Ken Wilber's Integral Vision versus The Secret: Law of Attraction

Like multitudes of people, I was recently attracted to the Law of Attraction a.k.a The Secret. But almost 10 years ago, I got obsessed with Ken Wilber's Integral Vision, so much so it was the center of my college thesis and personal search for knowledge. The passion for it and passion for other stuff died down when I got into the real world.

In the past months though , I have been focusing on The Secret along with any related material, plus Tony Robbins's NLP based-system and Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad, Poor Dad texts for wealth seekers. I quit my job and used my savings to start planning things out.

All throughout, I had put Ken Wilber's framework on the shelf but there indeed was in the back of my head a kind of doubt regarding "positive thinking" of The Secret and Wallace Wattle's Science of Getting Rich (which seems like the basis for Rhonda Byrne's work). I also had the feeling, while I didn't want to dwell on it, that any Wilberian, never mind if that person just glossed over Wilber's work, would easily obliterate the whole concept of reality according to the the Law of Attraction. I didn't want to know their opinion because until now The Secret has been giving so much hope in my life.

And then it happened...

Out of curiosity, I googled Ken Wilber and The Secret and I came across his opinion and that of his scholars (among those most vocal is Julian Walker). As can be expected, the all encompassing and practically airtight framework of Wilber, without any effort destroyed with critical thinking and rationalization the reality of The Secret.

The basis is primarily the Pre-Trans fallacy.

From what I studied long before, I have always felt that Ken Wilber's pre-trans fallacy is one of his most important contributions (maybe even more important than his Quadrants and Holons). The pre-trans fallacy, if I understand correctly, states that in the broadest process of complete development of human beings , an individual goes through pre-rational (infancy or perhaps any damage to the brain), rational (usually adulthood) and finally trans-rational (realization or enlightenment) . The crucial thing to note here is the opposite ends of the spectrum of human experiences are non-rational and as such anything that happens in the two can be mistaken for the other.

But the trans-rational stage encompasses and transcends rationality which means this stage has a solid foundation of reason and logic in which the highest level of human potential was able to grow from and finally become aware of the "whole picture" or answer "the Ultimate question".

On the other hand, before reason and logic there was the pre-rational stage and this is the realm of mythical and magical beliefs (pardon me Wilberians if I use some terms loosely but you get the picture) . This is the stage of superstitions, gods big and small and whatnot that are not based on complete facts. This stage is before rationality. But in the same manner, rationality must grow from this pre-rational realm. It cannot be skipped. A baby is not a Buddha because while irrational it can't help but think and feel it is one with all.

Back to the Secret… the argument goes that The Secret is far from being anything spiritual and more of being pathological and narcissistic for promoting beliefs that you are the center of the universe and thinking good thoughts can create matter such as a Ferrari.

This reminds me of one of my favorite books, Heinlien's "Stranger in a Strange Land" where the protagonist's realization and motto was "Thou Art God". Supposedly this is the idea that would improve the whole world if each one thought that way among each other...

Anyway, an intense and interesting discussion where a lot of Wilber fans criticized "The Secret" is found at zaadz.com. If you read most of it you will see that ~C4Chaos or coolmel, while he knows much about Wilber's framework, believes that there is still value in "the Secret" in terms of "translation" and I quote:

"So, what's my point? My point is that The Secret (or Law of Attraction) serves as a good “translation” mechanism for people who need it at this point in their lives. If you notice the reaction of the people who have been touched by The Secret, the common theme is that, it changed their attitude from a “poor me victim” consciousness into a more positive outlook in which they now have to take responsibility for their thoughts, intentions, and actions. I say that's a pretty darn good “translation” for coping up with life."

And from here a number of critics among which is Julian Walker basically says it can't be a healthy translation (or view) of the world if there is lack of honesty or if there is a denial to what is real in this translation.

I read other related blogs in which Wilber fans also dominated the discussion. And for a few days it really depressed me. Obliviously it deflated my hopes. So it touched a nerve.

But in the end, I agree completely with ~C4Chaos. What I say is I'm all for "The Law of Attraction" if it helps individuals like me that need an occasional swift smack in the head with a big wooden stick to get out of depression. God knows critical thinking would take a lot longer to push me to get up and do something great.

