We were recently talking about some of the most memorable times we've spent as a result of being in the learning and development business and one particular memory stood out for us. It was back in 2011 when we attended a training seminar in Spiral Dynamics Integral in Santa Barbara with one of the originators of the model, Dr Don Beck himself. Since then we've continued to integrate many of the key insights from Spiral Dynamics Integral in our work at 4DHB and particularly in our book Spiral Into Love.
The theory of Spiral Dynamics was originally developed by Dr Don Beck and Christopher Cowan based on their take on the research of Dr Clare W Graves. The central idea of Spiral Dynamics is that what we humans feel, think and believe evolves through time and is dictated by our neurophysiological development and responses to our given life conditions. Research into brain function has demonstrated that our environment and our intrapersonal and interpersonal experiences shape our neurology, which in turn determines the drives and values that dictate our behaviour.
Later Don Beck teamed up with the Integral philosopher Ken Wilber and together they began to integrate their ideas to create what became known as Spiral Dynamics Integral. SDI is not a typology but rather a description of value structures that generate a flowing process of psycho-biological energy that fuels human growth and development. These drives form nested systems and express the evolution of each individual's personality. The theory uses the metaphor of a spiral of energy spiralling upwards as it moves the individual towards satisfying various needs that result in physical, emotional and intellectual adaptions to given life conditions that trigger further stages of development.
In this video Philippa and Don enjoy an informal moment at the end of a training day to talk about Spiral Dynamics Integral.
Integral Perspectives On Personal & Professional Development
