Is Ken Wilber Really A Finite Player? (or just in drag)

Extracts from “Integral Life’s” presentation of a portion of Ken Wilber’s “Eye of Spirit”

"There is nothing but God, nothing but the Goddess, nothing but Spirit in all directions, and not a grain of sand, not a speck of dust, is more or less Spirit than any other…. The Great Search simply reinforces the mistaken assumption that there is some' place that Spirit is not…But there is no space lacking, and there is no space more full. There is only Spirit."

Yep, it’s an infinite game “in all directions.” There’s nowhere you need go…nobody you need be…nothing need be done. Yet, beyond that, you have a lot to do. But what you do is done infinitely and so there are NO rules to how that game is played, but it MUST be played and no one plays alone.

"You are somehow looking right at the answer. One hundred percent of Spirit is in your perception right now. Not 20 percent, not 50 percent, not 99 percent, but literally 100 percent of Spirit is in your awareness right now—and the trick, as it were, is to recognize this ever-present state of affairs, and not to engineer a future state in which Spirit will announce itself. And this simple recognition of an already present Spirit is the task, as it were, of the great Nondual traditions."

Ahaa! There’s the operative concept…”task.” Make no mistake, whenever you come in contact with terms like this, you can be sure “rules” are about to be presented.What's interesting, however, is that the "task" involves no one but you, even though "engineering" the future has always been a joint venture. Did you think that your experience of a 'world' was constructed entirely alone?

"Many people have stern objections to "mysticism" or "transcendentalism" of any sort, because they think it somehow denies this world, or hates this earth, or despises the body…sages universally maintain that absolute reality and the relative world are "not-two" (which is the meaning of "nondual"), much as a mirror and its reflections are not separate, or an ocean is one with its many waves. So the "other world" of Spirit and "this world" of separate phenomena are deeply and profoundly "not-two," and this nonduality is a direct and immediate realization which occurs in certain meditative states—in other words, seen with the eye of contemplation—although it then becomes a very simple, very ordinary perception, whether you are meditating or not."

The non-duality concept is a modern interpretation of ancient wisdom teachings. Unfortunately, the “not-two” concept negates multiplicity for some ‘higher’ experience of singularity. “Non-dual” actually points to an absence of conflict in duality, thereby, creating an infinite equality between multiple realities or experiences.

Non-duality does not require that our individuality be dissolved or negated. Rather it simply points to an absence of opposition or competition between experiences. It's all relevant to the infinite game.

Your individuality is not opposed to mine nor mine yours and, indeed, the lion lies down with the lamb. This is often referred to as Christ Consciousness, because it deeply and fully engages a world of others in order to dissolve fear completely and experience the absence of all opposition and conflict. The non-dual experience is nothing more than an experience of absolute equality with the world and others. This is because it’s not the world that you fear, but those who participate in the construct of your experience as you participate with them.

Yet, Ken Wilber, the founder of “Integral Theory,” claims that “…this nonduality is a direct and immediate realization which occurs in CERTAIN meditative states…” Therefore, the game is finite and require rules leading to the reward of a certain “realization" and only CERTAIN individuals can win. Certain individuals can never win an infinite game, because an infinite game has no outcome through which to declare a winner.

"Every single thing you perceive is the radiance of Spirit itself, so much so that Spirit is not seen apart from that thing: the robin sings, and just that is it, nothing else. This becomes your constant realization, through all changes of state, very naturally, just so. And this releases you from the basic insanity of hiding from the Real."

Of course, spirit is apart, but it is also ONE. Spirit inhabits and plays any game it chooses.Yet, Spirit engages without opposition and this is the infinite game. Unfortunately, Wilber’s grand opus “Integral Theory” requires complex rules which include (and transcend) various levels, degrees, states, lines, etc, in order for the coveted reward to be achieved. Rewards denote finite conclusions and finite conclusions demand a series of rules (or “map”) to get there.

"But why is it, then, that we ordinarily don't have that perception?"

Now we must begin to define the winners and losers of this game and we are restricted to the parameters of a finite game, demanding specific conclusions to represent achieved rewards that can be ‘perceived.’ Ken Wilber will begin setting the rules, since he is a ‘winner’ of this game, and the first rule of this game is “non-dual meditation.” He has played by those rules, which have been devised by other "ancient" winners, and he expects you will concur.