I really think it's an exaggeration that adopting the reality of the Secret is damaging to the soul or society as a whole or believing it will surely end up in tears. Surely, scholars of Wilber know about slippery slopes and while the behavior of an individual sometimes reflects the behavior of the society, more often an individual can navigate and change courses faster and more consciously than a group of people. A cult of thousands with its members strengthening each others prelogic beliefs with their common symbols and having exact same goals maybe annihilation of a particular race or spread of their religion is more likely to have a damaging effect than an individual who perhaps has a prelogic belief system that he or she has full control of his or her life and everything around it and with positive thinking he or she person can create positive events and things.

Even with my respect to Wilberians, in this issue they serve as a wet blanket and they just have this habit of needing to use critical thinking to break apart something instead of seeing its usefulness. And that's the nature of being an intellectual in the intellectual field, as any would see the amount of critics that tried to dismantle Wilber' work from the beginning. Huge egos in this arena, as such any one would notice how intellectuals (even Wilber) can be vocally violent in defending their views.

In the end, maybe that's why even after reading Ken Wilber's book I was still much more into Osho. He was super rational in any issue or debate but he knew that he had to change levels of rationalizations depending on his audience. This for me explains why Osho seems to contradict himself or change his mind so often and have different opinions in different lectures. Unlike Osho, Wilber's framework or Quadrant system of thought is constant in whatever discussion you are having. In theory, All Level All Quadrant (AQAL) works every time and through it you can probably win any argument or debate but in everyday life, things, thoughts, experiences and people are so organic and dynamic and mysterious that not even an AQAL framework can contain them long enough.

Osho didn't bother with systems of thoughts or signposts, he just says what serves his purpose for a particular time and place and persons involved. And his lectures always had a goal and that is not to simply challenge his listeners but more to help them develop.

On the other hand, it seems a lot of Wilberians are more into the fun game of debating and deconstructing using Wilber's great maybe perfect rationalization tools.

Even if The Secret can easily be seen as revival of New Age B.S. and just a moneymaking scam, the simple value of helping people reevaluate their lives is much more of a contribution at this stage for a lot of people than knowing the Theory of Everything.

Personal experiences tell me glimpses of realization or any original thoughts often come illogically (pre rational or translogical - who cares) from mysterious places in the unconscious. From this, I think proponents of The Secret need not be aware of the colored "memes" and levels of development to create inspiring material that truly changes some people's live for the better.

Lastly, just think how The Secret simply inspires a lot of people the way Adi Da's Dawn Horse inspired Ken Wilber. Surely a lot of us who read it snickered at the stuff in the Dawn Horse (What's with the capitalizations?) but what's important is it had a huge impact on Wilber's personal development.

Also, look at Tony Robbins' Neuro Associative Programming - many psychologists violently disagree with NAP and its basis (from NLP) but most time the NAP techniques just work for a lot of individuals even without decades of study and evidence to back it up compared to let's say Freudian therapy. I know Wilber recognizes Tony Robbins as a real genuine successful person.

Or how about the way Maharshi gained enlightenment at such an early age when, he out of the blue (whatever inspired him), he laid down on his bed and pretended as best he could that he was dead.

My point is , inspiration that can push us to the next levels can come quite mysteriously or from whatever strange unknowable places. And I think Wilber had mentioned it before that you just need enough or minimum foundation in a particular stage of development to suddenly transcend that level. Realizations can be so sudden and become a leap into the next level. What fuels these sudden leaps if not inspiration (from a person, experience or book like the Secret) or simple desperation or frustration in the current situation you are in. If The Secret inspires people or better yet helps people gain control of their emotions and thoughts, then it necessarily deepens awareness and "nowness" - this is the single most important if not the only thing for spiritual development.

In any case, The Secret doesn't tell you to do drugs or sacrifice your child to awaken to reality. It just tells you to mind your thoughts, not unlike (if not exactly) how exercises of modern gurus Anthony De Mello or Eckart Tolle go.

I say, if the secret works for you why not(I know, post-modernism not post-post-modernism).

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Stop chasing a thousand rabbits

This will take some courage and deflating of my ego to say I have been wasting more than two weeks of my life searching what to do next. I love the Internet and know in my heart part of my success would be derived from this medium.

However, I have to admit I have spent too much time following a thousand white rabbits running in all directions throughout this ocean of information. Indeed, I have found a couple of jewels and treasures along the way. But as one of the important advices I have just found, the most significant factor to succeed is take action and focus. This is by far what separates losers from winners.

