So what is Zaadz anyway? Let’s start with the name: as Brian explains, zaad is Dutch for "seed," and in the same way that an acorn has the potential to grow into an oak, each one of us has a "seed" within us that can unfold into our own highest potential, and Zaadz wants to support us every step of the way. Following hot in the steps of personal transformation, the Zaadz mission is as follows: "We’re gonna change the world. Our math goes like this: you be the change + you follow your bliss + you give your greatest strengths to the world moment to moment to moment + we do everything in our power to help you succeed + you inspire and empower everyone you know to do the same + we team up with millions like us = we just affected billions = we (together) changed the world"—bet you’ve never seen a social networking site say that before!

Like Integral Institute, Zaadz is a gated community, and to be able to join Zaadz you must fill out the simple online application. But wait!—isn’t that marginalizing, discriminatory, and elitist? Well, not really. If you join a country club, there are certain rules that you agree to follow, and no matter how desperately you might want to play ultimate frisbee on that gorgeous par 5, this is a golf course, and so only golf is allowed. Brian and company are looking to play the Zaadz game, and if you want to join in on the fun, you have to agree to play by the general rules of that game. Likewise, Integral Institute is playing the AQAL game, and if you’d like to join in on the forums and other I-I commons areas, you agree to abide by certain “road rules.”* In both cases, these aren’t rigid commandments, but simple orienting guidelines that are in place to help preserve the integrity of the vision that attracted one to Zaadz or I-I in the first place!

Brian goes on to describe how Zaadz is meant to be an oasis or sanctuary for those individuals most interested in its mission and purpose. The interesting thing is, a sanctuary isn’t a sanctuary unless it has certain boundaries: birds and wildlife on this this side of the fence, park visitors on this side of the fence. However, unlike a wildlife sanctuary, where you can’t get on the other side of the fence without reincarnating sans neocortex, the cool thing about Zaadz and I-I is that both are open to anyone who wants to come play! As Brian and Ken agree, if you want to play the "games" that we offer, and participate in the conversations we’re starting, we’d love to have you come join us. And if you happen think our games are boring, stupid, or wrongheaded, why would you want to join us anyway? Why not simply seek out a group that matches your interests? Why join a country club if you really want to play ultimate frisbee?

One of the unique things about Zaadz and I-I is that both organizations are trying to form communities around an integral impulse, whether as an organizing principle working in the background (Zaadz), or as an explicit Framework up front and present at all times (I-I). Ken and Brian go on to discuss the developmental aspects of trying to create community for integral souls, and the challenge of trying to connect, and create a sanctuary for, individuals who make up only about 2% of the population.

Any way you look at it, Brian is an extraordinary leader and entrepreneur, helping birth an amazing community. We think the friendship between Zaadz and Integral Institute is extremely exciting, and we are happy to invite you to join in on this deeply inspiring dialogue, and peek into the future of how and where "you" and "I" might come together as a "we"....