informal communication

If You Can't Make Peace With Your Partner, How Can You Expect to Make Peace in the World? AMA with Annie Lalla

an inevitable future of unconditional love. "The world is sacred. It can't be improved." says verse 29 of the Tao te Ching.

I know the experience this statement comes from. I believe everyone knows it. Knows moments of simple unimpeachable perfection, no matter how violent (eg watching a crocodile catching a deer in slo mo). In this moment—wedding, sex, nature, child's birth, "first sip" of coffee, simple flower—this sacredness is everything.

What if we all remembered this? What if we made our decisions from this place? What if we let go of needing to "get somewhere" altogether? Like a post-scarcity economy, but for our relationship to existence. Unconditional love and faith. What would a society look like that recognizes it is in full devotion to what already is, and needs do nothing?

I can feel my own resistance—what if I need to take out the trash!? Or redesign social media's incentive structure?! But then I challenge the assumptions these question depend on: how come perfection someone doesn't include taking out the trash? Doesn't it already, if this quote is true? Doesn't the unconditional love I'm pointing to already include all of it?

One view: the future of unconditional love is inevitable, because it's what we already have, and have always had.

#FutureYouLove 

Hello humans. . Is there an instructions page on how to use Uptrust? I don’t understand the little buttons below the posts/comments.

Also what is the purpose of Uptrust? It seems like a text chat forum, is this correct?

... should we try live uptrusting through the vice presidential debate?

Anyone drinking molecular hydrogen rich water? A friend of mine bought a water bottle that turns regular water into hydrogen rich water. She’s been drinking this water for several months and swears by it. She says she has more energy, recovers easily from physical exercise, and her senses are heightened.

The water bottle is distributed by a MLM. I thought it was a new thing. But I researched and was surprised to see how popular molecular hydrogen rich water is.

I’ll usually an early adopter of stuff like this but I’m hesitant because the long-term effects are not known.

Is there anyone drinking this stuff? What has your experience been?

We need new gender categories, while preserving the distinctness of "man" and "woman". I don’t mind using different pronouns—I’m happy to love someone with whatever language they prefer.

But I’d like to propose that deconstructing traditional genders is not only unnecessary, it’s harmful.

Not necessary

• It’s not necessary because we’re free to create as many new genders as we’d like, while preserving the standard ones.

• This is the transcend and include approach, as far as I can tell. The current approaches I’ve seen are either all transcend (reject the historical categories) or all include (reject the creativity and proof-by-existence of new genders).

• I believe this will better honor the person who was misassigned a gender at birth, because their life experience is very different from someone who was assigned the gender they identify with. Eg: if I’m a trans-woman, I didn’t grow up with all the social pressures of being a woman, or going through a menstrual cycle, or whatever; I grew up feeling like a woman but getting the social pressures of being a man, going through the hormonal changes associated with male-body-ness. Which is a totally unique experience, that I will find more belonging and support from other people like me, not from trad-females.

Harmful

• It’s harmful because the people who want acceptance into the traditional category are never going to get it. Eg: If i’m a trans-woman, I was assigned male at birth, and I probably have some male parts and hormones and stuff, so when I try to identify as a woman and join in those discussions and groups that are for women I’m likely to always feel outside, different, and to a certain group of cis-women, threatening.

• This further divides society and polarizes certain populations against including the reality of the trans-experience, which then polarizes the trans-supporters, which begets the vicious cycle.

• Sex differentiation started around 1.2 billion years, so the male-female experience has ancient roots that are in our bodies and impacting us every single second. Denying this altogether is destroying massive chesterotn fences— denies tons of wisdom that is passed down not only culturally over the past 200,000 years, but instinctually for a billion.

What about bathrooms and sports?

Instead we can just have single stall bathrooms and locker-rooms. Or trad-male, trad-female, and a third for whoever of whatever gender, which is much larger than the trad lockerrooms and bathrooms. We can have a third category of sports—all gender. We’re creative, we’re growing, we have plenty of people to populate them and who will want to win, why stick with a binary?

