What is Group Integral Life Practice?

A group ILP session takes integrally informed practice from both Eastern and Western and through the framework of ILP the facilitator weaves a workshop that helps the practitioners to make sense of and make the best use of the full spectrum of insights, methods and teachings to cultivate a more open, balanced and integrated life.

ILP can be seen as a set of structured practices that aim to develop growth across the core dimensions of our being or as framework that supports and enhances personal practice.

ILP is the inquiry into the application of Integral Theory in Self Culture and Nature.

ILP holds the view that practice must touch in with at least the four core dimensions of our being:

• Body
• Mind
• Spirit
• Shadow

The ILP sessions that Gary Hawke runs are informed by the work of Ken Wilber, Terry Patten, Adam Leonard, and Marco Morelli. He has deepened ILP as a group We space activity by developing practice structures based on Habermas’ theory of Life Worlds and Communicative Action, Otto Scharmer's Theory U, Yogacara, the dramaturgy of Peter Brook and Jerzy Grotowski and Voice Dialogue.

Gary’s work is also informed through the eastern contemplative traditions.

The session structure

In a similar way to Voice Dialogue work, through the framework of ILP the facilitator feels into and remains open to the needs of the group. This means that each session is not a fixed structure but responds to the energies manifesting in the space.

A typical session might look like:

• Beginnings

ILP session starts with a brief overview of ILP followed by a set of practices that allows the group to anchor themselves into the witnessing self (Spirit). This will include connection with the Gross, Subtle and Causal body (Body) and the dropping of ego mind leading to the creation of the We space.

• Middle

At this point the facilitator will explore individual’s Life World and offer a practice to help support the recognition of our downloaded reality and the importance that ILP places on multi-perspective taking (Mind). This will lead into psychodynamic work (Shadow), retuning back to spirit, working with the divine in 1st 2nd and 3rd person.

• Closure

The group are given time to process ILP and address the inquiry of how ILP can support personal growth and how ILP can be used as an application, both privately and professionally.

• Other approaches

There are more approaches that Gary has used within group ILP: Hero Work, the work of Bill Hellinger, Bioenergetics, the work of George Leonard and Michael Murphy and the Big Mind process.

Why use ILP

We need a practice that allows engagement with all the dimensions of our being ensuring that we are fully awake and present, not just for ourselves but for those we work with.

Imagine a group that is fully switched on and not only able to fully and completely embody their own perspective taking but be able to fully engage others however their Lifeworld manifests. ILP is the most inclusive and wide ranging practice currently available and Group ILP is a great way of creating and sustaining an ILP.

Gary Hawke is an Institute for Learning licensed teacher and UK Health Professions Council Dramatherapist based in London. He has worked as a teacher and therapist for 20 years and currently works in the field of psychospiritual education with prisoners and young children. For the past 2 years he has run the morning ILP sessions for Integral Leadership in Action conferences.

With Confluent Living Gary has led the Monthly London Integral Life Practice group for the last 3 years, and a variety of ILP workshops, including facilitating ILP work with Terry Patten at the Enlighten Next centre in London. Gary is also a partner in the Integral Wisdom Movement being directed through Whole Life Whole World.

Gary Hawke