Some Inca (Quechua) Ideas Correspond to Integral Theory Ideas

Giorgio Piacenza

According to Integral Theory, the expressions of the Cosmos are apparently divided into four quadrants formed by four "dimensions". The dimensions are Interiority or awareness, Indivisibility or Unicity, Exteriority or Objects and Multiplicity. The quadrants formed by combining these "dimensions" are Subjectivity, Objectivity, Intersubjectivity or Culture, and Interobjectivity or Systems. These dimensions of existence and quadrants would express in the Physical, Subtle, and Causal realms. But this would be a post post modern or "Integral Level" metatheory. However, the premodern Inca or Quechua civilization may have discovered a similar pattern.

The XVII Century indigenous chronicler Joan Santa Cruz Pachacuti Yamqui Salcamaygua (from now on referred to as “the chronicler”) depicted the following vision of Andean Wisdom. A copy is displayed in the Coricah¿ncha Temple and Museum in Cuzco, Perú. The Quechua culture thought in terms of complementary opposites, something which is also necessary to recognize the “Dimensions” and “Quadrants” of Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory. In other words, a premodern civilization may have been able to come up with post-postmodern Integral level recognitions.

It appears to coincides with Ken Wilber’s Four Quadrants if we consider that certain key figures represent the “dimensions” that form the “quadrants.” For instance, the ovoid above could represent unicity or the indivisible dimension; the grid below (an agricultural grid or collcapata) could represent the dimension of multiplicity; the Sun (Inti) on the left could represent the dimension of Interiority considered as self-luminous and the Moon (Quilla) on the right could represent the dimension of exterior objects that reflect the light of the self-luminous.

The Quechua people thought in terms of complementary opposites. In Quechua-Andean terms, the upper area (unicity) would correspond would to the “Individual” dimension. It is also related to the category of “HANAN” or that which is clear and “(regarding the three ¿-fold division of reality) “Hanan Pacha” often refers to a higher world of principles.

The lower area “URIN” would connect with an instinctive, vital world, and with “Uku Pacha” or the underground world from which new life germinates-proliferates and in terms of Integral Theory with the “Plural” dimension.

“ALLAUCA” (the right side from the perspective of the diagram looking outward) would correspond to the “Interior” dimension and “ICHOQ” (the left side from the perspective of the diagram looking outward) to the “Exterior” dimension.

The Quechua divided their territory into four “Suyus” perhaps reflecting how they also divided reality into four areas of expression or quadrants.

We can also divide the chronicler’s diagram not only into four “dimensions” but into four “quadrants.” Moreover, the right side “Allauca” where (the rising Sun is situated) may (in terms of Quechua Andean concepts) relate with the word “Yanan” which has the meanings of “essence” and of that which is “bright.” Its opposite on the left side or “Ichoq” (where the Moon is situated) would be “Yana” which means “dark” (not black), “dependent,” or “in service of” and can be considered to be in love with “Yanan.” As an expression in society, in the “Inca Empire” or “Tawantinsuyu” (the four united suyus) the “yana runas” was the name given to the servant class.

If we consider that (in spite of simultaneous correlations between interior and exterior dimensions and quadrants observed in the world of contingency or manifestation) exterior objects are fundamentally dependent upon interiorities, we could think of “Yana” (again, located on the left side or “Ichoq” from the diagram outward) as an exterior object that reflects the interior light of consciousness but which has no light of its own. We can think of it as depending on “Yanan” which is self-effulgent and its own self.

In this sense, although dualities co-arise in duality-based contingent world(s), perhaps as a reflection or ultimately as an illusion, in an ultimate sense (that interprets non-duality from a relative perspective), interiority is closer to the Absolute Truth and objects are dependent upon it. From this perspective, interiority unhindered by exterior objects would be Pure Consciousness-Being (or in Thomistic terms) Pure Actuality.

This would be why the quadrant (or Suyu) of objects (Yana) would depend on the quadrant of the self-effulgent or Yanan.

There are contents or symbols depicted in the chronicler’s diagram in what would be the “quadrants formed by the four “dimensions” of Hanan, Urin, Allauca, and Ichoq. They may partially correlate or not with the contents of the subjective, objective, intersubjective and interobjective Quadrants.

In divinatory, propitiatory, people and nature-conversing and harmonizing ceremonies across three levels of reality, the four areas, Suyus or (in Integral terms) “Quadrants” are often considered to be “very positive,” “positive,” “negative” and “very negative.” During interpretation rituals the Suyu-Quadrant formed by Allauca (the right side from the diagrams perspective) and Hanan is often considered to be “very positive.” The Suyu-Quadrant formed by Ichoq and Hanan is often considered to be “positive.”

The Suyu-Quadrant formed by Allauca and Urin is often considered to be “negative.” The Suyu-Quadrant formed by Lloque and Urin is often considered to be “very negative.”

Once again, this may or may not fit well with Integral Theory thinking about “Quadrants.” For instance, in terms of contents depicted in the chronicler’s diagram, what would “rain” have to do with subjectivity and “river” with intersubjectivity? Or “hail” with singular objects and “rain” (again) with interobjective systems? However, what may also be worth thinking about is the diagonal complementarity between opposite “Suyus” or (in terms of Integral Theory) “Quadrants.”

Allauca and Hanan form a Very Positive Suyu-Quadrant and its complementary opposite is the Urin-Urin Suyu-Quadrant formed by Ichoq and Urin. Similarly, the “Hanan-Urin” Suyu-Quadrant formed by Hanan and Ichoq would be complemented by the Suyu-Quadrant formed by Urin and Allauca.

In other words (if regarding Quadrants or areas of expression of contingent reality)), the Quechua-Andean model were sufficiently equivalent to the Integral Model, the UL Subjective Quadrant would be directly complemented by the LR Interobjective-Systems Quadrant and the UR Objective Quadrant would be directly complemented by the LL Quadrant. In terms of inter-quadratic relations, it’s something to consider.

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