Whenever you approach a conclusion…best to go the other way.

"In nondual meditation or contemplation, the agitation of the separate-self sense profoundly relaxes, and the self uncoils in the vast expanse of all space. At that point, it becomes obvious that you are not "in here" looking at the world "out there," because that duality has simply collapsed into pure Presence and spontaneous luminosity."

There is no collapsing of experiences. Multiplicity doesn’t magically disappear. It merely no longer opposes or competes.

"This realization may take many forms. A simple one is something like this: You might be looking at a mountain, and you have relaxed into the effortlessness of your own present awareness, and then suddenly the mountain is all, you are nothing. Your separate-self sense is suddenly and totally gone, and there is simply everything that is arising moment to moment. You are perfectly aware, perfectly conscious, everything seems completely normal, except you are nowhere to be found. You are not on this side of your face looking at the mountain out there; you simply are the mountain, you are the sky, you are the clouds, you are everything that is arising moment to moment, very simply, very clearly, just so."

This experience is not of merging with the mountains and you do not become the clouds or the sky, but you no longer feel in any way inferior, unequal or disengaged from your experience of a world. You and the world have no opposing tendencies or competing aspects. There is always difference, since Spirit manifests in many ways, yet all manifestations of Spirit are equal, non-opposing and joined (although egocentricity demands competition between levels as "reality"). Unfortunately for KW, his path is merely more of the same egocentricity believing it must become what it perceives in order to transcend or be free of itself and this alone results in what Wilber calls “the Great Search.”

"William Blake said that "a fool who persists in his folly will become wise." So nondual meditation simply speeds up the folly. If you really think you lack Spirit, then try this folly: try to become Spirit, try to discover Spirit, try to contact Spirit, try to reach Spirit: meditate and meditate and meditate in order to get Spirit!"

Now we have the rules of this game and the conclusive evidence of your winning is “realization of spirit.” Keep in mind that the chief rule of this game is that you cannot be enlightened in order to play the game of enlightenment. But notice Wilber’s ruse in asserting rules, while still denying rules are necessary, “If you really think you lack Spirit, then try this folly…meditate and meditate and meditate.” Ken is a master at the game of spiritual persuasion.

"It's not that these nondual traditions deny higher states; they don't. They have many, many practices that help individuals reach specific states of postformal consciousness…The real aim is the stateless, not a perpetual fascination with changes of state. And that stateless condition is the true nature of this and every conceivable state of consciousness, so any state you have will do just fine. Change of state is not the ultimate point; recognizing the Changeless is the point, recognizing primordial Emptiness is the point, recognizing unqualifiable Godhead is the point, recognizing pure Spirit is the point, and if you are breathing and vaguely awake, that state of consciousness will do just fine."

You could experience higher or altered states of consciousness by dropping some good acid. Therefore, such states can only be stepping stones signifying status (even though you’ve done it ‘naturally’) along the way to the ultimate reward of “recognizing the Changeless is the point.” So, of course, “higher states” cannot be the reward or outcome you must ultimately seek as reward for playing. The "changeless" is what you seek and non-dual meditation is the rule you must follow. One wonders is there another way for the harried mother of four, the overworked truck driver, the chronically ill, the intellectually impaired? How about the postman or the grocery store clerk…we can’t expect these folks to follow such austere rules? As we will see, Ken Wilber's 'truth' must leave some behind.

Spirit desires engagement with your world to be known and no parts are excluded.

"Nonetheless, traditionally, in order to demonstrate your sincerity, you must complete a good number of preliminary practices, including a mastery of various states of meditative consciousness, summating in a stable post-postconventional adaptation, all of which is well and good….Rather, it is precisely by entering and leaving these various meditative states that you begin to understand that none of them constitute enlightenment. All of them have a beginning in time, and thus none of them are the timeless. The point is to realize that change of state is not the point, and that realization can occur in any state of consciousness whatsoever."

