Ken Wilber isn't exactly a man in need of endorsements and support these days. As the leading light in an integral movement whose influence, power, and reach seem to be growing daily, words of praise and pats on the back are probably not worth making a big deal about in the halls of his Integral Institute. Unless, of course, those words of praise are coming from someone really special, someone like . . . well, how about the former President of the United States? Yes, our favorite former President, Bill Clinton, is rumored to be quite the fan of our favorite integral philosopher. And the word on the street is that the two might meet up sometime soon to talk shop about the problems of the world. Indeed, at a recent book signing in London, Clinton, who has read a number of Wilber's books, apparently expressed interest in having some face time with the grand theorist of everything. Of course, ever the consummate politician, Clinton networks better than most people breathe, so we'll see what happens. But what an impressive duo that could be—one man lit up by a new vision of a world that could be and another with the influence and unmatched expertise to help turn that vision into a world that is . . .

Imagine you're a young man growing up in Tehran, Iran. One day, as you're browsing through a local bookstore, a face on a book cover catches your eye. It's the image of a well-known personality, and the book, published in Farsi, speaks to yearnings and passions that many young men in your Islamic society hold dear. You purchase the book, determined to discipline yourself, and implement the author's radical prescriptions for human life. This scene is played out many times over in Iran these days, but the identity of the protagonist on that cover might surprise you. No, it isn't Ayatollah Khomeini, or popular reformer President Mohammed Khatami. It isn't Osama bin Laden, and you probably already guessed you're not holding a biography of George W. Bush. No, try master motivator Anthony Robbins. That's right. Business gurus take heed: Robbins' self-help phenomenon is taking the Persian mind by storm. His books are flying off the shelves these days in Iran, and his success has sparked a growing interest in self-help books all over the country. Somehow, the whole phenomenon has escaped concern or crackdown from Iran's ruling clerics, but perhaps they don't yet understand the inherent threat to their political status quo. I mean, just imagine: one million highly motivated, vital, inspired, passionate, peak-performing, results-oriented Iranians taking "massive action" on the streets of Tehran. The mullahs wouldn't stand a chance. In fact, maybe we could slip a few books into North Korea as well . . .

Good news for those who are watching the tea leaves, concerned about the possibility of some kind of upcoming world war or global cataclysm. No, 2012 has not been removed from the calendar, and we are still facing, as a society, seemingly countless political, ecological, social, and economic crises, any of which could potentially spell bad news for Planet Earth. But the Indian saint Mata Amritanandamayi, whose alleged prediction of a world cataclysm in 2005 was mentioned in Issue 24 of WIE, seems recently to have changed her tune—or at least moderated it. According to some of her American students, Amma, as she is often called, was asked repeatedly about the prediction at the Rhode Island venue of her latest tour. And this wildly popular guru, whom so many revere as a living incarnation of the divine mother, replied that while once the clouds covered the sun, now the clouds are beginning to part. You'll have to draw your own conclusions, but many who were there understood her to be saying that the predicted calamity will not be as bad as was once envisioned. Let's hope they're correct, but whatever it means or doesn't mean, let's also take it as further inspiration to do whatever we can, in whatever way we can, to create a much improved twenty-first-century world . . .

If you can't win the culture wars, maybe the best thing to do is just create your own culture. That seems to be the new trend these days for spiritually inclined individuals of all persuasions. For example, do you believe in creation rather than evolution? Are you convinced the earth is six thousand years old? Then don't take your kids to the natural history museum—they'll keep getting the facts wrong. Instead, visit the new "creationism" theme park where, believe it or not, the displays actually tell you that the dinosaurs were all created on Day 6. Or would you like a really good workout without the sexualized ambiance of most modern gyms? Then work out with Jesus at the Lord's Gym ("His pain, your gain" is on the T-shirts), a Christian-themed chain of fitness clubs. Want to dance the night away but avoid the seamier side of life after dark in the big city? Well, take your date to Spirit nightclub in New York (see WIE Feb-Apr 2004), where there is less emphasis on alcohol and drugs and more on smart drinks, yoga, and veggie food. Or if you're looking for a different sort of vacation and Mickey Mouse just doesn't quite satisfy your longing for meaning, there is findthedivine.com, a unique website that has exactly the information you need to locate that perfect spa, ranch, or retreat center to suit your particular spiritual sensibilities.

Some see the first waves of a new future in all of these outside-the-mainstream initiatives, and some talk about a post-9/11 resurgence of concern for religious and spiritual values. Others merely lament the further fragmentation of an already divided society. But however it plays out, one thing is certain: there is a deep and widespread dissatisfaction with our secular culture. And that may mean that more and more people are going to do their own thing, with their own group, in their own way, over the coming years . . .

Over half a century ago, as the cold war was heating up, a small, private military think tank was founded with a big mission: "to provide information to military decision makers that would sharpen their judgment and provide the basis for more informed choices." Of course, now the influential history of the legendary RAND Corporation is well documented, and the cold war is long over. But today we are faced with another kind of war, and even more complicated challenges to the future of modern civilization. So where are the new high-powered research groups that are thinking ahead of the curve, mapping the emerging currents of our global culture, analyzing the danger zones and points of opportunity for Western governments that desperately need help in understanding a world that seems more complex by the day? Enter Dr. Don Beck, John Petersen, and Teddy Larsen, who are in the early stages of forming a new think tank for the twenty-first century—the Copenhagen Center for Human Emergence. The work of the center will be based on Spiral Dynamics, the revolutionary psycho-social-political theory of integral human development that has been turning heads recently both in Washington and on Wall Street. Dr. Beck, who has played a significant role in developing Spiral Dynamics, will be calling on the business savvy of Larsen, managing director of the Denmark branch of pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, and the high-tech smarts of Petersen, who will offer technology developed out of his own forward-looking think tank, the Arlington Institute. The project is in the formative stages, and there are serious practical hurdles to overcome, not the least of which is to attract the kind of funding that could really establish the center as a major player in the Western political landscape. Of course, no one knows what kind of global policies a think tank based on Spiral Dynamics might develop. But memo to all the bright young minds out there who want to change the world—Copenhagen is a beautiful place to live . . .