This is the book that I have been waiting for Ken Wilber to write for at least the last eight years or so -- ever since the publication of Integral Meditation (2016) where Wilber first begins to share his notions of Waking Up, Growing Up, Showing Up, etc. I have always felt that these notions or distinctions are crucially important with regard to the Wilber oeuvre; and he has since added other notions -- such as Cleaning Up and Opening Up. I started teaching a course at ASU on “Integral Spirituality” immediately after the publication of Wilber’s Integral Spirituality (2007). And ever since that time I would always share with my students that all of Wilber’s most important notions are contained in two massive volumes: 1) Sex, Ecology, and Spirituality (1994); and 2) The Religion of Tomorrow (2017). (Too much for a typical undergraduate to read.). But up until the publication of Finding Radical Wholeness: The Integral Path to Unity, Growth, and Delight, there really was not a book that effectively offered up a decent coherent summary of Wilber’s thinking – one that included the Waking Up, Growing Up, Showing Up, Cleaning Up, and Opening Up notions. It is worth noting that I would suggest to my students that a decent strategy was to read Integral Buddhism (2018) followed by Trump and a Post-Truth World (2017) (which is going to be re-leased as A Post-Truth World: Politics, Polarization, and a Vision for Transcending the Chaos (July 2024)) – two short texts that do, in a fairly decent way, offer up a nice summary/perspective on Wilber’s work – including his new notions (Waking Up et al).
Fans of Wilber’s work may remember that after the publication of Sex, Ecology, and Spirituality, Wilber announced that he would eventually publish two more volumes connected to his then new AQAL model thereby creating a “trilogy.” Sex, Ecology, and Spirituality was eventually followed by The Religion of Tomorrow – and now we have Finding Radical Wholeness. Is this the completion a trilogy? I, of course, have no way of knowing. (Granted, this would not be the trilogy that Wilber envisioned in the late 1990s, but a trilogy nevertheless it may be.) Finding Radical Wholeness (488 pages) comes in at #3 in terms of book length for Wilber -- Sex, Ecology, and Spirituality (880 pages) and The Religion of Tomorrow (816 pages) – and one can get the feeling that it is the completion of a “boxed set” – especially since, as I have said, Finding Radical Wholeness gives us the most complete perspective on Wilber’s thinking to date. It seems like a very appropriate book-end to the other two volumes.
Finding Radical Wholeness is very unique Wilber book though. For example, the book contains virtually no illustrations (3 in total) and very few endnotes!! Even more importantly, the tone of the book definitely seems pointed to a much more general audience; that is, the book appears to be designed to maybe introduce more people to Wilber – while also giving them a “practical” book – a book that they can use to “practice” some of the principles shared in the text. For example, the last chapter on “Integral Tantra” is quite good – and fresh. The “Very Dark Shadows Today” chapter, although very sobering, also contains some fresh content – it should hit home with many readers. Also fresh: “The Feelings of Enlightenment” chapter, which could be my favorite chapter of the book. There are 19 chapters in all – with single chapters dedicated to each of the stages of Growing Up. The chapters on Cleaning Up and Showing Up are quite solid – the Showing Up chapter is probably the most technical chapter of the book, but crucially important.
One interesting “blip” associated with Finding Radical Wholeness, at least for me anyway, is the continued demonstration of Wilber’s need to take jabs at the work of David Bohm (see the “Inclusive-Integral (or Turquoise Stage” chapter). Wilber does not fully understand Bohm, pure and simple. And what he does with his own interpretation of Bohm’s work (for example, warning readers to be skeptical of Bohm’s work) veers into the “unethical” realm. What readers need to be skeptical of is what Wilber does with Bohm! Critics of Wilber’s work have been pointing out for years that Wilber does a fair amount of “shadow-boxing with himself” – and this is indeed the case with regard to his handling of Bohm’s work.
Still, in the end, I do HIGHLY recommend reading Finding Radical Wholeness. Although it is a “longish” book, it is VERY readable and it is still probably the best coherent summary of Wilber’s work (and its importance to contemporary society) to date.
Finding Radical Wholeness: The Integral Path to Unity, Growth, and Delight
Price: 24.49
Last update: 08-12-2024
Top reviews from the United States
Michael Pryzdia
The book that I have been waiting for Ken Wilber to write!
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2024Sax Man
Much appreciated
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2024Dennis A Hunt
Wholness
Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2024le vanson
Great book!
Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2024Stephen Chandler
Wilber’s best book yet
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2024J and F
Very good buying experience
Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2024Nathan
Great
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2024