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World Futures, 60: 335–341, 2004

Copyright © Taylor & Francis Inc.
ISSN 0260-4027 print
DOI: 10.1080/02604020490455469

THE EVOLUTION OF SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS:

INTERFACE BETWEEN INTEGRAL SCIENCE AND
SPIRITUALITY, PAST AND EMERGING

DONNA SPRING GULICK

Integral Spirituality Unlimited, Carrboro, North Carolina, USA

This article outlines the spiritual principles shared by Integral Science and the
emerging Integral Spirituality. It includes a brief overview of past changes in
spiritual consciousness, the role of science in the current shift, and why various
beliefs are coalescing into a new Integral Spirituality. The author then explores
the causes and possible effects of these changes, concluding that the motivations
and transformations must come from a synthesis of all fields.

KEYWORDS: Consciousness, Great Ordering Oneness, Integral Spirituality, spirituality.

In recent years, a new dialogue between various members of the scientific and
spiritual communities has helped fuel a rocket-like acceleration of a new spiritual
consciousness. The growing number of mind–body–spirit conferences and classes
at medical schools from Harvard to Duke Universities are a sign of this New
Consciousness. Science appears to be verifying what people have intuited to be
true and linking it to solid empirical theory. Lay seekers from both sides of the
aisle who want to understand, define, and experience the energetic world hungrily
consume books with applicable scientific theory.1
Integral science adds a new level of understanding. Here, humanity is a collab-
orative learning species built of, by, and into a creative and awesomely ordered
energy cosmos whose patterns and principles still guide us. We are a brilliant
myth-making species that evolves by pooling information, creating mental maps
(worldviews, etc.), and changing our behavior based on insights from all of the
above. Yet, the cosmos’ workings are still largely beyond our ken.
This new stage of spiritual consciousness, therefore, incorporates a wide range
of scientific discoveries and thoughts, yet its essence is also being discovered in new
translations of ancient writings such as The Nag Hammadi Library; The Dead Sea
Scrolls; and early Roman historical journals on Christianity. The resulting synthesis
integrates a wide range of existing spiritual/religious traditions such as Judaism,
Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, and Goddess and native traditions such as
Huna from the Hawaiian Islands, and Native American wisdom from Alaska to

Address correspondence to Donna Spring Gulick, 104 Phipps Street, Carrboro, NC

27510, USA. E-mail: d2gulick@earthlink.net

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South America. The combination suggests practical solutions to many personal

and global dilemmas.
Humanity originally developed the concept of spiritual consciousness to explain
its relationship to the Cosmos, the Planet, and other living beings. Our desire for a
feeling of connection to the Greater Ordering Oneness (Goerner, 1999) still drives
our search and helps define the results. The current definitions of spirituality tend to
be limited to beliefs and experiences of Oneness in a mystical, non-physical form.
Today’s synthesis of scientific and spiritual consciousness is providing a more
solid pathway to fill the same longing for connection that humans have pursued
since the first person worshipped the sun or the moon.
Working definitions of the concepts explored in this article are:

Consciousness—The state of being aware; collective thoughts and feelings of an

individual or an aggregate of people. The evolution of consciousness involves
the expansion and deepening of the individual and group’s potential for thought,
understanding, and awareness.
The Greater Oneness—The Wholeness and Essence in all that is—which is always
larger than current words can define; that which creates and maintains patterns
and order in the Universe.
Integral Spirituality —The melding of explanations/discoveries from Integral Sci-
ence and long-standing insights/truths from many existing spiritual belief sys-
tems and traditions.
Religion—a structured set of beliefs that usually establishes a cosmology, spiritual
practices, and rituals, often based on the tenets, experiences, and stories of a
specific teacher. Religion differs from spirituality in the degree of concreteness
versus pursuit. This article will not attempt to compare the emerging stage of
consciousness with the world’s many religions.