"Demonstrate sincerity"? Wilber then presents a series of sincere “preliminary practices” to be performed individually with no involvement with others or the world. In the final page of this essay KW then reverts to delineating numerous Hindu-Buddhist states of consciousness that could be experienced as you press ever onward toward the ultimate reward of the game (note that these are rewards too, just 'preliminary' rewards and not the big kahuna). Ken’s an excellent writer of the new age genre and he will certainly dazzle you with his luminous terminology. But, of course, that’s the point, since how else will he persuade you to follow his rules of “enlightenment” and join in his game. You are told that his interpretation is based on centuries of ancient wisdom, because he knows you will think, “how can that be wrong." But what if his interpretation is wrong?

"It is simply that, as embodied being, you also arise in the world of form that is your own manifestation. And the intrinsic potentials of the enlightened mind (the intrinsic potentials of your ever-present awareness)—such as equanimity, discriminating wisdom, mirrorlike wisdom, ground consciousness, and all-accomplishing awareness—various of these potentials combine with the native dispositions and particular talents of your own individual bodymind."

Whoops! I’ll bet you thought you’d finally be free of the body and become One with everything. Well, not exactly. However, you will now attach to the egocentric aspects such as “equanimity,” “discriminating wisdom,” “all-accomplishing awareness,” etc, etc. You get the Ph.D in egocentricity (ego assuming it's no longer ego). That’s really what we want and Ken gives it to us. Rewards, baby! Get me to the end product. Just gimme the game plan and let me run a touchdown. Unfortunately, what Ken fails to realize, in his “discriminating wisdom,” is that this game never ends. But then you can’t sell books, DVD’s and week long seminars on Maui without a reward, since who’d buy your rulebook if the were no reason to follow the rules?

"We do this gently, randomly, and spontaneously, through the day and into the night. Soon enough, through all three states of waking, dreaming, and sleeping, this recognition will grow of its own accord and by its own intrinsic power, outshining the obstacles that pretend to hide its nature…"

Forget that others count on your being there. Forget that the world counts on your full engagement in order to change the world. The world is nothing more than an “obstacle,” hiding your “true nature,” that you must “outshine” and so you disengage and the 'higher consciousness ' resulting from any  loving depth or intimacy, experienced with those that make up your world experience (that which changes the world), must wait while you “meditate and meditate and meditate.”

"And somewhere on a cold crystal night the moon will shine on a silently waiting Earth, just to remind those left behind that it is all a game."

What??? “those left behind”? Truth leaves some behind? What kinda truth is that?

Ah yes, Ken realizes this is all just a game. Problem is, for him,it's a finite game and there is a reward. He must convince you that he’s achieved it and he does so by teaching you HOW you too, can be a winner (which reinforces his win). But achievement is limited in his “awakening” game to a select few willing to make the 'sincere' sacrifices necessary to achieve what Ken has achieved. The rest are simply “left behind.”

Problem is…if Truth doesn’t conform to Ken’s rules…we might all get left behind.

Awakening is very simple:
Fully engage the people who populate your experience of a world, because it is your fear of them that you seek to escape. However, the Truth is…there is no escape, because WITHOUT THEM THERE IS NO "YOU." Therefore, when you transcend that fear they will still be there….but more beautifully than you could have ever imagined and you will engage with them equally.

The only rule of this infinite game is to bring on as many players as possible, because the more players, playing infinitely, the less need for rules and without rules, as even ken proclaims, we’re “nothing but spirit in all directions.”

So why does Ken Wilber teach a finite game?


Artwork by Paul N Grech - "The Green Room"

Awakening: A Game for Two or More Players

Every life-game we play has rules. Even infinite players are not immune to rules. However, infinite players have no serious intent to play by rules and so, can play with rules.

Infinite play is a ‘perspective’ through which one does not feel bound and gagged by rules and that is the chief difference between finite and infinite play.

Finite players believe rules must be strictly followed to bring the game to a conclusion and acquire an outcome or achieve the ‘reward. The rules of an infinite game are changed frequently to offset the very appearance of an outcome, or winner, so that the game can continually engage more players. For instance, here is one example of playing with rules in order to alter the nature of play and engage more players. 

Finite players feel compelled to play, as if there were NO choice (essentially, they don’t see themselves as "playing"), while infinite players play freely by choice in every game they play. Finite games have strict time parameters so that a winner(s) can be determined at the conclusion of the game. Infinite players play within time, but are not bounded by time restraints, since games do not conclude. Infinite players define infinite games, even though it often seems they are playing a finite game by other finite players. Infinite games have no limitations. Finite games are defined by limits.

