Body, Mind, Spirit: In Pursuit of an Integral Philosophy of Music Teaching and Learning

Abstract

This dissertation investigates extant literature on the contributions of spirituality within music education from perspectives of philosophical writers in the field. It introduces Integral Theory, which features a five element heuristic: a) four quadrants of human experience, specifically, subjective, objective, individual, and collective perspectives; b) levels (or stages) of human development; c) lines of human development; d) states of consciousness; and e) types or styles of being and acting in the world. Finally, this dissertation applies Integral Theory's multi-perspective approach to the dynamic elements that engage body, mind, and spirit as teacher and learner perform, listen to, compose, and improvise music. I use Integral Theory's four quadrants of human experience to summarize, categorize, analyze, and map aspects of presenters' papers and the final round table discussion at the Spirituality Symposium, Spirituality: More than just a concept?, during the International Society of Music Education Conference (ISME), July, 2008, in Bologna, Italy. I use Integral Theory's levels of human development to map Edward Sarath's Levels of Creative Awareness, as he applies it to trans-stylistic jazz improvisation pedagogy. Sarath's melding of jazz music practices, and music theory and analysis with personal and collective non-music influences, transpersonal elements, and meditation mirrors Integral Theory's second element. Results from this philosophical inquiry show that discussions and pedagogy focusing on spirituality in music education include (a) teacher and student levels of proficiency and excellence in music, (b) personal and collective transformation, (c) diverse descriptions and interpretations of transcendence as they pertain to music's effect on persons, (d) understanding self and other especially meaning, value, belief, and moral systems, (e) receiving and dealing with emotions and feelings in professional settings, (f) brain, biological, and physical aspects, (g) personal and collective imagination, creativity, mystery, wonder, intention, attention, awareness, mindfulness, playfulness, authenticity, flow, (h) identified stake-holding cultural collectives, (i) environmental, institutional, educational, religious, and ideological factors, and (j) curriculum and experiential practices and guidelines. A close reading of flow pedagogy in early childhood music teaching shows some similar methodologies.