Pam Kramer

Christina Grote and Pam Kramer are co-authors of Living an Extraordinary Life, an extensive and valuable book whose creation must have taken tremendous focus and energy. What motivated them to write this great book? And how does their ITP practice help them be so productive while staying balanced, vital, and healthy? The interview is conducted by ITP newsletter coordinator Sally Isaacs.

George Leonard modeled ITP partly on the structure of Dean Ornish’s program for reversing heart disease, in which he participated. The program included group support as well as diet and exercise, and that community element was found to be a very important factor in the success of the program. The same is true for ITP.

In our efforts to be healthy, research – as well as common sense – tells us the importance of rest and relaxation. The ITP Kata treats us to the practice of “progressive relaxation” and its benefits to body, mind, heart, and soul.

As with exercise, you may already have a well‐established and healthy set of eating habits, in which case you may simply choose to experiment with bringing more mindfulness to your eating. ITP’s fourth core practice intention sounds simple: “I am conscious of everything I eat and drink.” There is no dietary advice here – no “good” foods and “bad” foods, rule, or restrictions – just a recommendation to be aware of everything that you are putting in your mouth. Well, there’s a little more to it, but that is the basic idea.

Attending to the needs of the human body is not always considered a spiritual practice, but ITP recognizes the profound importance of nourishing and strengthening the physical aspect of our being. A path that develops the heart, mind, and soul but neglects the body is not a truly integral path. ITP’s third practice intention focuses on this dimension of the self through offering guidance on regular exercise. Some people reading this may already have a well‐established and healthy set of habits in this regard, in which case you may simply choose to experiment with bringing more mindfulness to your existing routines. Others may be less consistent or confident in their physical practices and habits, and we hope that the simple structure provided by these practice intentions will help you to establish healthy patterns that work for you.

Here is an opportunity to assess how the attribute of Imagination shows up in all dimensions – body, mind, heart and soul. The aim of this process is to spark growth physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, and to move toward full awareness of what is arising moment to moment.

Anyone who has done the ITP Kata knows the importance of connecting to the ground. It offers focus and stability before we proceed with our practice and our day. ITPI Mastery Teacher Pam Kramer shares the gifts of grounding in her life.

ITP’s nine Core Practice Intentions form the structure of ITP and serve as the roadmap for the journey of transformation of body, mind, heart and soul. They provide constant encouragement to ground us in our daily life and can carry us through difficult times when our energy may waver.

The first two ITP Core Practice Intentions focus on autonomy and community – two sides of one coin. While ITP stresses the importance of individuality and free choice, there is grounding power in the support of the ITP community.

The Holomovement is a sociological and spiritual consciousness movement emerging around the world. While our senses take in the universe in separate segments, the Holomovement perceives the entire universe as instantaneously interconnected by unbounded flow. In an interview with two leaders of the Holomovement, ITPI Board member Emanuel Kuntzelman and Mariko Pitts, we focus on the importance of cooperation in the world today and how the Ki of Cooperation practice plays an important role in the growth of the movement.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Putting together all aspects of our integral being is a practice itself. Conscious, embodied integration of our many parts reinforces wholeness, balance, and integrity—much of what ITP promises for practitioners. Rather than focusing awareness on one aspect of ourselves, such as the heart with its vast array of feelings, the staying current practice prompts us to pay equal attention to all aspects—the totality of who we are – to mine our deeper truths for self-understanding, growth, and mindful action.

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!

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 “Community and Leadership,” shines a light on Pam Kramer. Pam is the president of ITP International, an ITP Mastery teacher, is on the faculty of Esalen Institute, and presents workshops at venues in the US and abroad. She is engaged in training ITP teachers, helping to form ITP groups and bringing integral principles and practices to the workplace. Pam was the honoree of the “For the Love of ITP” event on May 2.

This year ITP International offers resources to support the Path of Practice of its global members. Tune into this conversation between ITP teachers Pam Kramer and Roger Marsh.

After over three years in development, ITP is proud to announce a new book that describes the genesis of ITP, its evolution and future aims. Living an Extraordinary Life: The Magic of Integral Transformative Practice, co-authored by Christina Grote and Pam Kramer, is scheduled for release in early March. Stay tuned for an official release email.

Enjoy this interview with Pam Kramer as she answers some questions about the new book.

This exercise will allow us to bring vitality and awareness to our own integral parts of body, mind, heart and soul. It is meant to help us notice that we can connect with our different parts and sense into and awaken to the messages that they have for us. By attuning to each dimension of our being, we can shape the direction of our growth and the way we show up in the world.

In this excerpt from ITP's upcoming book, authors Christina Grote and Pam Kramer continue to explore new territory and more effective methods of transformation within our living, evolving practice. With what we are calling ITPx we intend to reconnect ITP to its founding vision— an adventure into humankind’s evolutionary frontier, a launchpad, as George Leonard called it, for places yet unknown.

The notion of evolution applies to both the self-evolution of practitioners and also evolution of the practice itself. Thirty-one years later, the practice lives on because we find it works in wondrous ways, is not a one-size fits all and, mostly, because the practice has evolution built into its DNA.

The beginning of the year is a natural marker to reflect on transformative progress and challenges. Inspired by the January 2022 GLEE call program led by ITPI president Pam Kramer and ITP San Rafael group leader Donita Decker, this practice guides you in setting and aligning with your vision for the year ahead by celebrating your growth and learning from challenges.