An infinite game has no expectation of an outcome and if an outcome appears, the rules are changed. In other words, if a spiritual "path" asserts an expected outcome or reward, the finite player would adhere specifically to that path in order to achieve the expected outcome or extract the reward, while the infinite player might seek to alter the path by 'playing' with the rules. To play with the rules is to always keep the game in play and bring as many players as possible into the game (the number of players never ends). In fact, the more players, the greater the likelihood outcomes will NOT appear and the game can continue.

"If a player must play, he cannot play” (James Carse). This is because, once a player feels a game is necessary, it can no longer can be considered 'play' and games not considered ‘play’ are taken very seriously. Serious play is always finite because it is concerned with outcomes. Finite players do NOT engage in games unless they can expect a specific result. Infinite players have no expectation of a result and so are free to ‘play’ as long as they choose. Infinite players 'play,' because the expectation is that the game continue.

Finite players rarely examine the basis for rules, because they expect to win by following rules. Infinite players seek to be free of expectations by continuously examining the basis for rules. If the scriptures or the "ancient wisdom masters" set rules for "awakening," then those rules become unquestionably sacrosanct to finite players.

Expectations assert outcomes and outcomes are always predicted based on the rules of the game. For instance, in many modern spiritual circles “enlightenment” or “awakening” are often predicted (or claimed) to provide "bliss and joy.” Therefore, “bliss and joy” is an expectation of “enlightenment” or “awakening” to a finite player. NOT to experience "bliss and joy" would be indicative of NOT being "spiritually awakened.”

All expectations demand the rules be followed and one chief rule of achieving “enlightenment” or “awakening” is the rule of sacrifice. If one sacrifices long and hard enough, one can expect “awakening” (or “bliss and joy”) as an outcome or reward for playing the game. This makes “enlightenment” and “awakening” a finite game, because there is a specific expectation. You may experience “bliss and joy” by seriously following the rules. But, if no more than that is expected as reward for your sacrifice, then no more than that will be experienced and you will achieve serious “bliss and joy” (however, one must wonder…after all those years of sacrifice, how “blissful and joyous" can it be. Ha! But, who am I to question the rules)

Finite games are closed systems, not open to change. Infinite games are open to change and change as frequently as possible.

One of the reasons outcomes are not expected by infinite players is because outcomes must be accurately predicted in order to adequately prepare for achieving said outcome. Many have predicted “enlightenment” or “awakening” as an outcome and this demands a set of rules be devised in order to achieve the outcome predicted by those who have also played by the rules and claim to have achieved the outcome.

Prediction always impedes “surprise” because it demands you prepare specifically for what is predicted and nothing else. Infinite Surprise is a prediction of infinite players. However that prediction requires NO preparation, being free of all ideology and associated expectation and thus, free of ALL rules. In fact, Infinite Surprise is known by its ability to spontaneously arise without any preparation or prompting from a player.

Actually, Infinite players fully engage together to experience Infinite Surprise from that engagement.

Unfortunately (for an ego-self reliant on predictions) this means that you never know what will 'happen’ and so, are rarely disappointed. But you will be infinitely surprised.

However, if you're prepared for a specific result, outcome or reward, you may be disappointed....

...and finite players are often disappointed.

 (disappointment is a primary indicator of finite games)


Artwork by Ron English

Embracing Infinite Surprise

Although playing infinitely is easy, defining how to play infinitely is much more difficult (this too, is a game). One does not ‘become’ an infinite player, since becoming asserts an expected result or outcome and infinite games have no outcome and result in many things…

…but nothing expected.

You could not say “I am an infinite player,” (like some claim "I am awakened") since this assumes an outcome achieved at a specific point in time, thereby, asserting a past in which there was NOT infinite play. Nevertheless, this before/after, time-oriented claim is taken very seriously by other finite players.

We all play life-games and life is ONLY experienced in relationship to the games we play along with other players. You can play the game of police officer, husband, homeowner, father, mother, employee, neighbor, intellectual, victimizer, soldier, blogger, sportsman, dreamer, criminal, middle aged, patient, collector, TV watcher, bum, internet forum participant, wife, meditater, mentally ill, divorced, stock broker, victim, guru, president, dying, truth seeker, etc, etc, etc. You could play all these games and more. Most of us engage in numerous games, however, we do not play infinitely, because ‘play’ denotes a lack of serious intent and, to the contrary, we take our games very seriously.