My difficulty, for one, lies in having read too little of too much but never took time to apply one approach before moving on. I need to focus as much as everyone who needs to succeed and have succeeded.

In my most recent haphazard search and journey, I was very lucky to find a few essential points:


From “Other Side Entrepreneur"
If I want to make real lasting money from the Internet I must get into "Information Publishing and Marketing".

In relation, the important concepts are:

There is already too much information out there.

People want advice not information, advice how to succeed, feel good, be healthy and wealthy.

Any personal hobby and interest, no matter how specialized, can be turned into a million dollar business if it is developed with an "Information Publishing and Marketing" strategy.

In the same manner, any business, however small, can profit hugely by augmenting its business with this strategy.

Make Up Your Mind Already By Rich Schefren found in a "Early to Rise" newsletter:

1. Take action and focus. Crystallize your goals. Organize your thoughts to daily actions and do them daily and consistently. Close the laptop and do what you must do today.

2. Rise above fear and doubt. Its ok to make mistakes but learn from your mistakes.

3. Keep it simple. Stop mulling and dabbling with thousands of ideas. Learn and master an approach, only then you move to the next.

4. Know where the money is. Open your eyes and learn to take the pulse of your market.


That all for now, I'll close my laptop and decide which rabbit to chase.

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Speed Wealth

Another great book. Short and sweet, "Speedwealth: How to make a million in your own business in 3 years or less" by T. Harv Eker summarizes business essentials in clear cut language. Contrary to its title, Eker promotes thinking and habits for a long term financial growth rather than common get rich quick schemes.

He also concludes, which echoes many prosperity books I'm reading, that money is just part of wealth and that you won't get far if you don't address self-development and have a will to be happy .

For more on Eker, check out his company Peak Potentials and other related websites millionairemind and harveker.com .

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Science of Getting Rich

I've been so swamped with dozens of books on wealth creation that I have been jumping from one to another. But suddenly this book "Science of Getting Rich" by Wallace D. Wattles caught my attention and so far I think it will be the focal point of my small library. Written in the early 1900s, its lessons and ideas seem to have reverberated to every other related texts that I have been reading.

And there's something about the tone and usage of words that is so alive, hypnotic and mysterious yet somehow so undeniably truthful.

You have to read it...

Some links to check out:
http://wallacewattles.wwwhubs.com/
http://www.wallacewattles.com/
http://www.scienceofgettingrich.net/wally.html

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Overload

Sometimes a part of me misses the age before Internet. I could focus on an actual book, read and reread it for the information I need, and thereby really being able to absorb the content. Reading and researching now with the Internet works much the same way the conscious part of the brain works - associating bits and pieces to no ends - especially with Google search.

It may have been a waste of my time but today I did free association, brainstorming through the Internet. I browsed through and jump from one topic to the next and whatever led me to whatever pages of blogs, wikis, etc etc...

Among the things I researched: Internet Marketing in the Philippines, Why Ken never mentions in his works a spiritual giant like Osho, winners of the 2007 Ateneo Art Awards, where Shiloah Matic' old blog is, Squidoo, Alexa, Credit Card Processing, Blogging for Money, Adi Da, Public Domains, MLM, NLP and so on...

I need more discipline of the mind lest I become just a floating pandit wannabe.

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Filipino Books on Getting Rich (Part 1)

Today I spent hard earned P280 on a book "Negosyo: Joey Concepcion's 50 Inspiring Entrepreneurial Stories". It is the first Filipino book I've bought in a long time, not so much as I'm not impressed with Filipino authors but more because printing is usually of lower quality despite almost same prices of foreign counterparts. Lousy excuse, I know.

In any case, like so many aspiring entrepreneurs, I felt that even with access to books by Trump, Kiyosaki, Buffet and the like, there is something so very unique with Philippine economy that someone like me would need a more accurate map to navigate within our own business territory.

Indeed, there are universal rules of business (whatever they are, maybe in a future post) and obviously they should be applicable in any time and place - for example selling higher than what goods or services cost you. But for specific strategies, especially if an entrepreneur wants to apply the solid approach of "modeling", it is important to know how people who are more or less like you, a Filipino, succeeded in the Philippines.

There were lots of choices in the bookstore, but I wanted something light and inspiring to start. "Negosyo" was my pick as it would also help me in my subproject to choose and focus later on one particular Filipino businessman I can research in depth and maybe meet some day.

