Ken Wilber is the author of over a dozen books all inching toward a grand philosophical synthesis. He calls this Holy Grail "an integral vision — or a genuine Theory of Everything — [that] attempts to include matter, body, mind, soul, and spirit as they appear in self, culture, and nature. A vision that attempts to be comprehensive, balanced, inclusive." For those who yearn for a holistic system, Wilber's project is exciting and daring. To specialists or lovers of Mystery, this "T.O.E." is likely to come across as missing something important.
With great pluck, Wilber criticizes the Baby Boom Generation for putting a roadblock in the way of what he calls "second-tier consciousness." He believes that the culture of narcissism is antithetical to integral culture. In fact, the disease of "Boomeritis" has already spawned the maladies of scientific materialism, fragmented pluralism, deconstructive postmodernism, the culture wars, and the politics of self.
Wilber restates his understanding of the reconciliation that has been achieved recently between science and religion. He then goes on to discuss the work being done by various cutting-edge thinkers on integral politics, integral medicine, integral business, integral education, and integral spirituality. It is interesting to note that the last category is treated as an equal to the other four and not seen as the foundation for all integral studies.
Certainly the most exciting dimension of Wilber's work is the chapter on integral transformative practice where he notes the importance of physical exercises (diet, yoga), emotional exercises (qi gong, counseling), mental exercises (affirmations, visualization), spiritual exercises (meditation, contemplative prayer), cultural exercises (community service, working with the homeless), nature exercises (recycling, environmental protection), and relationship exercises (marriage, friendship, parenting). This last chapter grounds much of the very abstract material in Wilber's T.O.E.