In a section of today's post (Go down to "Poor Man's Constant Consciousness?) Stuart Davis weighs in with one of the best spiritual blog posts I have yet seen.  Really, it's awesome.

I'll say more about this later - namely, how it correlates with my own experience. 

But for now, just go check it out.

This particular post is important, but since I am posting it as I think it (real-time posting), it will also be a bit confused. Humor me, if you would, and read this to the end... Given a lot of the various messes that can occur with spiritual teachers, I have been contemplating: 1. the relationship between seeing/being spiritual truth, and the limits of these particular insights - a. judging the VALIDITY of a particular insight b. judging the LIMIT or BOUNDEDNESS of a particular spiritual insight 2. Beyond this, however, there is also additional judgements that need to be made by a teacher - c. The path/practice necessary to realize the spiritual insight d. The recognition of what a particular person/student, needs to "do" or "work on", in order for the spiritual insight to manifest itself most strongly. Ken Wilber states "Each valid mode of knowing consists of an injunction, an apprehension, and a confirmation."   more »

I got an email from Integral University yesterday.  Apparently, I haven't been accepted into the "beta testing" phase of Integral University.  There is simply too high an interest, and they are going with a smaller group.

I sent back an email, asking, "what is the criteria for acceptance?  Given that I work for a company that has an online learning management system, part of my daily job is quality assurance and product design on a Learning Management System, and in my weblog, I have been promoting Integral University, what is the criteria for acceptance?" 

I haven't gotten a response yet, although I still hope to. It's been 24 hours (am I impatient or what? )

Outside of the fact that I've had posts on the Beta, so clearly I'm going to be disappointed about that, there is a legitimate question to be asked:

Namely, on questions of inclusion/exclusion, is the criteria going to be open and transparent or not? 

For example, it could be that for IU beta testing, only 50 people are wanted for this testing (a low number I know, just throwing it out there.) However, 10,000 people want to be beta testers!  Clearly, some people must be excluded.

However, the criteria by which this is done, should be transparent, fair, and communicated to those of us who, ahead of time, are excited by the project, and have been promoting and contributing to the project (in some sense).

It may be as simple as, people who joined Integral Naked as a paying member before December 2003.  That was the cutoff (and that cutoff doesn't include me, as I joined Integral Naked in the latter part of 2004).  It may be those that have managed to attend and pay for workship in Colorado. (Or online).   Both of the above are acceptable, and a simple explanation is all that is required.

But an arbitrary "thanks for your interest but you have been excluded" without rhyme or reason, isn't really acceptable.  It is similar to an automated letter you receive from the HR depaartment of a company you apply to. 

My own opinion, take it for what it is worth, is it would be better to communicate a transparent criteria for exclusion/inclusion - that would be a better mode of creating community.  Decisions "made from on high", without explanation don't do the trick.

Since there are at least a couple of people connected to IU who read this blog, could you please forward this on to relevant parties? 

I'm also sure that everyone at IU, at the moment, is jammed with work, similar to before all the product release that I've done, but it would be appreciated. 

UPDATE - Check out Vince's comment below - the criteria was the first 250 were allowed, out of the 600 that applied to be beta testers.  Very fair and reasonable, and I appreciate the response.

My girlfriend sends me this.  Being that I'm a white guy, and she is a 1st generation Indian Sikh here in the Bay Area (and a pretty rebellious Sikh - if you know 1st generation Sikh's, you understand that HAVING a white boy friend is serious rebellion), I can drag her to various "spiritual" events, and she will sometimes, with a humorously cynical eye, comment on (incorrect) western interpretations of Indian culture. 

Also - Dishoom baby!

I have finally gotten around to viewing a few more integral bloggers.  I'll put links to them as well.

CJSmith - one particular post I want to comment on, is this one:

"I realize where I could really be heading with this systematic stuff. The priesthood, theologian, and probably psychologist route (with a possible sub-interest in parapsychology, micro-transformative communities, and the like". 

Assuming I am correct, this post is about, after reading "wilber" type stuff - what do I do then?

I would imagine that a great great many people, who get enthused about Wilber, have similar types of thoughts - I certainly did, around the career aspect.  Certainly, I had the inner dialogue about "priesthood, theologian, and probably psychologist."  I still do...


Pongsathorn Blog - for me, it's great to read about how integralism is affecting people who are actually living in eastern cultures.  Also, his last post was about the tsunami, and he was clearly deeply affected.  Go give him some integral love!

