Ken Wilber and the integral map
The integral map called AQAL and conceptualised by Ken Wilber is a unique tool to help make sense of what is happening to oneself, groups or whole societies. It also helps to trace our evolution.
The All Quadrants All Level (AQAL) is a unique tool to navigate through life and business complexities.
Originator: Ken Wilber
Pre-supposition: any experience can be mapped to a four quadrant matrix (AQAL):
- an individual perspective, perceived from inside (‘I’)
- an individual perspective, observed from outside (‘It’)
- a collective perspective, perceived from within the group (‘We’)
- a collective perspective, impacted outside the group (‘They’)
What for: analyse situations, study root causes, define meaningful interventions, design improvements, operate cultural transformations
The model: in addition to the quadrants, other components are:
- states of consciousness (wakefulness, sleep, dream). States are temporary, they come and go.
- stages or levels of development: in contrast to states, stages are permanent: they represent the actual milestone of growth and development. Among the many taxonomy, a common one is: egocentric stage, ethnocentric stage, world centric stage.
- lines of development in turn are referring to the domain in which human beings can exercise their intelligence: cognition, emotions, body, spirit, etc. these dimensions unfolds in progressive stages and demonstrate the level of development in a given domain.
- masculine and feminine types: any of the above has a masculine and a feminine component that are not fixed and express themselves depending on the circumstances.
Application: by now any field of human experience: education, health, business, personal development, ecology, sport, spirituality. etc.
Books: Sex, Ecology and Spirituality – A Theory of Everything – Integral Psychology – Integral Spirituality
Our use of it:
- our leadership model is based on AQAL
- our systemic analysis in business is eased by AQAL
- we offer initiation training to the Integral Theory, ask us