1.11 “Glimpsing” Integral
Glimpsing is my experience of having fleeting, temporary views into the new stages of experiencing and understanding the world. Since I am a real human who is still developing, growing, emerging, there are stages beyond my current level. Given there is more work to do, I continue to glimpse ideas, feelings, understandings that are not yet stable parts of who I am.
Humans have a marvelous faculty for expanding our capacities to make sense and meaning. To expand and grow to a new level, it takes attention, effort, persistence, serendipity, and openness to take that step.
A few examples: when you read about quantum physics, you might have glimpses of understanding. When you read about Religious Mystics, you might have glimpses of understanding. In developmental theories, when people are moving to the next stage, that transition starts with glimpses. Depending on the arena, the subjective religious realm, the messy social realm, or the objective scientific realm, we apply different methods for determining truth. Often it is based on a sense, a feeling. You will learn here about validity tests for each realm that will tighten up your thinking. After some time and effort, your initial glimpses will last longer and become more stable. At some point, they become reliable springboards for more sustained use and contribute to your thinking, awareness, and skill. With enough time and experience they become the new center of gravity for you, and you come of age again.
While I am fairly competent in the earlier stages of development, I know that later stages of developmental theories are over my head. This blog includes a log of my development, working towards more inclusive and complex awareness. That is the nature of reality that Integral Theory has opened to me. The next stages are there for me to discover and grow in to in the future!
(updated 6-19-23)