THE FOUR QUADRANTS:
THE CONTENT OF THE KOSMOS


Kosmos means much more than the physical cosmos. In ancient times, kosmos referred to the master patterns of all things -- the very architecture of cosmic reality. Reviving this ancient concept, philosopher Ken Wilber has infused the term with new and powerful meanings. In a series of important works, he has shown that the master domains of the kosmos include SELF (interior life of the individual), CULTURE (the interior life of the collective) and NATURE (the surfaces and exteriors of all things and beings). The diagram (to the left) indicates how these three reality-domains of the kosmos appear on Wilber's now-famous quadrant chart. With this revolutionary conception, Ken Wilber has revived integralism -- and the kosmos -- in all its splendor. (For more on Wilber's conception of the kosmos, see "The Coming of the Kosmos.")

THE MISSION OF ikosmos.com:
CONTENT IN CONTEXT
Our website ikosmos.com is a home for content on the kosmos. We contextualize it by chronicling today's integral movement in our Integral Edge Journal; but more important, we are the definitive repository for the best integral content (classic and current) in our 25 categories. In addition, we bring you Wisdom Editions, the book imprint for authors working in this new tradition of holism. And these are just a few of the features of ikosmos. (See site INDEX).

THE GREAT CHAIN OF BEING:
CONTEXT OF THE KOSMOS
As we have seen, SELF, CULTURE, NATURE unfold as the four quadrants. In its full concept, the kosmos must also include ALL LEVELS of what is known as the great chain of being, that is: matter, mind, soul, and spirit -- the natural hierarchy of being extending from atoms to God -- as these levels appear in self, culture and nature. Throughout his works, Wilber shows how the great wisdom traditions of the past, in all cultures, painted a consistent picture of the chain of being or cosmic hierarchy. These thinkers are highlighted in Integral Pioneers. As best as we can, the content of this site, and the content of the 25 categories of ikosmos.com, present an all-level, all quadrant picture of the kosmos.

HOLISM IN THEORY AND PRACTICE
Accordingly, our heading UNITY refers to those disciplines that integrate all levels and quadrants. The PRACTICE heading refers to the actual practices that integralists can engage which embody, reflect, and celebrate the entire kosmos in their spiritual practices and daily life.