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The View from 50,000 Feet: An Integral Approach to Presencing
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Otto Scharmer
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Dr. Claus Otto Scharmer has spent the past ten years of his life investigating two questions: Where does our action come from? And is it possible to discover the source of our actions, both individually and collectively? As a result of this inquiry, he has created a theoretical model and practice called "presencing," which addresses precisely those concerns.
In this dialogue, Otto and Ken explore how presencing can be understood from an integral perspective. As Ken points out, not only is presencing a powerful tool for contacting and engaging a source of creativity, but it also can be used at any level of development. This is a profound insight, because it means presencing may be more universally applicable than anyone originally thought.
The following two diagrams, both created by Dr. Scharmer, help clarify the theory and practice of presencing. The first is Otto’s framework; the second shows Ken’s situating of presencing in an integral framework involving states that can be present at virtually any stage in an individual or group (in the left-hand quadrants).
Figure 1: Theory U: Seven States and Capacities, Three Movements, One Process
Note the "Seven States and Capacities" in the above diagram: Downloading, Seeing, Sensing, Presencing, Envisioning, Enacting, and Embodying. These are activities that any reasonably mature person can engage with, regardless of whether he or she is at a traditional, modern, postmodern, or integral level of awareness.
Figure 2: The Uncovering of the Ontological Dimension of the U: Gross, Subtle, Causal
As Ken explains, the reason why presencing can be engaged by someone at nearly any stage of development is because presencing illuminates ever-present states of consciousness (which are available at any stage). The three primary states of consciousness experienced by every human being—even infants—are waking (gross), dreaming/creative (subtle), and deep sleep (formless Stillness).
While awake, a person is oriented towards gross objects (the material objects which you can See and Enact) and is identified with the gross body. While dreaming (or in a creative state), a person is oriented towards subtle objects (the mental objects which you can Sense and Envision) and is identified with a subtle body. In deep dreamless sleep (or deep presencing), all but the very subtlest objects and bodies collapse into the Source of all objects and bodies, and all that remains is unlimited Presence. It is only from this vast Emptiness that true intentionality can arise, because there are no objects present to constrain or modify it.
Thus, presencing can be situated in an integral model, which both clarifies the nature of presencing AND helps add flesh to the integral model, so that both approaches are enriched.
This conversation was recorded at the Denver office of Integral Institute, and it captures all the hustle and bustle of our working environment. People come in and out and sirens blare in the background; but truly, this is a conversation you will hear nowhere else.
(If you are interested in learning more about presencing, be sure to check out Peter Senge’s dialogue, "The Future Is Waiting for Your Presence.") |
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transmission time: 20 minutes |
Theory-U, Peter Senge, Francisco Varela, Integral Psychology, "What Is Integral?," phenomenology, contemplation, introspection, states and stages, states (and bodies) of consciousness—waking (gross), dreaming/creative (subtle), deep sleep (causal), turiya (Witness), turiyatita (nondual)—, stages of consciousness (traditional, modern, postmodern, integral), multiple intelligences, lines, types, The Blind Spot of Leadership (forthcoming), Presence, conscious business.
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most memorable moment: "Presencing is probably the simplest way to not only contact the present, but envision and embody your future...." |
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