He also took on a HUGE integral practice.  Wow...

What's In Your Mind - Very thoughtful posts - and again, a structured list of integral practice. I think we have the means of creating an easy to use personalized spreadsheet here...

Stuart Davis had a quick post,on WhatEnlightenment  without commentary, today.

I had thought of posting on this, but hadn't gotten around to it - or was pretty reluctant, for a variety of reasons, the main one being that a "bad" spiritual authority/student relationship breakup, resembles nothing more than the worst sort of divorces - with all the deepest emotional layers of betrayal, abuse, accusations, etc, exposed.

You can get a fuller sense of the controversy either at What Enlightenment? or at a couple of excellent forums on the controversy at Integral Naked.  I highly recommend, if you have any interest in this topic, to read through these threads.

There are a couple of thoughts that occur to me, that I haven't seen brought up at the above places. So, I'll make these thoughts explicit here.

1.  Like it or not, this is one of the things that blogs excel at - the takedown (justified or not, make your own decision).  From Dan Rather, to Trent Lott, etc, every sets of eyes, ears, feelings, can now be a potential and enduring broadcaster to any of the teeming millions on the internet who wish to read, and listen. 

These type of controversies, and any teacher abuses (and probably some false claims) will get aired far, wide, and efficiently.

Expect more of this, in the future - like anything, this ability will be used for good and bad.

2.  Changing nature of expertise - where goes the hidden knowledge? 

I'm not sure that there is, or can be an "open source spirituality" (should I register this domain?), but it is important to remember that the essential claim of spiritual knowledge, is that the holder of such knowedge HAS it - and by definition the seeker doesn't. 

This "knowledge gap", or perhaps "being gap", depending - will get more and more separated from the corresponding "power gap" that traditionally is associated with the knowledge gap.  This is, simply, inevitable.  (This may not be a universally good thing.  One aspect of surrendering to universal truth, from a place deep in the gut, is to COMPLETELY SURRENDER.  Without challenge by an other, this is very difficult.)  The point is that the tension between modern power relationships and differently defined spiritual power relationships will be exposed. This exposure will be by the people IN their spiritual communities, who feel this tension in themselves, and their relationship to the power structures in their spiritual community.

4.  The nature of profound awakenings, and a note of caution.

Profound awakenings are, really, overwhelming to the ego.  From my own experience, there is a sense of KNOWING what is so - and you can see it, like seeing the red of an apple in your hand.  It is OBVIOUS. 

If the revelation you are seeing is at odds with "what is expected" in society, so what?  You see the truth.  Your vision is clear.  You are "doing the right thing". 

While I've heard stories of Andrew Cohen over the years, I've never met the man.  But even given the stories on What Enlightenment and other places, I don't get a sense that he isn't being true to his vision.   But how does a person "temper" in some sense, the spiritual visions that fill him, and what those visions ask one to do?

It would be useful to have some type of epistemology for REVEALED TRUTHS, but of course, there isn't.  There are individuals, attempting to put the truths they know and see, into practice.  Heroically, even.  Even if the world doesn't understand, and they hurt other people in the process.

I've linked to blog into shape before, but this post really does lay out the basics of cardio and weight training - clearly and concisely.  The description covers the basics that I've read about in every exercise plan I have looked at.

Missing would be diet and stretching, but the exercise portion is covered, in about 10 short paragraphs.  You can buy books that go on about the same basic program, that go on for 10 chapters!

It's worth a look. 

I was reading over at Numinous Non-Sense, and I see that Vince has started ordering stuff about Ramana Maharshi. 

And then, being practical, coolmel points out that most of Ramana's teachings are available at his site, without cost.

I have a special place in my heart for Ramana. I spent two weeks at Tiruvanamallai, and both the visit and the place played a role in a two month "enlightenment" experience for me.

I'll be linking to Ramana's site in the "Spiritual" category, but I highly recommend, to any who may read this, to check out some of the materials.

Personality, not values, make the marriage.

At the end of last year, I blogged on the similarities of "open source" and, for lack of better words, "spiritual source".  Today I come across someone fairly well-known, also making a social connection to open-source.

