In a unique collaboration between the California Institute for Integral Studies (www.ciis.edu) and Matagiri Sri Aurobindo Center (www.matagiri.org), the Fifth Integral Psychology Conference (IPC) is being held at Menla Mountain Retreat in Phoenicia, NY July 1st-5th.

The first IPC was held at Matagiri, just outside of Woodstock, NY. The conference has since been hosted in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, the Cultural Integration Fellowship in San Francisco and last year in Auroville, the international community in South India.

Integral Psychology is based on the philosophy of Sri Aurobindo, an Indian nationalist political leader, who later discovered the real revolution was in a change of consciousness and the further evolution of humankind.
In the West, Sri Aurobindo is often compared to the French Catholic philosopher Teilhard de Chardin. Michael Murphy, founder of the Esalen Institute and William Irwin Thompson, founder of the Lindisfarne Association are among those who cite Sri Aurobindo as a major influence in their thinking and have themselves served as catalysts for change in our worldview of human potential and culture.

Among the featured speakers attending the conference from India are Dr. Aster Patel and Dr. Alok Pandey. Dr. Patel, a graduate of the Sorbonne, is the daughter of Dr. Indra Sen, a pioneer in Integral Psychology who coined the term. Dr. Pandey has practiced as a psychiatrist for many years in India and is the author of the new book, "Death, Dying and Beyond".

Brant Cortright, Department Chair from CIIS, and Jungian therapist Richard Stein are coming from San Francisco along with a number of other outstanding scholars who are presenting at the conference including author Alan Lithman and former editor of "What Is Enlightenment", Craig Hamilton.

Local workshop leaders include author and therapist Stephen Larsen and educator Lucy Barbera, whose extensive credentials also include the use of sandplay and expressive arts for both self-exploration and therapy.
The natural beauty of the Catskills with its lush rolling hillsides, the spiritual history of the facility (now under Tibet House, NY) and its proximity to Matagiri in Mt. Tremper make Menla an idyllic setting.

Attendees must register in advance. Day passes are available for local residents to attend the programs. Two evening concerts by Karunamayee (vocal) with Ray Spiegel (tabla) and the overtone choir, Prana, and one evening lecture on “Sri Aurobindo and Jung” are also open to the public. Details are on the Matagiri website: www.matagiri.org or by calling 845-679-5358.

We are also collaborating with the New York Open Center (www.opencenter.org) on a symposium on Integral Psychology Thursday June 29th from 4-10 pm in Manhattan. Please contact the Open Center at 212-219-2527 for reservations.

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Instead of an AUM follow-up questionnaire this year we decided to
record many of the comments made during the closing circle. No names will be
mentioned but if your comments were left out, you are welcome to add to this
list;
There is a desire to connect more with people and work together. It would be
good to know what people's interests are so we could team up.

This AUM has cracked our shell to open up the yoga to others.

The yoga has had an insularity and it is good to break this.

Inner growth is the first priority.

One wants to see a more dynamic collective karma yoga.

There was a great harmony at our AUM and attunement to the Mother.

A talking circle should be happening every day at AUM and there should be
social dancing.

Bina Chaudhuri really would have liked to attend.

There should be more space at the AUM to share and reflect.

There should be smaller gatherings in various areas in between the AUM
conferences.

Alok Pandey said that the AUM meetings creates the evolution of collective
consciousness.

The AUM is a bridge to the outside, a widening in the world.

There should be an AUM Auroville.

Intellectuals should not modify or update Sri Aurobindo. It is like a
beheading of Sri Aurobindo. Our aim should be to go deeper in His yoga .

Small frequent events would be good as well as inviting Europeans.

There should be more entertainment. Dance.

Coming from a clinical experience, one found a closedness towards
psychotherapy. Yet people in general were very open, coming from the heart,

There should be silent spaces.

There should be more quietness, like talking telepathically.

A volleyball court ! and a participant list.

The AUM is important. It gave the opportunity to open one's heart and live
at heart level for a few days. More contact is needed.

AUM should be opened up to Europe and have International meetings.

The conversations held outside of the lectures were the most useful.

There was an atmosphere, vibration, like the OM chant. There is a
collective support.

It was like bathing in psychic presence. The Satsang is helpful to the yoga.
One should meditate at the beginning of each day for it changes the
atmosphere.

Active conversations of integral psychology were missed.

AUM should be open to Aurovillians.
IT was a blessing and privilege to work for this AUM .

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At the Centers meeting were:

Amrita & Rohini from the Sri Aurobindo Study Circle of Manhattan and Matagiri
Gordon from the Foundation for World Education
Bhuvana from the Foundation for World Education and Matagiri
John Schlorholtz from FWE and the Sri Aurobindo Ctr. of Boston
Wendy and Danielle from Matagiri
Julian from Matagiri and AVI and AVI-USA
Lynda from the Sri Aurobindo Circle of Boulder
Cyril from the Sri Aurobindo Study Circle of Houston
Anie from the East West Cultural Center and formerly FWE
Govind from the Sri Aurobindo Foundation of North America (in NJ)
Charles from AVI-USA and Cultural Integration Fellowship
Lakshman and Hansa formerly of the Chicago Study Circle,
now associated with East West Cultural Ctr. and the Center for Integral Education in San Diego
Dakshina from Sri Aurobindo Sadhana Peetham (and newly FWE)
Narad and Aster from Auroville and the Sri Aurobindo Ashram

AUM 2006 PHOTOS

http://aum2006.awardspace.com/aum2006/aum%202006.htm