Human Potential

In searching for a group that would facilitate her spiritual growth and support her life aspirations of heart, mind, body and soul health, Roberta Hoffman is delighted to find ITP. “It is a perfect fit for the life I aspire to.”

Autumn Wagner is an ITP practitioner who thoughtfully chronicles the challenges and rewards of transitions throughout her life. She may have navigated change and transition with some angst, but there was always the secure belief that not all is ever lost. Through it all, she gained resilience.

After 34 years of involvement in ITP, practitioner Bill Sharp reflects on his first experiences with George Leonard and Michael Murphy. Through the years, his ITP practice has accompanied many life transitions.

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 help us stand strong through life’s transitions. ITPI Mastery Teacher Roger Marsh explains the connection between the Core Practice Intentions and navigating transitions.

Life is full of transitions. Sometimes -- especially in the modern world -- we rush through them. ITP practitioner Carly Ko reflects on the importance of timing. “It’s up to us to give ourselves the resources and time to pass from ending to beginning with attention and care.”

Something ends. Something else begins. But in between, there is a Middle or Neutral Zone that can last days, weeks or years. Sometimes we feel disconnected from circumstances of our past as we reorient to “what’s next.” ITP practitioner Edith Johnston describes her journey in the Middle Zone after retirement.

Over the course of many decades, ITP practitioner Nathan Bolls experienced many “new beginnings.” His reflections on how one thing led to another tell a fascinating story about transitions.

As ITP practitioners, transformation is often on our minds. We tune in to, even set our intentions for, change. With change comes transition, which might be defined as “how we respond to change.” ITPI Mastery Teacher Kim Kristenson-Lee offers a simplified explanation of the three stages of transition: the ending, messy middle (neutral zone) and beginning.

People demonstrate generosity in myriad ways, from gifts of time and money to everyday acts of kindness toward loved ones—and even to deeds that involve substantial self-sacrifice, like donating a kidney to a stranger. But we are often nowhere near as generous as we could (or even aspire to) be. In short: although we have the capacity to be generous, we don’t always act generously. The John Templeton Foundation did an extensive study of “The Science of Generosity,” answering many important questions.

Michael Murphy, author, co-founder of the world-famous Esalen Institute, cofounder of ITP, and pioneer of the Human Potential Movement starting in the 60s, relates a wealth of intimate experience, knowledge, and wisdom covering his decades of living at the leading edge of transformative practice and the realization of human potential. Michael talks about Esalen’s latest research, our current crisis of belief, and the anchoring question that has guided Esalen (and Michael) all along: how best to serve?

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!

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.

As we navigate life’s transition, positive outcomes await. But sometimes, something holds us back. Listen to George Leonard explain our natural inclination to resist change.

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.

In our life-long pursuit toward the further reaches of our potential, we must always proceed with that first step. I recently spoke with Bob about his own practice, particularly his extraordinary capacity to retain and recite poetry. As with so many special conversations we’ve had, it was a flow of wisdom punctuated with a poem.

The quick fix doesn’t work. Listen to ITP co-founder George Leonard as he shares his insight on how the key elements of lasting success and positive transformation require a commitment to a long-term, personal practice.

The powers of body, mind, heart and soul which, when balanced and integrated, awaken us to infinite possibilities for greater life. While the Kata is an extremely effective way to integrate and support body, mind, heart and soul evolution, I sought to bring these quadrants of being together through another passion – exercise.

ITP practitioner Charlotte Hatch participated in the first experimental ITP class in 1992. She shares what it was like to be a part of a pioneering program and how this experience has carried over in her current, daily practice.

ITP Kansas group leader Cherri Harper has consistently focused on preventing osteoporosis, but when tests showed a sudden loss in bone density, she created an affirmation, “I care for others AND I care for myself.” Since then, she has increased her bone density twice in recent years. Here is her story.

ITP co-founder Michael Murphy and ITP Mastery teacher Roger Marsh discuss how ITP as a practice is coherent with the underlying theory and philosophy of Evolutionary Panentheism.

This section is drawn from Chapter Four of The Future of the Body by Michael Murphy entitled The Supernormalities of Everyday Life. Included in this document, is an inventory that can help you bring to consciousness unusual events you may have dismissed without recognizing them as the glimmering of potential extraordinary capacities.

As part of their ongoing study of ITP, Stanford University researchers, Michael Lifshitz, Josh Brahinsky and TM Luhrmann, explore the practice of affirmations and their discovery of how practitioners embrace the tension between both honoring the present state while, at the same, envisioning positive, lasting change.