Kos asks, "What does this have to do with politics? Not much. But as the Propagannon types have shown, dozens (hundreds) of people waging open source journalism can sometimes be more effective than understaffed newsrooms filled with overworked reporters trying to meet deadline

When I'm asked about blogging's legacy, I talk about open source. Open source politics, open source activism, open source journalism -- the aggregation of thousands on behalf of a common cause. Bloggers and their opinions might be mildly interesting, but the ability to pool our efforts on issues that capture the collective imagination is what really gets me excited."

I could ask the same question. "What does open source have to do with integral knowledge and awareness?"

I would answer, for interaction with the world, quite a lot.  Modes of knowledge and best practices can be easily put together if we pool our efforts.  I'm hoping that "Integral University" will have the platform to encourage hundreds if not thousands of participants and contributors.  But if not, I'll say this again, the "Integral Visioning" platform is a promising step in this direction.

As has been discussed here before, as well as by many other integral voices, the integral life is...busy.

I've been researching the best ways to cut down on the "busy-ness" aspect of activity, while still maintaining a decent level of productivity, and a way to combat my inherent ability to procrastinate.

There have been a series of post over at How to Save the World, by Dave Pollard, regarding a book by David Allen called "Getting Things Done". 

It's an interesting series of posts - so much so, I'm going to be getting the book myself soon.  Like Dave, I'll be giving it a try - unlike him, I doubt I'll be as successful, but I'll blog about it here - "the troubles with integrals", or some such..

Dave's saga is below:

Post 1

Post 2

Post 3

Post 4

Saw this.  Thought it was cute!

I quick link to the JobHuntersBible site page on personal assessments, with a large variety of assessment tools.

This has a lot of good information, with personality tests, skills assessments, I've been looking around at a variety of pages, and this is one of the better ones.  I particularly like that the Myer's Brigg's personality assesssment test is mentioned.  For me, this was a pretty accurate tool, when I did the self-assessment.

the small "test and advice" commentary is well-done.  With a wry sense of humor, but practically grounded.

It's interesting to experiment with a couple of these.  You can get a good sense of common themes that come up for you,  again and again, with different tests.

I've been thinking a bit about the place of blogs in an integral practice - how can blogs be useful, given their unique "type" so to speak?

First off, let's start with the negative.

In silence, awareness, and being-bliss, there is the radiance shining. 

Blogs, for the most part - are the opposite of that.

"Notice me! Notice me!" said the blogger.  After all I (and not the I-I) have something to say!"

Not to mention, blogs are a very mind-y enterprise. 

In this sense the "level" that is touched by a blog, as by reading in general, is a pale reflection of reality - spiritual, emotional, physical.

I believe this is why most spiritually related blogs, don't have, say, the ongoing rat-a-tat-tat repetition that is seen in the political and technical blogs. 

As that "thinking" mind, begins to become transparent, and awareness shines through, there isn't a need to live there, but much more a wish to simply "be".  Be with the breath, be with the awe of silence, with the surfaces of physical reality revealing worlds in their transparency.

So how does this help?  What's the usefulness, for practice, for understanding?

I can still think of a few things -

1. Open education and debate.

There are several challenges in living an integrated spiritual life - and some controversies.  Blogs, and also group posting boards, are good ways to educate and get new points of view in the "how-to" of this, that we are living.

Examples:

I've mentioned it in a post, before, but I will again -

a.  Right attitude to spiritual surrender, contrasted with spiritual cultism.  Healthy independence, versus stubborn ego.

Here is Spiritual Safeguards.

This is a site that speaks of the danger of cults - from many angles.

It would go too far for me - while there is a list of "healthy" spiritual practices, this particular site is pretty fear based, and the "healthy" spiritual practices, well, aren't really a list of practices per se, but instead a nice set of values (no practices) and a nice, well laid out, restricted, box - have fun playing...

So this dichotomy - the healthy, functioning interdependent ego, or the rigid stubborn ego?  What are the signposts for the edges?


b.  Spiritual bazaar, or stick to a practice? 

I'll tell the truth - I tend to LIKE mixing and matching, trying new spiritual practices - mainly because slightly DIFFERENT forms of transcendence are encountered.  (I've mentioned this previously).  I have an unfortunate habit (like my habit of cool tech gizmos) of looking for the "next big thing". 

Luckily, I still maintain a base sitting practice.  But it's easy to get distracted...

c.  Teachers as CHARISMATIC DEMI-GODS, or teachers as ordinary humans? 

If you've seen as many teachers as I have, there are sometimes where - well, you are just blasted by the spiritual power.  You can be drenched, really, with power, melting sweetness, etc. 