Integral Science and spirituality share the following beliefs/principles:

r Energy is invisible, incorporeal, creative, and omnipresent, while also being

physical, natural, and empirically discernable.
r Energy flow moves seemingly separate bits of matter in recurring and pre-
dictable patterns.
r Energy plus fundamental forces form a single, inseparable fabric that binds and
envelops all things in a universal, comprehensively connected weave and an
unfathomably intricate Design.
r This combination produces a universal creative force that permeates, guides, and
develops all things in the Cosmos. Although the full meaning of its movements
are beyond human understanding, all is lawful and orderly underneath.
r This creative force also acts like an “absolute mind” with a built-in compulsion
to evolve to healthier, more functional forms and patterns when possible. This
pursuit is also built into every facet of the whole. For example, when healthy cells
are placed next to unhealthy heart cells, the poorly functioning cells improve
their performance.
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THE EVOLUTION OF SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS 337

r Because this Universal Creative Force creates a fractal universe, it also produces
an “as above, so below” reality where that which we observe on higher levels we
also see on lower levels. Whether we examine anatomical examples of fractal
embedding in the physical body or whether we examine the psychological
behavior of children of schizophrenic mothers, we see the same holographic
image of the original pattern playing out in its component parts.
r It also produces an “as within, so without” reality where that which we observe
within a structure is indicative of that which we expect to observe outside the
structure. We observe the psychological affects of submerged patterns affecting
surface realities in both the pressure dynamics of plate tectonics and abusive
adult anger that results from an abusive childhood.
r Similarly, that which we send forth comes back to us. In spiritual teachings this
is variously called the law of circulation, the law of karma, or the law of cause
and effect. The Golden Rule reflects the same principle in Christian spirituality,
whereas in Buddhism the teaching is that the degree of suffering results from
the degree of resistance to life as it is. In modern times we see the principle in
pollution that comes back to haunt us in ill health and global warming.
r Because we are interconnected with everything and follow the same Universal
principles, we are responsible for our interactions with all of the above.

CAUSES OF TODAY’S SHIFT IN SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS

Historically, the evolution of spiritual consciousness is driven by intense pressures
inside and outside the society, as well as from failing social structures. Currently,
stressors in education, politics, communications, economics, and health, as well
as personal needs for security, peace, and happiness, are producing an accelerating
demand for practical solutions to apply personally, locally, and globally in this
multifaceted, worldwide crisis.
As I see it, the engine driving today’s shift in consciousness is desperation
and despair—along with the flip side of desire for hope, greater inner peace, and
the reflection of that peace in the world. Historically, whether one is looking at
changes in society or the spiritual evolution within the life of an individual, the
most common motivator is emotional crisis: terminal disease, personal terror in
a war-zone, a near-death experience, or some other major crisis. Occasionally, a
major consciousness change begins with an uplifting transformative experience,
such as Astronaut Dr. Edgar Mitchell’s epiphany when viewing Earth from outer
space, which led him to a lifetime mission to bring science and spirituality together
to seek answers to the unanswered questions. As he says, “The story of my life . . .
is an account of being hit on the head with astonishing experiences, which drove
me to find an explanation” (Lora, 2004). In our society, people are starving for
meaning in the chaos, for patterns in the mess, for hope in any area of modern
life from politics to ecology to personal stability. Their desperation sends them
searching for new ideas in science, poetry, ancient traditions, mystical experiences,
and more.
Because humanity lives by its models and myths, another impetus for today’s
changing spiritual consciousness is that we have outgrown many modern stories
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338 DONNA SPRING GULICK

