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1st Integral NLP Conference & Festival, Bristol, 12-13 June 2004
Steve Saunders & Josie Drew, June 2004, with contributions from Charles Faulkner
The first Integral NLP Conference proved a great success in terms of the friendly, integral atmosphere, the sharing of core ideas by the leading researchers of the NLP Community, and the willingness of all to exchange and work together towards the goal of Integral Living. The conference set the direction for the co-ordinated research and development of NLP. The second Annual Integral NLP Conference will be in the first week of July 2005, in Glastonbury. The Conference Purpose The NLP Development Forum held its first Annual Integral NLP Conference and Festival at the University of Bristol, on 12 and 13th June 2004. The purpose of the conference was to bring together the leading NLP developers, in one place, to exchange their latest ideas, and to launch a vehicle for our NLP Community to work together, in a truly Integral sense - the NLP Development Forum. The purpose to advance and consolidate/integrate NLP was agreed in discussion with Brian Van Der Horst, Charles Faulkner, James Lawley, Penny Tompkins and Phil Swallow. The following NLP Development activities were scoped:
1. Understanding how NLP fits together now. The Preferred priority was chosen to be Modelling, although we were all interested in all aspects. Articles addressing the seminars presented can be found at: www.nlpdevelopment.org.uk, the host site for the NLP Development Forum. The latest news on NLP Development activities will be posted there. The Conference, and its findings The balance of topics covered most aspects of Ken Wilber's Integral Theory of Everything: Mind/Body/Spirit therapies, Cultural Practices, the Science of NLP, Systems and Cybernetics, Business and education, adult and child, leadership and therapies, Feldenkrais, Yogic energy raising practices, Integral Transformative Practice, Thought Pattern Management, Clean Language and Clean Space, Spiral Dynamics and the latest work on the basis of Meta Programs and their applications in business and therapy.
The keynote speech is summarised by the speaker:
1. Make sure there is a sensory-based description. This suggests the next areas of NLP modelling are the structure of generalization and cybernetics: scope, category, context and recursiveness. An example modelling the structure of an expectations and how recursive processes could create levels of consciousness corresponding to Wilber's model was offered." - Charles Faulkner Brian Van Der Horst, representing Ken Wilber's Integral Institute, presented the Integral Vision, outlining the activities being undertaken, under Ken's leadership, to develop integral lifestyles around planet earth. Along these lines, Tony Nec presented Integral Transformative Practice, the method developed by George Leonard to create individual and collective evolution up the "Spiral". Marie Faire and Paul King presented Spiral Dynamics in two parts: an introduction and then its application to leadership. John McWhirter presented the basis of Developmental Behavioural Modelling (DBMTM) for the first time at a conference. It is clear (to the author) that DBM has significantly re-engineered the original NLP in simple, fractal principles, to create a more powerful basis for NLP than the original code. Perhaps we NLP'ers should make this paradigm shift ourselves, and adopt DBM as the fundamental building blocks? James Lawley and Penny Tompkins presented a full afternoon of Clean Space, allowing time for attendees to experience full sessions as client and practitioner in the latest art of David Grove. Continuing the Clean Language tradition, the process of cleaning-up NLP through Clean Language was presented by Phil Swallow and Wendy Sullivan. The RAPSI(*) of Eileen and Clive requires special mention, as it brings in presuppositions beyond NLP, and is a wonderful example of NLP applied to creating wholeness and balance. NLP limits itself by only considering the 5 senses and with its "Green-meme" presuppositions. The transformations achieved by the attendees of Clive's seminar were beyond words - thank you Clive. "Invitation to the Social: NLP began with a modelling of individual experience. This is a strength that has become an unacknowledged weakness. Research in aggregate behavior, sociology of knowledge, and semiotics indicate phenomena beyond every individual that affects experience as much as his/her interior modalities or frames. A group experiment showed that individual choices can quickly aggregate into an undesired state. A case was made for the Nash Equilibrium. (See A Beautiful Mind.) Then NLP adverts were analyzed in terms of their unconsciously chosen modernist mind set and value to client - helping them fit in. Finally, a demonstration of Bateson's cybernetic complementarities was attempted. The difficulty demonstrated how cybernetic thinking and acting are still in their infancy in NLP. A program was proposed. Each example makes the case there is a world beyond the individual, that can be modelled, and that it is time to go there and do it." - Charles Faulkner As we start to combine DBM, Clean Language, Thinking Developmentally and using levels of Cybernetics within Integral Practices and within an Integral Community, we notice that NLP is evolving into whole new paths for exploration - and modelling, as ever, is the key. One part to be modelled is how we learn to work together without formal leadership and without committee! The organisers wish to thank all of the presenters, stewards/assistants and attendees for giving the event such a fantastic