And yet, the same "spiritual athlete", for lack of a better word, can be an absolute abusive cad.

But, I've also been around "ordinary" teachers.  That's fine too, but I don't get nearly as jazzed or inspired.  It's like, "yeah, so what?  30 years of meditation, to kvetch at Spirit Rock?"

At any rate, all the above dichotomies - all can be usefully discussed in web logs.  A lot of people contributing, openly sharing and learning, and the natural obsessiveness of blogs, I believe can provide a more grounded mental understanding of the above, and point people to the best solutions, as people share their experiences.

2.  Shared experiences and personal stories  - I know, I just used this, but it's true.  I'm fighting with my girlfriend - how do i reconcile this with spiritual practice? What really is enthusing me, inspiring me? What is getting me down, and what's a challenge? 

Personal stories become beloved stories that inspire, amuse, and occasionally gross you out.


3.  Good practical information

Or how to get from a to b, to c.  How to exercise right, eat right, meet new people, etc.

4.  Outpourings of creativity, love, beauty. 






. 

The last couple of days have been cold, rainy, and generally overcast here in the city of San Francisco.

I live in the Russian Hill area, up a bit from North Beach.

I've been able to spend some time out. Cold, rainy, wet, windy.

But it's gorgeous.  Everything simply gets so - real, so alive.  The mind disappears into the glory of the elements, with the wind whipping away the remnants of the mind, until there is only an awareness pregnant with the wind blowing, cold and wet on my face.

It's simply glorious.

I may be late to the party - but here is the current Integral University page.

I love the "Center" subjects on the right (assuming this will move to left on final) - this is somewhat similar to the subjects that I have on the left, except the list is much more complete, practical, and in-the-world, in a sense.

Criminology as a separate subject?  Beautiful.
Politics - I knew this would be there...
Psychiatry and Pschology - addressing the drug revolution over the last 15 years...
And both Finance and Subtle Energies!  How's that for a combination! (Who will be the enterprising soul who specializes in Finance and Subtle Energy Counselor - that will be the ticket!)

Since at least a couple of people who are part of Integral University read this particular blog - when do I get my tester account?

After all, this is one of the things I get paid over $35 an hour to do, hey I'm offering my part-time testing services for free.

What is the bug tracking system? Are you using CVS to track versions, ofr Sourcesafe, or something else? 

What parts of the platform itself, is open-source, so that people like me can help make "all bugs shallow"?

From what I can tell at Integral Naked, there have been quite a  number of good design decisions regarding content.

For one, the length of the video and audio segments - online people will start to lose track and be distracted over 40 minutes, and the audio segments are kept inside of that range.

From what I can tell, most everything is coming from a css file, so again, good coding principles. 

I personally don't like the design of the forum, but that is simply a personal taste.

I want a login!

I'm pretty sure everyone who wants one, has one, but for anyone out there who wants a gmail account, and DOESN'T have one, let me know.  You can email me from the upper right "contact me", above comments.

Quick streamed meditation, narrated by Thich Nhat Hanh

Just saw this future history post in The Manifest E-Zine.

OMFG - this is some righteous sh*t.  Now that's what I'm talkin about!

Some of the pleasures -

N.E.S.T - New Earth Systematized Transformatron.

Not only a physical space incorporating self-sustaining edible gardens, hydrogen fuel cells, and a brownwater waste system, unlike most "communes" of its kind, it features an award-winning business model: it doubles as a reality TV show, where NEST's more charismatic members interact in real time using the latest in environmentally-friendly and personal growth-oriented products and services. Think Big BrotherFriends as sponsored by Horizon Organics and Dharma Crafts and you're halfway there. The 2009 Fall Season starts off with NEST co-founder Marcopolis Greenstem failing to clean the composting toilet due to excessive meditating in the middle of a terrorist attack, whereupon a general meeting called to discuss Greenstem devolves into a paintball fight with guns named after Great Sufis of the 20th century. Wicked.


