Third International Conference on Integral PsychologyMay 30 - June 1, 2003 Venue: California Institute of Integral Studies, and Cultural Integration Fellowship, San Francisco. California. USA IntroductionThis conference is the third of a series of gatherings by international scholars and practitioners in the fields of integral psychology and psychotherapy and related areas-- the first was in Matagiri, NY, USA and the second in Pondicherry, India. Integral psychology is an emerging field which seeks to integrate western psychology with the integral yoga and philosophy of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo. The implications of Sri Aurobindo? and the Mother? Integral Yoga for psychology are enormous. But thus far very little has been done to bring this wisdom into the field of psychology. The term ?ntegral?is in vogue these days, and many different thinkers are applying the term in their own ways. The Mother and Sri Aurobindo, however were the first to apply this term to evolve a new system of yoga which they called Integral Yoga. According to Sri Aurobindo, yoga is ?othing but practical psychology.?Their integralism offers a very broad framework for integrating the insights of modern psychologies that are open to the spiritual possibilities of human kind with the spiritual findings of sages and mystics. This conference is part of an ongoing effort to "grow" integral psychology. While work is currently being done in this area, it is as yet embryonic, new, and tentative. This conference will bring together the main people who are working in this emerging field of integral psychology to facilitate dialog among the participants, and develop the foundation for integral psychology. Objectives of the Conference
The Structure of the ConferenceThe papers presented will be mainly on Integral Psychology and Integral Psychotherapy. There will be plenary and concurrent sessions, and some panel discussions. Each speaker will be allowed 50 minutes to present, and then 10 minutes to answer the questions of the audience. The conference is scheduled to begin at 6.30 P.M. on Friday, May 30 and end
at 1.00 P.M on Sunday, June 1, 2003. Some Representative TitlesThe Relevance of Integral Psychology to Mind-Body Medicine R.L. Bijlani, M.D. Contemporary Psychoanalysis and Integral Psychology:
An Evolving Relationship Integral Psychology and the Great RevolutionMatthijs Cornelissen, M.D. We are standing
at the threshold of an unprecedented change in the very structure, the very
type of consciousness with
which humanity looks at itself and the world. We are witnessing already a
stupendous increase in our technical, material-mental capacities, and at the
same time we can see the beginnings of a growing appreciation of the most
ancient spiritual traditions. But the change Sri Aurobindo envisages goes
far beyond both. He sees spirituality itself as evolving. What Sri Aurobindo
expects, and has worked for, is nothing less than the embodiment of a perfect Gnostic consciousness.
This involves a full, dynamic realisation of the fundamental identity of peace
and action, being and knowing, matter and spirit, life and soul, purusha
and prakriti
in a new harmony of love and oneness. In this paper we will have a short look
at some of the immediate effects this change could have for ourselves and
for the society in which we live. The Meeting of East and West in Integral Psychology Brant Cortright, Ph.D. Embodied Spirituality in the Light of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother and Somatic Psychology Charles Flores Sri Aurobindo and the Mother were great innovators
of a spirituality that gave a special place for embodiment of Divinity on
the Earth and in our bodies, a unique synthesis of ascending and descending
yogas and spiritual paths of the past. This paper will discuss the place the
physical body is given for spiritual development in the light of Sri Aurobindo
and Mother, and will describe the eventual transformation of the body though
Supermentalization. The paper will go further to discuss developments in somatic
psychotherapies and inspired integral transformative practices and trainings
that are naturally developing greater respect to physical embodiment, which
the author believes are the beginnings new integral yogic practices for what
Sri Aurobindo called "Subjective Age." The Development of the Psychic Being Neeltje Huppes
Through the Eyes of Infinity Ideals of Optimal Psychological Functioning Larry Seidlitz Transformation of Ego in Integral and Sufi Psychologies Bahman Shirazi, Ph.D. Sufism and Integral Yoga are two spiritual
systems who have mastered the art of the transformation of egocentric consciousness
(Nafs in Sufism and The Vital Ego in Integral Psychology) using heart-centered
approaches. This lecture discussed the process of integration of egocentric
and psychocentric consciousness in both systems by discussing the process
of ?sychic transformation?in Integral Psychology and the stages of psycho-spiritual
transformation in Sufi psychology.
From the self
to the Self: An Exposition on Personality Based on the Works of Sri Aurobindo Purush and Prakriti in Theory and Clinical Practice Eric Weiss Sri Aurobindo?
integral psychology is built, in large part, around a deep exploration of
the relationship between Purusha (or pure consciousness) and Prakriti (the
dynamic manifestation of consciousness). In this lecture, we will examine
the meaning of these two crucial ideas, and we will investigate their usefulness
in the context of clinical practice. Financial and Organizational SupportThis conference is funded in part by the Foundation for World Education, and co-sponsored by the Association of Transpersonal Psychology (ATP). The organizational support comes from the California Institute of Integral Studies and the Cultural Integration Fellowship, San Francisco. Organizing CommitteeKundan Singh (Ph.D. Cand.), Conference Coordinator Brant Cortright, Ph.D., Director of the Integral Counseling Psychology program, CIIS. Bahman A.K. Shirazi, Ph.D., Director of Graduate Studies, School of Consciousness & Transformation, CIIS and CIF member. James Ryan, Ph.D., Director of the Asian & Comparative Studies program at CIIS and CIF Vice President. Conference FeeFor the 3 day conference: $75 For individual days: Friday: $15 Saturday: $50 Sunday: $25 Special discounts for Students: For the entire conference: $50 For individual days: Friday: $10 Saturday: $25 Sunday: $15 To register, please write to Kundan Singh to request a brochure at kundan@ciis.edu |