which are parts of neighborhoods which are
parts of bigger communities like cities, states, and nations, all the way up to being a
part of a world community. The limits are potentially endless. Beyond the world
community lies the community of planets in our solar system and our galaxy and our
community of neighboring galaxies, and so on and so on. This process continues
as far as our awareness can go and beyond.
Everything is made up of these holons. And each whole provides a context for the
smaller parts. A classic example from linguistics helps to describe these holonic
relationships. The word “bark” is whole unto itself yet it is the bigger context of a
sentence or paragraph that contextualizes the word and gives it meaning. The
bigger context lets us know if we are talking about the bark of a dog as opposed to
the bark of a tree. It lets us know if we are talking about some menacing dog
barking with bad intent or one’s beloved childhood pet barking to welcome them
home after a long journey away. It is the context that provides the definition to the
holon.
These holonic or whole/part relationships occur on a multitude of dimensions. They
occur physically within our bodies and the world around us. They exist
interpersonally within the social structures of the world and internally within our own
consciousness, in the very way we think and feel and give meaning to our
experience. These whole/part relationships constitute the very foundation of our
experience of reality and meaning in the world. To truly look at things in an integral
way we must take into consideration this holonic quality when making sense of
ourselves, our experiences and the world we live in.
Integral studies is a movement which has in recent years increased its momentum
exponentially due to the work of one of my favorite writers/teachers/philosophers,
Ken Wilber. Ken Wilber has written extensively on integral issues and is the founder
of an organization called the Integral Institute which is attempting to bring an integral
approach to dealing with a wide variety of present day issues. Integral studies
explore how parts make up wholes and how meaning and function occurs within
those whole/part relationships. It explores how integrating parts helps us to better
understand ourselves and our world.
Integral studies begin with the premise that there are many different ways of looking
at things and while all perspectives are not necessarily equal they can still all hold
some validity and value. When we approach things with this type of framework we
are open to a variety of points of view rather than just locked into our own
perspective. Being open in such a way helps us to integrate seemingly competing
beliefs, ideas, values and perspectives that on the surface might seem too different
to exist in any type of relationship with one another.
Integral Art
An integral approach to art attempts to acknowledge all the different whole/part
relationships that contribute to the creation, appreciation, influence and ultimately
the meaning of art. To factor in all the variables that contribute to the meaning of
art is a daunting task but it can be simplified by focusing on three different
perspectives that are important in understanding art in an integral way. These
three perspectives are: 1) the perspective of the artist who creates the art; 2) the
perspective of the viewer who gazes upon the work of art; 3) the perspective of the
outside cultural context in which the work of art is a part.
Some of the artist’s attributes which influence the meaning of the art are artistic
training and technical skill, aesthetic sense, creative style, personal interests, as
well as the artist’s psychological make-up, present emotional state, values, beliefs,
level of cognitive development, level of emotional development, and level of spiritual
development.
While the artist obviously contributes a great deal to what a work of art ultimately
means, an integral approach to art would also need to take into account the
viewer's contribution to the meaning of a work of art, for it is very possible that what
the artist intended and what the viewer derives are very different. From an integral
perspective the viewer’s interpretations are just as much a part of the ultimate
meaning of the work of art as the artist’s intentions. Just as with the artist, the
viewer’s aesthetic sense, personal interests, as well as his or her psychological
make up, present emotional state, values, beliefs, level of cognitive development,
level of emotional development, and level of spiritual development, will all help to
provide a context in which to determine the meaning of the art.
Finally, the outside culture plays a large role in shaping the context in which the
meaning of art is created. Some of the factors within this cultural perspective that
would be influential to the meaning of a work of art are things like the present
political currents in the world, the historical events that affect the present culture,
the overall cultural values and definitions of what is beautiful and what is artistically
skillful, and the overall average level of emotional, cognitive, moral, and spiritual
development within the culture. Even things like the success of the artist within a
culture, the monetary value of his or her work and the galleries in which the work is
exhibited will affect the overall meaning of the art.
What Level of Consciousness Does a Work of Art
Represent?
One of the factors which is of significant importance for understanding art in a more
complete way is the level of consciousness of the creator and viewer of a work of
art. Consciousness can be divided up into a variety of different states and levels,
and all of the great wisdom traditions of the world (i.e. Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism,
as well as Sufism, and Christian and Jewish mysticism) seem to differentiate levels
of consciousness in a very similar way.
We can divide consciousness into five major levels: gross/physical,
mental/emotional, subtle/soulful, very subtle/casual and non-dual. Gross
awareness is awareness of the gross or physical level of being. It is at this level of
awareness that we all start out. Little children are almost exclusively aware of the
physical aspects of the world. And their sense of identity is, for the most part,
based on their physical being. This is the realm of the five senses, and a great deal
of art has the singular intention of representing only this very literal, concrete,
physical level of being.