Also this:

. The Japanese Ken Wilber
Move over "Einstein of Consciousness", in 2009 there will be a new hip knowledge machine on the scene, one Takenobu Igarashi, son of the great graphic designer of the same name, who will take Integral Methodological Pluralism to a whole new level with the help of genetic enhancements, ultra-fast internet access, and a severed brain which allows him to read and process two books at once (one for each eye). And no "theory and practice of everything" would be complete without pushing the frontiers of what is acceptable: what KW did to help bring Eastern mysticism into serious academic and scientific discussion, Igarashi will do for the studies of exobiology (aliens, dude, aliens) and parapolitics. And, as the Japanese are wont to do, he will take it to all new ridiculous extremes, so much so that his massive 3000-page magnum opus Holarchical Development of the Cluster God Spark-Lifter will be adapted to become the world's first #1 game show where Japanese families of four battle each other by break dancing through the well-stocked libraries of Pacific Rim Central University in search of the lost texts not incorporated by Igarashis's massive, 3-dimensional theory. And don't even ASK about the footnotes....

I don't see many good riff's on combinations of mysticism and cyberpunk anymore - not since The Invisibles, at least.

As much as I love Ken Wilber, sometimes you want a little less Apollo archetype and a little more Dionysus archetype, you know what I mean?

As a meta-commentary -

It's funny to view the tracks of my mind in this instance, and how much of it is programmed to - the rebellious mystic, the cool zen kids ethos.  I would bet that a lot of this ethos that I appreciate is some weird growing up combination of faux "rebel" movies, combined with video games and anime...

Blogiating - "the act of going on and on in a weblog post, commenting with prose great and small, with either triumphalism or misplaced arrogance, on a topic you really know nothing about..."  A spin off of bloviating

Or also, "opinions are like "*ssholes.  Everybody's got one". 

But I put mine up on a weblog...

As can be seen by other posts today, I'm in a bit of a "is this the right room for an argument?" mood. 

So, building on a post by Goethea, I'd like to relate my experiences attempting to argue against simple atheism, by really bright people.


Clearly, like Goethea, I'm not partial to either side.  Creationism is very shallow, and very political/stupid, while atheism, once you have had any type of spiritual experience, is similar.

There was a thread on Matthew Yglesias's blog, where I attempted to engage "liberal atheists", with the views I hold regarding spiritual evolution (I'm the JC poster in the comments).  I came at it from a somewhat softer position than what I believe because I wanted the dialogue.

Here's my first comment.

Here's a good response.

The basic gist of the response is to resort to Occam's Razor - i.e. if you are going to postulate beyong the evidence of our senses, you may as well postulate anything - an underlying intelligence, a great green glob, a giant purple unicorn, etc.

This is really the cruz of the issue, I think. 

Ken Wilber responds to this by, basically,  pointing to other modes of empirical research, as accepted by other disciplines outside of science -

"Surely there is a broader science that attempts to understand not just rocks and weasels but humans and minds? Well, in fact, we do acknowledge these types of broader sciences, sciences that are not rooted merely in the exterior, physical, sensorimotor world, but have something to do with interior states and qualitative research methodologies. We call these broader sciences the "human sciences"

From the research methodology of the human sciences, then, we can search the empirical literature of the practices of mystics, past and present, and like Piaget for early development, formulate the higher structures of the "mystical" brain. 

I think though, that this isn't necessarilly a convincing argument for the Occam's Razor atheist comeback, but only a partial one.   The point is still that these are only pointers to "structures of the brain". 

At this point the options then, seem to me, to be one of the following - accept that there are "structures in the brain" that give rise to mystical experiences, but that don't really mean anything to the world as is. 

The aethist then would point out that so many mystical experiences are "different", that one would need to believe in an infinity of gods. 

Or, you can accept that these experiences ARE indicative of  the underlying structure of the world, but mixed with personal and social patterns of interpretation. 

All the experiences of energy, spirit, heart, that I have, clearly put me in the second camp.

But politically, perspectivally, I'd really like for a more integrated liberal view to be LOUD and acceptable in media/political circles.  It's a travesty that the "chattering classes" see God talk as only available to the right.

What is a decent counter-argument to the Occam's Razor logic of the smart liberal, decent athiest?

Okay, now does the statement, from this post, seem right to you?

here's a mind fuck for us: clinical research has shown that at the age of 21, you basically stop developing. that is to say your center of gravity, your World-view, the lens through which you experience and interpret all experiences- that solidifies and development stops. until you're about to die, you don't develop anymore, UNLESS you have a meditation practice. that's worth repeating: unless a person has a daily contemplative practice, clinical research shows THEY WILL NOT DEVELOP THROUGH STAGES after about the age of 21. that means if you're an arrested adolescent at the age of 21, and you don't have a practice, then you (and all your friends and family) can look forward to a long life enjoying your remedial needs. this ain't a religious thing, it ain't a buddhist thing, this is simple, emperical data from clinical research: if you don't meditate, you don't fucking DEVELOP after the age of 21.


