Integral Transformative Education

Abstract

An increasing consensus is emerging among holistic educators about the need for an integral education that incorporates all human dimensions—body, vital, heart, mind, and spirit—into learning and inquiry. Most contemporary attempts at implementing this vision, however, fall back into “cognicentrism” in that they essentially focus on the use of the mind and its intellectual capabilities. This article introduces a participatory approach to integral transformative learning in which all human dimensions are invited to cocreatively participate in the unfolding of the educational process. The metaphor of the four seasons is used to illustrate this multidimensional approach and to suggest concrete ways in which learners can support the various stages of the integral creative cycle. After identifying three central challenges of integral education— lopsided development, mental pride, and anti-intellectualism—the article concludes with some reflections about the importance of reconnecting education with its transformative and spiritual dimensions.