I’m sure I’m missing something, and I apologize to the new-gendered people who I’m sure I’ve insulted or missed somehow. But, leaning in to potentially contentious convo…

More People Should Die. Elderly people should be able to legally choose to end their life when they’re ready. In fact, any adult should be legally allowed to choose to die. They should be able to invite people, be present for their memorial service, and have a medical professional end their life.

And we should be more present with death in society. People should be able to attend their loved ones’ cremations. Embalming should be illegal.

(chatgpt) the Intersection of Spiritual Practice and Ken Wilber's Integral Theory. In our journey through life, many of us seek deeper meaning and a more comprehensive understanding of the world around us. For those engaged in spiritual practice, the quest often involves not only personal growth but also a desire to comprehend the broader tapestry of existence. This is where Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory provides a transformative framework, uniting spirituality with a holistic vision of human development.

Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory: An Overview

Ken Wilber, a pioneering philosopher and thinker, developed Integral Theory as a comprehensive approach to understanding reality. This theory integrates insights from a wide range of disciplines, including psychology, philosophy, science, and spirituality. At its core, Integral Theory is built on the AQAL (All Quadrants, All Levels) model, which examines reality through four quadrants:

Interior-Individual (Intentional): Our inner experiences, thoughts, and feelings.
Exterior-Individual (Behavioral): Our physical actions and behaviors.
Interior-Collective (Cultural): Shared values, beliefs, and worldviews.
Exterior-Collective (Social): Systems, institutions, and social structures.
By considering these dimensions, Integral Theory offers a balanced and inclusive perspective, acknowledging that every aspect of reality holds significance.

The Intersection with Spiritual Practice

Spiritual practice often focuses on personal transformation and connecting with a higher state of consciousness. Integral Theory enriches this journey by providing a structured map to navigate the complexities of spiritual growth. Here’s how the intersection unfolds:

Holistic Development: Integral Theory encourages the development of multiple aspects of the self. Spiritual practitioners often emphasize inner growth (Interior-Individual), but Integral Theory reminds us to also pay attention to our behaviors (Exterior-Individual), cultural context (Interior-Collective), and societal systems (Exterior-Collective). This holistic approach ensures that spiritual growth is not isolated but integrated into all aspects of life.

Stages of Consciousness: Wilber’s theory outlines various stages of consciousness development, from egocentric and ethnocentric to worldcentric and beyond. Spiritual practices can help individuals progress through these stages, fostering a deeper and more expansive awareness. Understanding these stages provides a roadmap for practitioners, highlighting the potential for continuous growth and evolution.

Inclusivity and Diversity: Integral Theory advocates for the inclusion of diverse perspectives and practices. In the spiritual realm, this means recognizing the value of different traditions and methods, from meditation and prayer to service and mindfulness. By embracing a pluralistic approach, practitioners can enrich their spiritual journeys with a variety of tools and insights.

Balancing States and Stages: Spiritual experiences often involve profound states of consciousness, such as those achieved through meditation, prayer, or mystical experiences. Integral Theory distinguishes between these temporary states and the more permanent stages of development. This distinction helps practitioners integrate peak experiences into their everyday lives, promoting sustained growth rather than fleeting moments of enlightenment.

Community and Transformation: Spiritual growth is often seen as an individual journey, but Integral Theory emphasizes the importance of collective evolution. By engaging with communities that share similar values and goals, practitioners can create supportive environments that foster both personal and communal transformation.

In Conclusion

The intersection of spiritual practice and Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory offers a rich, multifaceted path for those seeking deeper meaning and holistic development. By embracing this integrative approach, we can cultivate a balanced, inclusive, and transformative spiritual journey that touches all dimensions of our existence. Whether you are a seasoned practitioner or just beginning your spiritual quest, Integral Theory provides valuable insights and guidance to illuminate the way. Let’s explore, grow, and evolve together, integrating the wisdom of the ages with the holistic vision of the integral framework.