Integral Transformative Practice

Christine Rickerby met George Leonard when she heard his Akido class through the ceiling of an art studio she was using. What followed was an opening to an enriching ITP practice and an opportunity to spend time with George at the end of his life.

Examine how ITP creates a cultural pivot by providing a personal path of awareness of the divine as well as a collective shift toward contemplative awareness for the well-being of society.

The practice of GRACE is the opening move of the ITP Kata: Ground, Relax, Aware, Center and Energize. These steps can be called into action any time we need to come into the present moment. Beyond the acronym, grace is a powerful energy, a transmission of divine love or a higher consciousness that is freely given, often unexpectedly, received but not directly earned. ITPI board member and co-author of Living an Extraordinary Life Christina Grote talks about how ITP practices open us up to grace.

Relaxing during GRACE is not just about physical relaxation; it’s about letting go of tension and emotions. Armando Cardenas, of ITPI México, describes what RELAX feels like for him and how its effects ripple through his daily life.

Lois Martin, member of Tulsa ITP, considers how centering creates a sense of balance and harmony. This is preparation for the Kata. It also is preparation for starting a new day. “My centering creates space to be who I am and to feel the energies of the present moment.”

The last step of GRACE at the beginning of the Kata is ENERGIZE. ITPI member Jill Robinson describes it as “a calm, yet alert sense of aliveness.” This energy sets up a readiness for the movements of the Kata. It can also nourish the activities in the rest of the day.

Charlotte Hatch leads the practice of GRACE as a series of affirmations and follows it with the Kata.

Learn how ITP practices benefit daily life for ITPI board member Rudy Collins. He points out that transformation does not always come as a quantum change. “I have come to realize that transformation, for me, tends to occur from sustained and consistent practice of sometimes small acts.”

People demonstrate generosity in myriad ways, from gifts of time and money to everyday acts of kindness toward loved ones—and even to deeds that involve substantial self-sacrifice, like donating a kidney to a stranger. But we are often nowhere near as generous as we could (or even aspire to) be. In short: although we have the capacity to be generous, we don’t always act generously. The John Templeton Foundation did an extensive study of “The Science of Generosity,” answering many important questions.

Generosity with self is no small feat. We can be more dedicated to giving to others and overlook the importance of tending to our own needs. Generosity with self is essential to transform, especially through our ITP practice. In this essay, Pam Kramer describes her take on the topic.

ITPI is the epitome of generosity within community, starting with the work and inspiration of Michael Murphy and George Leonard. The fruit of their generosity has blossomed throughout the world.

Michael Choy explains how his “excessive volunteering” is deeply connected to honoring his father. In an effort to become more balanced, vital, and healthy, he poses some questions for all of us.

Affirmations are one of the most potent practices that ITP offers. They can be a powerful vehicle for transformation. Affirming generosity can come in many forms and offer many enriching benefits.

The Ebb and Flow Rowing practice found in the Kata is a wonderful opportunity to visualize generously extending your gifts out to the world and lovingly receiving back. The back-and-forth motion evokes a sense of balance and a purification practice for one’s entire being. Generosity in action as a generous gift to oneself!

Learn more about Rachel Hamilton and the ways that a "bad boyfriend" experience opened her life to an ITP practice that enhances her life. Read what generosity means to her. “Generosity is the impulse to share what I have with others. I particularly love to share my spaces and my energy to create sweet gatherings. Vitamin C(onnection) is something we all need, and I love being the person to create the space for us to be with one another and be alive with one another, whether it be to share joy or to process grief.”

With our minds, we think, we reason, we learn, we imagine, and we dream. We strategize, make decisions, and set intentions and goals. Through the capacity of self-reflection, the mind provides a sense of personal history and continuity to our lives, the sense of being ourselves… We discern truth from falsehood. We set our intentions for who we want to be in the world and what we want to accomplish in life.

An ITP practice can gift us with benefits in large and small ways. Sometimes we just need to stop and notice what has changed. Artist Rich Sigberman shares what he's noticed.

In many cultures the heart was, and still is, considered to be the seat of intelligence and intuition, a special window into the world and its divine nature. When we see with the eyes of heart we can perceive things as they are without judgment. Our perception is filtered through the lens of love.

Soul is another term that has many meanings in many different cultures and traditions, but in these pages, we use it to refer to the deepest part of our being. It is a part of us that is as essential as the body, mind, and heart; a part of us and yet beyond them all. You might think of it as our personal spark of the greater divinity, unique to each one of us. If you prefer another term, such as deeper or higher or original Self (with a capital S to distinguish it from the small self or ego), or even purpose, please use what is most meaningful for you.

Body, mind, and heart interplay to inform our lives, for sure. But the soul speaks and lives through each of these aspects. This is the brilliance of the integral model we engage with ITP.

ITP honors the body as an amazing teacher and guide. Further, we believe that the body is capable of transformation in both ordinary and extraordinary ways. ITP includes several practices to enhance the health of the body, such as the ITP Kata, aerobic exercise, strength training, and conscious eating. The body is our foundation, our vehicle to express ourselves in the world, and it requires appropriate care to realize its fullest potential.

Learn more about Matthew Steinbach and how ITP has brought new insights to his daily life and his role as a coach to student-athletes. “I firmly believe we are on the edge of cultural transition towards integral transformative practice. My work with the younger generations leaves me full of promise and optimism.”

ITP sees human beings as essential and integral components for the world’s positive evolutionary advance. As we connect with and cultivate the Divine inside each and every one of us, little by little, we bring more and more of that Divine into our own lives and out into the world. Roger Marsh, ITP’s Director of Training and Consulting, shares his thoughts about the ITP worldview.

The worldview of ITP is based primarily on the extraordinary nature of love. In this exercise, experience the power of love for your whole being and for all of life and notice how you feel. As the spark of the divine wakes up inside, explore how this loving energy has the power to heal and support your transformation, bringing alive your unique imprint into the world. The practice, led by ITP Mastery teacher Max Gaenslen, demonstrates the significance of loving yourself as a portal to loving others and all of life.

Each ITP newsletter spotlights a member of the ITP community so that they can share some insight into their practice and the role ITP plays in their life. This newsletter, with its theme of ITP Worldview, shines a light on Judith Closson. Judith is a longtime ITP member, in-person at Mill Valley and via Zoom from Washington state. Judith has participated in many programs over the years, including Ki of Cooperation. She eloquently expresses how ITP strengthens her connections to the world around her.

Join Dr. Shamini Jain and President of ITP International, Pamela Kramer, as they journey into the power of Integral Transformative Practice (ITP) for energizing your entire being and come away feeling refreshed and renewed!

Under the right circumstances, you could achieve what you perceive is impossible. The ego is a tricky thing. It has the potential to warp your perception and confine you to a reality that negates the good and enhances the bad. Everyone wants change, but it must start from within. Listen to the interview with Dr. Lorne Brown and Christina Grote.

What a lively, heartfelt event we had on May 2 at the Marin Art & Garden Center with Rachel Hamilton, Improv Extraordinaire, as our guide. The benefit gala featured delicious food, music and outpourings from friends honoring Pam Kramer, ITP training program catalyst, teacher, and collaborator and co-author of Living an Extraordinary Life: The Magic of Integral Transformative Practice. By the end of the night, we were all buzzing from the abundant LOVE!