Integral Transformative Practice

What is it?

Integral Transformative Practice (ITP) is designed to increase the overall health and function of the human through long term practice. It addresses the needs of mind, body and spirit.

Where did it come from?

George Leonard (Mastery) and Michael Murphy (Future of the Body) designed the program based on their experiences in sorts, the martial arts, education and the human potential movement. They began the process as an experiment at Aikido af Tamalpais. They used exercises and meditations from aikido, yoga, and zen combining them with modern research in nutrition and physiology.

What am I getting myself into?

ITP is a long term practice. It includes exercise, meditation and awareness of diet and lifestyle. You are getting yourself into a new mindset and a new lifestyle. It is not intended to produce results in the short, though there will be some. You should not plan to practice until you finish. You should plan to practice forever.

You can probably squeeze all of the actions in the 8 Commitments into 8-10 hours a week. If you do that you will probably find yourself wanting, and able, to do more. Like many other programs that improve your efficiency, you will often find more time available to do the things you want rather than less.

The Eight ITP Commitments

  1. I take full responsibility for my practice and for all transformations of my body and being that flow from it. While respecting my teachers and fellow practitioners, I fully understand that I am the final authority.
  2. I seek to join in community with other ITP practitioners. While maintaining my individual autonomy and authority, I commit myself to my ITP community in vision and practice.
  3. I do the ITP Kata at least four times a week. I understand that, time permitting, I can lengthen any part of the ITP Kata, and that extended periods of meditation at the end of the ITP Kata and at other times of the day are recommended.
  4. I accomplish at least two hours of aerobic exercise every week in increments of no less than 20 minutes. (Three hours a week in increments of no less than 30 minutes are recomended.) Three sessions of strength training a week are also recommended, but there is no commitment on this.
  5. I am conscious of everything I eat. I am aware of the many benefits of a diet low in fat and high in fiber.
  6. I develop my intellectual powers by reading, writing, and discussion.
  7. I open my heart to others in love and service. I stay current in expressing my feelings to those close to me, and take care of my emotional needs in appropriate and healthy ways, seeking counsel when needed.
  8. For each six to twelve month period, I make at least one affirmation having to do with significant positive change in my own being. I also make the following commitment: "My entire being is balanced, vital, and healthy." I include my affirmations in my ITP Kata and seek in appropriate and healthy ways to realize those affirmations. (Instructions for making affirmations can be found in The Life We Are Given, Chapters Four and Five.)

How do I do it?

The program is outlined in detail in The Life We Are Given by Leonard and Murphy. The Kata can be learned from the book or a tape produced by Leonard called The Tao of Practice. You can also visit www.itp-life.com, the official ITP site. At that site is a Networking bulletin board where you can look for other groups or post messages to try to contact others in your area. If you are adventurous and self-actualized, you can join our Internet community. 

You can order these materials below through my Amazon Affiliate program. If you object to the idea of me earning a commission on book referrals you can copy the text of either of these links:
http://www.amazon.com
http://www.bn.com
and then search by author or title.

George Leonard

Michael Murphy

Who are you?

If you don't know who I am, why are you at my vanity site? <G> I am myself. I have experience in many martial arts, but claim mastery of none. I have a formal background in history, philosophy, psychology and Internet Security. I spent much of my adult life in uniformed service, but am now a Security Solution Specialist and Insight Solution Director for Oracle. If that doesn't mean anything visit me at GregGagnon.net . I have been married for 19 years and have two childeren. I have been a member of the SCA for almost 22 years, though my travel has restricted my activity there as well as here.

I am not a guru. I do not know all the answers. I have a lot of opinions, but I am (hopefully) open to fact or even well-argued opinion. I am not an expert in ITP. I am a student of life.


If you have more questions, write me: Cian@MacQuaid.org.