Your guru would never claim that he is ‘playing’ at being a guru. He is the “guru” and expects the audience (devotees) take that very seriously. 

Everything you do demands an outcome. You do nothing without a reason. Even play asserts an expectation of "fun," (or not "work") thereby, imposing an expectation as to what can be experienced by adopting a concept ("play") as the experience itself.

In this way, what you experience is conceptualized and can be no more than what you expect it to be. You will always have what you expect, but no more than that.

Outcomes and results unconsciously place finite parameters upon the mind, because expectations channel intention limiting the possibility of 'surprise.' All experiences are bounded by expectation and ALL expectation is the sum of past experiences. The egocentric mind is incarcerated by the past and all it's experiences must be defined from those boundaries. You will never seek other than what is expected and even the ego's concept of "surprise" is based on a repertoire of expectations through which it can claim to experience surprise.

Infinite players learn to be deeply and fully aware of their expectations and constantly move beyond them by never accepting what they expect.

To be infinitely surprised is beyond expectation...

So forget about it..


Artwork by Robert Craig - "What Would Jesus Drink"

Manufacturing Problems to Prove You Exist (but do "you"?)

The ego-self must go from one problem to the next and this is because an ego-self is defined by incompletion seeking to be complete.

Incompletion must always lack for something and, therefore, the ego must continually attempt to fill what it lacks in order to be complete. This is because the ego-self is always missing something and even though it is never sure what that ‘something’ is, its purpose is to fill that absence, nonetheless.

Therefore, the modus operandi of every ego-self is to find what it requires to attain completion. But an ego-self could never be complete and still ‘exist’ simply because an ego-self is defined specifically by this obscure incompletion.

This poses a problem for the ego. In fact, this poses many problems for the ego, so much so that solving problems has become the egos only function. Recall how often you have informed your ‘self’ that if only this problem could be solved, you could then be ‘happy.’ But, of course, your happiness is never consistent because consistent happiness would be indicative of completion and an ego-self could not exist as complete and still be, by definition, an ego-self.

Indeed, if you look close enough you’ll see that the ego is nothing more than a problem manufacturer, simply because, by definition, the ego could never be without problems and still be an ego-self. The ego actually loves to hate its problems because solving problems is a means of self-actualizing itself as “real.” No problems and reality for en ego-self must of necessity dissolve into nothingness. Note how great you feel every time you solve a problem, which merely frees you up to prepare for the next problem, because problems are always expected.

Imagine if you had no problems in your life? What would you do? What would you ever seek to prepare for? What would you need to predict? What point to "education" or "learning"? Do you ever wonder "why do I have so many problems in my life?" The answer is easy....you set it up that way, because this is how the ego experiences "life." Through problem solving you 'know' you exist.

The ego is defined specifically by its ability to solve problems through accurate prediction and associated preparations. The ego knows that if it can predict what problems will manifest, it can then be adequately prepared to solve the problem…and move on to the next. The ego actually manufactures its own problems for which to recognize its 'existence' by solving problems it creates.

Therefore, to recognize that all your problems have been solved is the ego's biggest problem of all.

But, of course, solve that one problem...

...and "you" just might disappear.

Ha!


Arwork by Alejandro Barron - "The Escapist"

IF THIS, THEN THAT: Are You Planning to One Day "Awaken"?

Do you meditate religiously? Do you attend spiritual conventions and retreats? Do you subscribe to “spiritual awakening” blogs and read all the most popular spiritual literature? Do you often employ spiritual terminology in conversations? Have you restricted most of your friends to those who believe the same spiritual concepts as you and avoid those who do not? Do you judge others based on "spiritual" standards? Do you often judge yourself harshly for thinking non-spiritual thoughts? Do you often envy those who claim to have experienced “enlightenment" or "awakening"? Does it sometimes seem that all other areas of your life been subordinated to your 'spirituality'? Do you seek to live a "spiritual" lifestyle?

Are you planning to one day "awaken"?

Spiritual fundamentalism is a powerful driving force that takes “spiritual awakening” very seriously. It's a finite game that seeks rewards for hard work and sacrifice. Ironically, the game that promises the reward of ego-transcendence, often results in the most rigid ego-fixation.