Too bad though, Sandy Javier who created the super successful Andok's Chicken franchise wasn't among the featured entrepreneurs. His, I heard, was a real classic rags to riches story.

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Can't do it all alone

Almost a decade ago, when I was feverishly immersed with books of Ken Wilber, Robert Pirsig, Fritjof Capra and such I was in a Romantic state of mind similar to what they sometimes described as "going hermetic" - wishing to find a place of solitude to drown myself in books, study like mad, and emerge with a Magnum Opus or discover something big.

Nowadays, with my interests in business, investment, marketing and a broader concept of self-development I have realized I really have to go out there in the real world. I can't imagine now the wealth of information and education I have been shrugging off just to be "different". I see now every person as someone I can learn from and even a source of joy when I contribute something to them.

It takes a certain kind of maturity to face the fact that other people are also looking and interested in same things I am. The angsty person that says I am alone on this, a kindred spirit must die.

I should have realized this when I graduated college and a most unlikely stranger approached me who learned from someone I am into Osho or less commonly known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. I was thrilled and at the same time I was disappointed that I wasn't so special. It's foolish thinking.

So now I want to attract and already attracting (and it's not hard) people or groups in Philippines with my same current interests:

• Wilberian Integral thought systems
• Online Marketing
• Productivity/Human potential studies (Tony Robbins, David Allen)
• The Secret
  
• Robert Kiyosaki's Cashflow
• Entrepreneurship
  

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Neuro Lingusitic Programming

Funny, with my interest in Psychology and self development all the way back from High School and ever since, I never came across Neuro Linguistic Programming. At least from what I have seen so far, too many established schools of Psychology violently reject NLP as being without scientific evidence and research. Another thing is, no one can really define it or agree with a definition for it.

I came across NLP first from hearing it a lot from Anthony Robbins (and later he used the term Neuro Associative Conditioning, his own brand of NLP). Often he talks about this when he reasons out that people do or do not do things because of the automatic "gut feelings" they get whenever come across situations that their mind and bodies associate with a familiar situation. So if we want to improve ourselves we must get into the bottom of behaviors, replace those meanings behind them with those that would help us behave in a positive way that we want to behave. Something like that.

For believers, the results they say about NLP are astounding as it can permanently cure anything from neuroses to addictions in a few sessions and sometimes instantly compared to years of therapies of traditional schools of psychology.

Strange thing is it makes a lot of sense without making much sense. At the heart of it, and how some described it, NLP is the focus of whatever works and the hell with the theories. Other may have same experience that when I read certain techniques of NLP I was reminded of times I effectively communicated with people but took it for granted.

An example is whenever I get a cue (non-verbal)from girlfriend that she wants (unconsciously) to relive an awful argument we had years ago (she widens her eyes and starts with a distinct voice and phrase), I interrupt her pattern of thought by suddenly kissing her or tickling or reminding her how much I love her while she is in mid-sentence. It works like a charm and I feel it's not manipulation because a big part of her knows what I'm doing and I think she appreciates that I actively save the both of us from a useless fight.

Another example is whenever I tutor my niece and nephews, I start out preparing them for a tutoring session by asking them why they need to study (outcome focus) and what good feelings they can have if they get high grades (associating pleasure to studying). I also do very simple pattern interruptions when I see them starting to wander in their heads.

I'll read more about NLP as soon as I finish Robbin's Personal Power tapes.

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Tony, David and Robert

I have with me three major self-development courses in books and audio (some bought, some borrowed) that may dramatically change my life.

They are Anthony Robbin's Personal Power 2, Robert Kiyosaki's Choose to be Rich and David Allen's Getting Things Done Fast. I've covered the books on these guys before but these courses with step by step plans and assignments would need a lot of scheduling and effort (not to mention notetaking), compared to the usual reading and rereading of their books.

I have started them all already but this shotgun approach is not effective. I guess I have to focus on them one at a time so as not to be overloaded with information and end up with just dead knowledge.

Ideally I should start with Getting Things Done because I feel David's system should be the backbone of how I go about my daily life. But as I have been into Tony's stuff lately, I see a need to use his conditioning techniques to help me make David's GTD a permanent life management system and then that would relax my mind to completely absorb Kiyosaki.

Will see.

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My VIP Life website

A great site that offers what I have been looking for in terms of my need for inspiration to really go for the gold.