Now, it seems like there is some perspective needed here.  What personal qualities can develop?  What qualities can't develop?  There are FAR too many assumptions in this paragraph.

For myself, I'm infinitely less stupid than I was in my 20's.  (I'm still infinitely stupid, but a lesser order of infinities, as it were...)

Now I'm not necessarily the best case, because I do meditate, however - if we continue with the TRANSLATION-INNOVATION metaphor, as applied to the individual, then this post might make sense, but I'd still like to see the cites.

But if we are dealing with "individual translation"  in the world - dealing with people better, LEARNING to move forward in various ways - both personally, professionally, etc - the possibilities of learning, growing, being, on this level, are very high. 

I think blanket statements like that could possibily contribute to an abandonment of growth, that actually CAN happen, on a translation level - even if this doesn't engage higher levels of consciousness.  

"Well, shoot - science shows that I stay the same unless I meditate - guess there's no point going to that AA meeting and dealing with my alcohol... - also, guess I'm not going to learn any more IT skills... "


That's a bit of an unfair example, it could be argued that's a strawman - but most of what we deal with in this world IS translation, so clarity is needed.  A lot of learning happens by simply SHOWING UP and being present, paying attention to what is being presented.

I also would think this type of blanket statement would strike at the heart of the notion of adult learning as well.  (Robert Kagan, what would you say?)

Okay, so maybe I'm not completely refuting Stuart Davis's post - if the innovation vs. translation distinction is kept in mind - but it is important to point out the adult learning that continues to happen,in several wonderful and multi-varied ways,  for those who put themselves in the situation to learn (those who show up).

UPDATE:  I didn't make it clear, but this paragraph was one small part of a much larger post - and really, I'm only criticizing this one single part.  But the title would be so much more ho-hum if the title was "A small part of Stuart Davis's post needs to be more clear." 

It just doesn't have the same ring.

Building on the Time Happiness post by coolmel,  there is another Time article that is interesting/has set me off - Meet the Twixters.

In a way, this is an updated sociological take that is similar to a GenX sociological take, about 12 years ago, that was published by Time - and umpteen other magazines, of course, but I remember the Time article, because if there is anything that I am, it's a (reformed?) member of  the slacker GenX generation.  (Hear me roar?)  Since matured, at least a bit.

But the article points up a lot of the economic issues that are endemic to "maturing" in the current world context. 

Basically, the "We" and the "Its" social segment of the world, in the U.S. at least, has shifted.  Lots more bright intelligent, socially aware people who delay/can't/won't "mature" on the IT's and We" segment.  I have been floored by the number of times I have met - for example - an employee of Border's, or a Starbuck's Coffee employee, etc, whom was bright, literate, possessor of a Master's, spiritual, etc.  (And, by the way, there wasn't a happiness in this particular field of employment, and especially the financial compensation - it's just what had happened.)

And now, there are numbers to back this up.  While causation is difficult - which factors are social, for example? - it is definitely the case that economically, it is getting harder and harder for new entrants into the work world. 

I don't believe there is a lot out there from the integral perspective, addressing this (although I will be eager to be proved wrong). Now there's a lot of job blogs out there - yet a lot of them tend to be of the rah-rah variety, or selling themselves.  For example, I've been looking for job blogs to link to - Monster blogs are decent, as are a couple of others, but nothing yet that is updated regularly, and comes from a slightly higher perspective. (And if I have to hear about "Networking events" again, I'll swear off entirely...)

Add to this, that there is a shift to creative and meaningful work, rather than a job - as typified by Tami Simon, and many many others, it makes this conversation more perplexing, from the sociological perspective.

One of the grating experiences I remember from being a poor struggling (but of a decent intelligence) 20 something year old (and not too far removed from this now) is the explosion of things to experiment with - expos, groups, etc - but the lack of funds to do so. 

In my (bloviating/blogiating) opinion, this disconnect runs through so much of the AQAL, integral, "new age", some (but not all) of the self-help movements. 

The economic, financial, and professional fundamentals, both personal and system-wide, need to be addressed more head-on in our movement networks.

UPDATE:  As I get home, I get a link to The Manifest E-Zine, and specifically a link to this article.  Pretty much encapsulates what I'm talking about - and like the editor, I'm a part of the problem, not a part of the solution.