atmosphere that will be long remembered as a special time. (* RAPSI = Ravenscroft Approach to Psycho-Spiritual Integration) Feedback from some presenters: "Thank you so much for putting on this event - it was truly integral and felt free of intrigue and more like the excitement of the early days - I haven't had so much fun at a conference for a long time." Clive Digby-Jones. "Congratulations on organising a great conference. Everyone seemed to have a really enjoyable time. Personally it stimulated our thinking about how developmental models are created perceptually and what skills people need to be able to 'think developmentally' rather than using an existing developmental model as a checklist or diagnostic tool -- and a development of KW's model was born!" James Lawley. "I appreciate the efforts involved in putting on such an event. The assistants were superb." Paul King. Next Year's Conference: Glastonbury, 1st week of July 2005, with the following different daily themes:
· NLP in Coaching and Leadership (business, sport, personal development) Numbers will be limited to maintain the special atmosphere, together with reducing the parallel sessions from 5 to 3 over more days in the light of feedback about too much choice (a delicate irony in the NLP world!) About the NLP Development Forum The purpose of the NLP Development Forum is to support an integral community of NLP users and developers in presenting a consolidated NLP science to the wider community for recognition, understanding and acceptance. Why create this forum and an integral model for NLP? NLP will only gain understanding and widespread acceptance with an agreed basic science and with measurable standards. Since the creation of NLP, Spiral Dynamics and an Integral Theory of Everything have been developed. These models impact upon the progression of NLP, and also require evolution. NLP has been extended beyond its original conception. NLP has diversified into many applications and other fields. NLP has lost coherence in terms of the set of fundamental behaviours and presuppositions upon which it rests, and is the result of "Green" thinking. The NLP community had also lost coherence and had lost a focus for publishing complex and innovative papers, given events in 2003. The insight given by the initial NLP created New Code NLP as a second-generation rethink. And, the thinking that created NLP also limits is growth. The NLP community has created models that go deeper, it has explored new territory, and created refined and new models. Together with the developments of NLP within different organisations, it is possible to conceive of a revised underlying basis for NLP, created by many minds acting together. The developments and offerings within the community can then be better set in context than they currently are. What is the NLP Development Forum? The NLP Development Forum is an umbrella organisation that facilitates the positive advancement of NLP.
· It is independent of personal agendas, personal marketing and NLP politics. The structure of the NLP Development Forum is a heterarchy: the most appropriate person leads any particular activity (context-dependent). There are no committees, as Integral NLP is beyond first-tier thinking (Wilber). Membership of the NLP Development Forum is FREE and open to all. Organisers facilitate site and events. Members contribute articles, links, time, and effort. Currently, the organisers are Steve Saunders and Josie Drew. An organiser, by definition, is someone who is taking on the financial risk and putting in a lot of personal effort to make this happen - we accept that "a lot" is unspecific! The NLP Development Forum is supported by James Lawley and Penny Tompkins, Charles Faulkner, Brian Van Der Horst, John Seymour, John McWhirter, and many other NLP trainers and developers. Beliefs and Values
· NLP is worth advancing, and can be integrated into a whole model. Capabilities
· We can provide forums to achieve the purpose. Activities
· Sharing knowledge through conferences, website, workshops - mainly electronic. The main activities of the NLP Development Forum in 2004 are:
· Start-up (creating a repository for papers addressing the science of NLP). About the Authors Steve and Josie are partners of The Holigral Partnership, the sponsoring organisation for the Integral Conference. The Holigral Partnership offers NLP, esoteric and business training and coaching through Integral approaches. Steve is an NLP Master Practitioner and Trainer, who specialises in precision therapy and using NLP in training applied to magical personal growth and clear thinking. Steve's personal interests are in understanding spiritual paths of enlightenment and in helping other people to grow in mind, body and spirit. Steve is currently testing a whole new theory of why we are as we are, integrating spiritual wisdoms, NLP and the traditional Psychology and Sociological teachings. The application is a comprehensive approach to all habit forms (drugs, food disorders, obsessions, compulsions, addictions & other habits). Steve has over 20 years experience in research and development. Originally specialising in building learning computer systems, Steve now studies how mind works and how to simplify and perfect the healing of mind and body using novel NLP techniques. Josie applies NLP in the classroom and home to help the so-called difficult children to become high-achievers. Josie is currently modelling high performers in maintaining "discipline" in infant classrooms. Contact Details:
Web: Holigral Partnership Steve Saunders & Josie Drew, June 2004, with contributions from Charles Faulkner
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