It has been a habit already to write down in notebooks and pads my goals and "material" things to inspire me in pursuing those goals. But only recently did I take the advice of having these inspirations and aspirations to be visually available. The website myviplife.com completely provides this.

There's no argument that images (as well as sound and smell and touch) provide a deeper level of emotional impact rather than concepts in words, unless you are a creative genius. When you have that impact, you can keep your momentum in whatever it is you are focusing on despite the inevitable bumps and detours you will encounter.

Useful for my purpose and for those wealth seekers, the website bombards you with tons of the articles with all the pictures (even video clips) of luxury hotels, cars, gadgets, getaways and whatnot. Although not very exhaustive, a reference library of famous successful people with short articles and quotes is also a treat - all in one website.

It's sister site, a wiki , found at www.wikisuccess.org complements MyVIPlife. I booked marked the two websites immediately, made a wallpapers of Burj Al Arab Hotel and Bugatti Veyron car, and plan to print out a lot of images and stuff it in my notebooks and everywhere else.

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Rich and Poor Filipinos

How reading Kiyosaki books can change perspectives...

Like most Filipinos, I grew up with a secret hatred towards rich Filipinos we see on TV and newspapers. The outlook on them I must say is not uncommon and often very vocal - these guys could have only been rich by exploiting in one way or another the rest us. They're tax evaders, cronies from the fallen dictatorship, criminals, politicians or puppet masters of politicians, etc.

But recently, loading my brain with all the Kiyosaki books and other books on wealth/prosperity, the old perspective in my head was disrupted. Are these "filthy rich" individuals such "bad guys", or are we just jealous of their success, that they can make it in this society where most fail miserably? Aren't these Lucio Tan's and Henry Sy's keeping the nation afloat and should we not actually appreciate them?

Before the Rich Dad books, I remember my father (though never a businessman) had once defined business as creation and exchange of value. My mother (neither a business person much less rich) had defined money as a tool for freedom. I was young then and I only knew money can buy me more transformers and GI Joe's.

But strangely, those two comments by my parents were never repeated again or expounded on when I grew up. And honestly, now that they make sense, I never actually saw my parents apply these important concepts about wealth.

So I read the Rich Dad, Poor Dad book and the succeeding books and even got the game and audio courses. (By the way I first resisted reading books for years because too many liked them and in that I thought anything mainstream was probably crap)

In summary, it took a lot of rereading of Kiyosaki and at an appropriate time in my life to realize that there are really more deeper, less obvious reasons why there are rich and why there are poor and middle class people. They do and more importantly think things differently. Of course, the blame will never end - we were born here, the government doesn't protect us, we didn't get the right education, and so on.

Kiyosaki had discussed how the Robbinhood myth and mentality had worsened the plight of the poor and middle class by putting the blame on the rich. In this way, have-not's don't do much to uplift their lives because the situation they're in is not their fault anyway. And historically, the author says, taxes were promoted by the poor and middle class to get back at the rich. Obviously, it backfired.

Also, Kiyosaki's "rich dad" perhaps cruelly said that it's the poor people who tend to be selfish and rich people who tend to be generous.

At some point we have to realize we will always have our freedom to change our lives and our lives can only change by changing first and foremost our thoughts. In the issue of wealth and poverty, we must change how we think about money and everything that is related to it.

For me, I'm willing myself to change these thoughts - it is impossible for me to be rich, it's too difficult, money is not important, having too much is evil, only those born into wealthy families can be rich.

I think now, instead of contempt for the rich Filipinos we must see their contributions to the economy, providing more jobs, businesses, money for NGO's, infrastructures and so on. But beyond all that and ultimately rich people show us that it is possible to make it in this world and how it's done.

Why the trouble? Yes, man does not live on bread alone, but in this world we all live in money can make it a hell of a lot easier to do what we really really want in life. And corny as it may be, when all the fear and stress and daily grind die down, we all in the end want to accomplish something positive and something beautiful.

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First Blog

After all these years and intentions to do so, this is my first time to blog. More than anything, and I'm sure others share the sentiment, what' the big deal with exposing yourself to the world. Let's see...

For now, here's a run down of what topics would come up here:

• GTD and general productivity
• Personal development
• Wealth and prosperity
• Business development
• Online Marketing
  
• Integral studies
  
• Books, ideas and people related to the above
  
• Hopefully, very little personal stuff

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