and heroes. Their inadequacy is driving people to seek new practices, definitions,
and paradigms in order to find replacements. (Thus, as Joseph Campbell [1996]
explains, one of mythology’s main functions is “to reject or reconcile consciousness
to existence.”) Yet, while today’s spiritual impetus is seeking new myths, it is
also reclaiming older ones and trying to unite spiritual insights with “scientific”
grounding. Among the many emerging spiritual beliefs are:
r Because current myths focus primarily on humanity’s relationship to the outside
world, the new myths need to emphasize the way humans experience themselves
and relate to each other, as well as to the larger web of which they are a part.
r There are patterns (or laws)—that are palpable in form and that exist in the
interaction of molecules, cells, species, planets, and more—that give us insight
into the greater picture. Both scientific and spiritual perception suggest that
there is, in fact, a Oneness that creates order in the physical universe, as well
as in the less clearly visible realms.
r This Oneness is not anthropomorphic; it does not have a gender and is not
separate from us, nor are we separate from the Oneness. Quite possibly, this
Oneness is still expanding and creating through its creations and by its nature.
r Life contains mystery. As far as we know in this stage of evolution, there are
no final, perfect, and despotically correct answers. Since there are better and
worse answers, however, we must keep our minds open to new refinements.
r Individuals crave greater inner peace and simplicity in their personal and pro-
fessional lives. In order to achieve these elements of spiritual growth, they must
change the attitudes and methods they are using.
r Every individual comes into the world with a complex list of beliefs derived
from mass consciousness, both personal and historical. These thoughts form a
fractal web of tenets woven throughout our lives and the lives of others. In our
integral world, we need to re-examine and transcend the limitations and errors
of thoughts inherited from family lineage, society, religions, and so on. Our
greatest challenge is to figure out which of our “thought trails” really do lead to
food, and which lead to dead-ends or toxic traps. For instance, we are now hope-
fully learning that imbuing the Great Ordering Oneness with angry and judg-
mental traits serves merely to justify our own self-destructive violence against
others.
r Because current beliefs are built on interpretations of stories, today’s scholars
are examining the accuracy of translations of “sacred texts” and considering
how their historical and sociological context affects interpretation. At the same
time, metaphysicians are using archetypal interpretations of characters in classic
texts such as The Old and New Testaments, The Bhaghavad Gita, and gods and
goddesses of Greece and Rome to help re-think traditional understanding. For
example, Mary can be seen as the Divine Feminine and Joseph as the Masculine
Principle that embodies faith.
r Integral spirituality believes that the human mind can bridge large distances by
drawing on the profound, holographic nature of all information in the universe—
as well as the simple sequential physical stimulus path from one brain to another.
The Events like distance healing and empathic communication can be explained
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THE EVOLUTION OF SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS 339