As we evolve we become more aware of the mental/emotional level of being. We
realize that we have a mind and thoughts as well as a physical body and, while we
may have had feelings before, it is at this level that we are more capable of
contemplating and being truly conscious of the emotional aspects of ourselves. At
this level we begin to identify not only with our objective bodies but with the
subjectivity of our minds and emotional hearts as well. We transcend the physical
identity while simultaneously including that physical identity into our emerging bigger
sense of self. Over the course of history art, like human beings, has evolved to
express the more subjective mental and emotional aspects of being as well as the
physical. This can be seen in the progression from exclusively concrete and literal
art to works that incorporate the figurative and symbolic.
If one’s consciousness continues along the evolutionary path it eventually reaches
beyond the personal domain of the physical body, rational mind and personality-
dependent emotional heart. It moves to the stage where it becomes more and more
aware of the subtler, transpersonal aspects of being, traditionally depicted as
soulfulness, subtle luminosity or transpersonal archetypes. And beyond this level is
the even subtler, Causal level of being which is often depicted as the emptiness
from which all form arises. The Causal level of being is the source or cause of all
things, the backdrop on which the world of form resides and from which the world of
form and contexts are born. The Casual is the unmanifest, and Casual awareness
involves a state of absorption in the pure, formless ground of all existence which is
Spirit or Godhead itself.
Beyond the state of Causal absorption in which one is identified with the source
from which all things arise, there is an even deeper level that transcends Causal
absorption to hold both formlessness and form as one and the same. At this level
of awareness there is a deeper state of integration in which there is the realization
that form and formlessness are one and the same. There is the realization that the
physical, mental, emotional, and soulful states of being are ultimately identical to the
source from which all those states arise. They are not two but one – Nondual.
From this perspective the simplest and smallest of things is simultaneously the most
expansive - the universe and beyond in a single atom, the totality of being in the
coo of a infant, the deepest and most profound expression and realization of Spirit
in the simple act of chopping wood and carrying water. The Nondual is the
realization of the ultimate oneness and most complete integration.
Just as the basic rudimentary nature of physical form and gross awareness can be
expressed through art (i.e. in the painting of a bowl of fruit) so can the depth of
soulfulness, the emptiness of causation and the ultimate integration of the Nondual
be expressed through the medium of art.
There are many artists such as Alex Grey and Wassily Kandinsky who strive to
express these higher realms in their creative endeavors and there are many terms
used to describe such works of art. Some use the terms spiritual, transformative,
meditative or visionary art. Others describe it as mystical, astral, metaphysical or
inspirational art. Some may see this art as form of yoga or as a tool for meditation
and spiritual growth. And many spiritual traditions would label such higher art using
the terminology of their traditions (i.e. Buddhist art, Hindu art, Tantric art, Christian
mystic art,). But no matter how you label it and what tradition you are coming from
the essence is the same.
The integral Ideal in Art
For me an integral approach to art attempts to acknowledge and represent how all
of the levels of being exist simultaneously. It tries to convey how all these levels are
ultimately inseparable from one another. It tries its best to celebrate the spirit of the
Nondual and express that inexpressible state of profound integration.
Art has the potential to help us realize our deeper nature if we allow ourselves to
see how in its creative seeds there lies the birth, the source and the death of the
entire universe. Art can help us realize that the simple painting of a bowl of fruit is
no different from God. It can help us realize that a speck of dust holds the same
depth and breadth of magic, grace and beauty as a master’s painting, a symphony
or the perfect poetic verse. The creation and appreciation of art from an integral
perspective cannot help to transform us if we are open and willing to engage in the
ongoing process of broadening our horizons
Aspiring towards an integral vision
It is my personal aspiration as an artist and a human being to live the integral vision
to the best of my ability. As an artist this means acknowledging that I am in a co-
creative relationship not only with all who view my art but also with the present,
modern day culture that the art exists within. On a deeper, more personal level, my
efforts to live this integral vision means doing my best to acknowledge not only
within my creative endeavors but within all aspects of life, the presence of all the
levels of consciousness. The physical, mental/emotional, soulful, and Casual
aspects of being are all integral, all essential to the whole of existence. They are all
aspects of our ultimate Nondual nature.
In my art the photographs of physical form I use are representative of the physical
aspects of being. The concepts and feelings I attempt to express in my work
represent the mental/emotional aspects of being. The light and luminous aspects of
my images represent the more subtle, soulful luminosity of being. While the black
backgrounds and shadows I use in many of my images are representative of the
emptiness of the Causal ground from which all things are born. And finally my
attempt to integrate these elements in a cohesive whole is my way of expressing
symbolically the ultimate integration of the Nondual.
Whether or not my work or anyone’s work succeeds in expressing and conveying all
these levels is not what is of greatest importance. What is of importance, at least
for me, is the striving to expand and integrate. It is the journey towards that integral
ideal which is most important. And a journey towards wholeness certainly holds a
very important quality of wholeness in and of itself regardless of whether or not the
ultimate, idealized destination is every reached.
Jeff
