In the latest issue of "What is Enlightenment," Andrew Cohen and Ken talk about enlightenment for women and how they have to get past and give up their sexual (feminine) power in order to become enlightened.

Andrew's approach is a total disaster, replete with an unbelievable reductionist view and total confusion and lack of understanding in the difference between "woman" and "the Feminine," and disappointingly, Ken does not correct him, but merely places what Andrew is saying into an integral context (to his credit, he does this very well).

Andrew totally fails to recognize any understanding that there might be different approaches to enlightenment. Before you protest, he's basically saying that the only approach is the masculine, that a feminine approach doesn't work, and that women have to drop the feminine in order to become enlightened. He does not ask that men drop the masculine to do the same.

He also claims to have been working on breaking through with this approach for 12 years and that he has finally cracked the code. Could that have anything to do with the fact that he's a man? Perhaps not in every case, but in this one, my answer is a definite "yes."

Women have been successfully doing this work for over thirty years. Too bad Andrew's ego wouldn't allow him to work with some of them as a student, instead of doing a spiritual bypasss himself, having his women students do the same, not by integrating the feminine, but by transcending and excluding it. This is like "enlightened" fundamentalism.

I'm talking to a lot of conscious women who are outraged by Andrew's audacity and I share that outrage. What a shame!

Read Anyaa McAndrew's blog on the article.

Integral in Seattle

Greetings, fellow Conscious Lovers!

Did you know you don't have to be in a relationship to be a Conscious Lover? It's true! By opening your heart to the world and the universe, you invite in conscious love, and with intention, perhaps even a future beloved (I've done this!)

And in the third Big Love Integral workshop module coming up on Saturday, July 14th (click the attached image or go to http://www.bigloveintegral.com/), we're going to explore several practices that can help you open your heart to the possibilities found in conscious relationship.

Whether you want to invite love into your life, improve an existing relationship, either with yourself or another, or just (just?) learn how to feel deeper compassion and empathy, you won't want to miss this module. We'll be diving deeply into states of non-ordinary consciousness through guided imagery, Tonglen, and other practices, including one I've developed around Big Love.

It's only $75 per person for the all day event (we're still at introductory prices), so invite a friend and plan on attending. Attendance at prior modules not required, but helpful, and as always, RSVPs are appreciated (prepay and get a 15% discount!)
You know you've been wanting to attend!

BIG LOVE INTEGRAL
Module Three: OPEN HEART PRACTICES
Saturday, July 14th, 10am - 5pm Nordby Conference Center, Fishermen's Terminal, Ballard (at the south end of the Ballard Bridge, close to Chinooks)

Call Gary at 206.779.5870 for more info or to RSVP (where comfortable casual clothing and bring a cushion or backjack for meditation.
See you there! Gary

Oh, yeah.....please feel free to forward this to others you think might be interested or benefit!
Oh, and one more thing...I'm presenting Module TWO in Portland on Sunday, July 15th.

The dialogue between Ken Wilber and Andrew Cohen on Women's Enlightenment in the latest issue of What is Enlightenment, and my and Anyaa's take on it, has stirred a lot of conversation on the SeattleIntegral list. With about even support and disagreement on our postings, it's good that a discussion has ensued, for there have been a lot of really excellent points from both perspectives.

Anyaa and I are sticking to our perspectives, but opting out of the discussions for the most part, as we've said most of what we want to say on the subject....except to make one last point that goes beyond the WIE article and what I think is its masculine perspective at the exclusion of the Divine Feminine.

Isn't it interesting that people who would never think of killing anything else think that killing the ego is so important?

More at Integral in Seattle