in terms of individuals tapping into the wave “interference” patterns of this vast
information web.
r Because human beings use thought to change all aspects of themselves and
society, thoughts also have power. They produce actions, events, and changes
in the life of the individual and the collective. For example, if I envision my
husband as a powerful decision maker, then my thoughts change my actions
in ways that empower that belief. If I ground my life on a steadfast belief and
constantly remove obstacles within myself, then people and things that support
that belief will be drawn toward me. These simple truths support the profound
concept that we magnetize the results of our beliefs.
r Similarly, because thoughts have an effect and everything affects everything
else, we have a definite responsibility for the decisions we make, positions we
take, and the footprints we leave behind.
r Like all effective evolutions, this new stage of consciousness seeks to “include
and transcend” prior stages, building on the authentic role of long-standing
principles and practices while moving into greater understanding and improved
functioning.
r Integral Spirituality is moving toward “inclusiveness” in place of dualism. For
example, Eastern and Western religions are coming together in a new balance,
and Integral thinkers are seeking balance between the Feminine and Masculine
Principles. Likewise, the evolving spirituality incorporates opposites such as the
light and the dark, the yin and the yang, the “right way” and the “wrong way.”
Integral Science and Integral Spirituality also suggest that traditional moral and
ethical systems reflect principles of a learning universe. Every great nation and reli-
gion has added new insight to our understanding of how to live together peacefully
and synergistically. Moral and ethical systems represent preserved lessons about
which kinds of principles and behaviors work and which do not. Yet, over time,
advocates of dominator culture tend to reduce such lessons to dogmatic doctrines
and dictatorial judgment and to distort them to suit dominator sensibilities. Be-
cause dominator culture also emphasizes control of society by the few, authorities
(in church and state) also tend to stifle learning by declaring all deviations from
their belief system wrong (heretical) and often illegal.
Joining the concepts that (1) the universe has (in some sense) intrinsic moral
laws, and (2) that our true nature is about the learning, significantly shifts the
context of moral debate. Instead of focusing on control and infallibility, the integral
age emphasizes the process of continuing movement toward and refinement of that
which serves the highest good. While Integral Science and Integral Spirituality
rejects the idea of a final “doctrine,” they support the concept of better and worse.
Thus they do not eliminate morals and ethics, but gives them flexibility according to
societal and individual knowledge through experimentation and evolution. While
there will always be disagreements about which idea or way of life makes more
sense, because the goal is to “include and transcend,” these conflicts revolve around
integrating and improving, not around winning or losing.
In summation, Integral Spirituality emphasizes our relationship to all aspects
of creation, including each other. Rather than an anthropomorphic God, we honor
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the God Everywhere, the “God-in-All,” and the wisdom in all belief systems. The
real error in thinking is to believe that one’s view or system is infallible or that
reality can be encapsulated in a single box.
Integral Spirituality emphasizes the wisdom to know that we do not know
everything, but can know better. As Buddhism exemplifies, this new spirituality
will focus less on defining that “which is too big to define” and even cease to name
“It,” as Judaism does, because any name or definition implies limitation. Thus, the
Great Ordering Oneness is all-inclusive; its totality is found in all its parts, yet it
is always more than those parts. This understanding puts no limit on what we can
become or what we can understand.
Today, escalating demands in politics, education, economics, spirituality,
medicine, and daily life (to name a few) invite science and spirituality to combine
forces. Public demand is building for science to help bridge the schism between
physical and spiritual evolution. In putting more emphasis on energy, Integral
science puts less emphasis on physical matter and corporeality. This opens new
avenues by which we can incorporate such spiritual teachings as life after death,
reincarnation, and more. Yet, spirituality is being called to move beyond its com-
fortable assumptions and models as well. These combined understandings confirm
the compatibility between spiritual principles of action for the highest good of all
and the principles of ecological and evolutionary health, balance, harmony, and
happiness.
Integral Spirituality recognizes patterns or laws rising out of the Great One-
ness. It honors those who recognize these patterns intuitively, as well as those who
recognize them empirically. Visionaries and leaders in science and spirituality
need to come together to conceptualize and actualize the changes needed for our
planet and humanity. Yet, personal spiritual questioning and growth is also crucial
to the change at hand because society only changes when numerous individuals
change themselves. Personal responsibility becomes a vital part of the integrated
new paradigm of spirituality, humanity, and science. Because we are a collabo-
rative learning species that is fully interconnected with that greater web, it is our
responsibility to take action to save the planet, as well as our personal quality of
life.
Understanding the principles by which the Universe operates helps clarify our
responsibility as humans on this planet. Our society is surrounded by dangers that
could lead to eventual extinction of most of life on this planet. These are dangers that
we humans have caused. Problems such as pollution, poor education, crumbling
communities, uncared-for populations (elderly, child, etc.), adulterated food, plus
shrinking social and economic well-being, do not stop at national borders. Thus,
individuals and societies are searching for better answers. In response to human
misery, human beings all over the world are creating a new vision, a new mission.
Men and women in science and spirituality, along with those in all other fields of
thought, need to unite to create concepts and methods that not only birth this new
paradigm, but put it into action.
You who read this journal are conscious of the need for an Integral Age, co-
created by specialists in many fields. In that light, I personally want to thank each
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THE EVOLUTION OF SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS 341

one of you for being who you are, and for doing what you are doing in your field
and in our combined field, Planet Earth.

NOTE
1. David Bohm, Wholeness and the Implicate Order; Brian Greene, The Elegant Universe and the
Quest for the Ultimate Theory; Sally Goerner, After the Clockwork Universe: The Emerging Science
and Culture of Integral Society; Lyall Watson, The Nature of Things: The Secret Life of Inanimate
Objects, etc.

REFERENCES
Campbell, J. 1996. Inward Journey. Audio Collection. San Anselmo, CA: Joseph Campbell
Foundation.
Goerner, S. 1999. After the Clockwork Universe: The Emerging Science and Culture of
Integral Society. Edinburgh: Floris Books.
Lora, D. 2004. The way of an explorer. Shift at the Frontiers of Consciousness, 1(19).