Do you believe there is a way to “awaken”? Do you become agitated with your ‘self’ when you fail to stay focused on your plan of awakening? Do you often change that plan when new information becomes available?

Make no mistake, within the ego’s self-concept is the goal of “awakening” to truth. It’s easy to recognize the ego’s plan for “awakening” by four simple words: “If this, then that.”

If you do this long enough and struggle hard enough, then that will cause you to “awaken.” Think only this, do only that, be only this, say only that....and you too will awaken to truth.

Yet, what the ego stubbornly refuses to see is that truth is infinite. There is NO point at which one will have it, in contrast to NOT having it. Truth does NOT contrast or compare, but egos do quite often.  Therefore, all your plans of acquisition, or 'getting,' truth are useless. However, you will get "spiritual" (for whatever good that does)

The ego-self is a sacrificial concept that is real, but NOT true. Indeed, even the ego realizes this, because it’s life is nothing but a struggle to be TRUE. Infinite truth requires no struggle or sacrifice.

However, the ego will have none of that. It’s plans must always involve sacrifice and this is why it believes truth can be found, but only through hard work and sacrifice.

The one thing the ego will never accept is that it cannot have truth, like it has stuff. There is nothing you need do to have truth. There is nothing you could think that would help you ‘know’ truth and there is certainly no one you need listen to in order to learn truth.

You cannot plan for truth.

So now what?

Ha!


Artwork by Scot Olsen - "untitled"

Do You Resonate with Bullshit?

Gotta love the hopeful ones and all their catchy phrases and soulful slogans that make us all warm and fuzzy inside. They keep us from wasting time between birth and death. They keep providing purpose to live as if it were a "to-do" list. Just follow the instructions.

Too bad it's ALL bullshit. 

There is nothing here, because there was never anything there, particularly when you shake off all the pithy slogans and really look. The past holds nothing of value for the future and this makes the future as empty as the past...it’s null… nada… nil….nothing.

Oh wait…was there something you were looking for?

There's NO reason for "hope" because there's NO purpose to your existence and therefore nothing to hope for...there's NO reason for your being and you have NO friggin’ function.

Sorry...but you are pointless (always running around hither-dither seeking a point, Ha!)

Yet because this causes such a deep sense of suffering...you demand a script. You want to MEAN something and the world has the scripts to make that happen. You demand to know “The Secret” to increase your importance, something profound to define your 'self' by and feel all 'special.' 

You want to BE somebody, dammit!

Does your favorite guru have a script you can use to feel purposeful? Sure go ahead and play that out. How about Eckhart Tolle? Or maybe "Integral Theory" and Adi Da or why not Ken Wilber's script? Or Nisargadatta or maybe Longchenpa, Wei Wu Wei or Lao Tzu, Ramana Maharshi, Yogananda…. or maybe the Dalai Lama? What about Osho? He’s still got a great gig goin' on. Or maybe Wayne Dyer or Deepak Chopra, or Byron Katie or maybe just some anonymous Zen Guy's script? How about non-dualism? (man those cat’s can swing the conceptual shit, no foolin’!).

Wow, so many profound scripts to choose from! In fact, to hell with all those lightweights, lets go with the Buddhist script or how about Christ and the scripts somebody wrote for him?

And ahhhhhhh...once you got a firm grip on your script, and “know” your new purpose, for a while you feel grand… all snug up in your comfy beliefs. Now you got MEANING, Yo!! 

Now you can engage in your mind-numbing, mundane existence with that old time spiritual “joy", because you've found “The Way” to “The Truth.” Oh sure, you don’t have “The Truth” yet…and you’re still breathlessly following “The Way,”  but just wait. This time you “know” it’s a sure thing. 

Unfortunately, one day you will discover the truth that...

… it's all bullshit...

Maybe....when you give up all your grand plans and high ideals and all your profound meanings, maps, functions, paths and goals...when you finally kiss goodbye your space cadet "spirituality" and all your practices, methods, approaches, skills, techniques, strategies, and ideologies...maybe one day...

... you'll finally get it.

and until then, all you got is bullshit (to resonate with and call your own)

(but don’t ask me what “it” is, all I know is bullshit)

Artwork by Maya Kulenovic - “Untitled”