We must all integrate our lessons, discoveries, and insights sooner or later. If we don’t, they merely remain mental or cerebral.
Don’t get me wrong: having amazing and cosmic epiphanies is an orgasmic experience. But these realizations will amount to nothing if you don’t integrate what you’ve learned.
My goal is to help you understand a little better what spiritual integration means (and how to experience it) in this article.
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Table of contents
What is Spiritual Integration?
In the context of the spiritual journey, spiritual integration is about living the discoveries and gifts you’ve attained, rather than just thinking about them. It’s easy to be philosophical and think deep thoughts, but to embody what you’ve realized is a whole other matter. Therefore, in essence, spiritual integration is a movement from the head to the heart and from conceptual to practical. It is self-actualization. Instead of just talking, reading, and hearing about a certain topic, you become it and unify it with your daily life.
Psychotherapist Robert A. Johnson defines integration in another way:
To integrate a mental state is to successfully ‘absorb’ it, meaning, you can now move on to other matters without suffering the energy drain that comes from ‘unfinished business’.
In this sense, integration helps us to mentally “complete” our discoveries so that they’re no longer a source of fixation. This is yet another benefit of integration: it clears space in our minds, allowing new, and deeper discoveries to emerge.
Examples of Spiritual Integration
To help illustrate spiritual integration more deeply, here are some examples:
- Integrating your humanity with your divinity (actively embracing both sides of yourself, the sacred wild)
- Integrating your masculine and feminine side (the yin and yang or anima and animus together)
- Integrating your mental understanding of compassion with a lived experience of compassion
- Integrating your desire to let go with actually practicing letting go
- Integrating your meditation practice with an embodied meditative approach to life
The above examples are by no means exhaustive. But I hope you get the picture! (And if you think I’ve missed any, feel free to share your own examples of spiritual integration in the comments section below this article.)
5 Simple Spiritual Integration Techniques
‘Spiritual integration’ can sound intimidating or complex. But it doesn’t have to be. Trusting that Life will guide us in the right direction, we’ll naturally integrate our discoveries anyway with time. Remember, there’s no rush!
But if you’re wanting to take a proactive approach, here are some simple spiritual integration techniques you might like to explore:
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1. Commit to a symbolic action daily
There’s a reason why rituals are ancient and timeless spiritual practices: they help us to integrate the deepest desires of the heart and soul. Saying a symbolic mantra, for instance, can open us up to wisdom. Meditating on a symbol (e.g., a yantra) can awaken us to new possibilities. Lighting a candle and prostrating ourselves can aid in the development of humility. There are so many symbolic actions out there which might include, for example:
- A sound
- An image
- An object
- A movement
- An activity
Reflect on what symbolic action might best suit you and the lesson you’re trying to integrate. Remember, you don’t need to be too ostentatious or elaborate, simplicity is often the best approach.
2. Journaling and contemplation
One of my favorite practices, journaling and contemplation help to integrate our discoveries and lessons through the simple act of writing. When done mindfully (aka. not rushed), writing helps us to enter a ‘no-mind’ or ‘flow state’ where deep states of realization can occur.
We begin by contemplating our discoveries and then record all that we’ve learned, including our feelings and emotional states. By engaging both the right (creative/non-verbal) and left (logical/verbal) side of the brain, integration can more easily occur. In other words, journaling can often lead to a unification of the mind and heart.
But a word of warning: there’s a difference between contemplative journaling and emotionally-venting journaling. Both practices are valid, but purging all your emotions on paper won’t as easily lead to spiritual integration as quiet and contemplative journaling (which is a form of Lectio Divina). So ensure that you’re in a neutral or thoughtful frame of mind beforehand.
Learn more about how to journal.
3. Zen and the art of purging clutter
Spiritual integration often demands that we remove, let go of, and purge that which is no longer aligned with our needs. By actively making space, we allow ourselves to live more purposefully and soulfully. Mind you, clutter is not just physical – it is also emotional, mental, and even metaphysical. Examples of clutter can include:
- Commitments that are unnecessary and/or time-consuming
- Relationships or connections that are misaligned or unhealthy
- Habits that are destructive or pointless
- Interests or philosophies that no longer support our growth/well-being
- Physical objects or possessions that are not needed anymore
I’m sure I’ve missed out something, but you get the picture!
Making space is an act of commitment to our discovery/realization, allowing it to take root deeper in our lives and integrate more fully.
4. Meditative visualization
Of course, if you really feel called to do so, you can enter a meditative state and visualize the process of spiritual integration. Doing so can potentially help you accelerate deeper embodiment. (But keep in mind that if your visualization isn’t aligned with the Tao, or the current movement of life/energy, it won’t be effective.)
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To ensure that your meditative visualization is effective, ensure that you’re in a grounded and calm state. There’s no need to rush or force growth. But if you genuinely feel at a core level that you need an extra ‘push,’ this is a wonderful technique for you.
Some simple examples of visualization to facilitate your spiritual integration are the following:
- Visualize all multi-colored ‘pieces’ of your inner being coming together and forming a rainbow-colored circle (which represents integration/wholeness/oneness)
- Visualize, on your in-breath, the white light of clarity filling your body, and on the out-breath, the grey light of ignorance being dispelled from your body
- Press a hand to your forehead and visualize all your understanding being absorbed or sucked into your hand. Then bring that same hand down to your chest, pressing it against your heart – visualize all this understanding dissolving back into your heart.
You can also create your own visualizations, crafting any that intuitively resonate with you. Feel free to get creative or search the internet if you need more inspiration.
5. Create a piece of art
You don’t need to be an artist to create a piece of art. Art is an expression from the soul – and for this purpose, it doesn’t matter if it’s aesthetically pleasing or not.
Creation, which is ruled by the element of fire (which is responsible for transformation), is a powerful way of integrating your spiritual lessons, gifts, and insights.
By invoking this primal life force energy and channeling it in the direction you wish, you are engaging in a proactive practice of integration. Not only will your mind be engaged, but so will your heart and your senses. Creation is one of the few practices out there that incorporates every aspect of your being, and thus, it is a wonderful spiritual integration technique.
When creating your piece of art, ensure that you first have a strong intention in mind. Without a clear purpose for your art, it won’t be beneficial or effective. Some examples of strong intentions include creating art that helps you to experience inner peace, creating art that aids you in forgiving, creating art that empowers you to live more purposefully, and so on.
What art materials should you use? That’s totally up to you. Tune into what you resonate with or simply like – that might be doing something as ‘juvenile’ as a finger painting or as elaborate as a sculpture. It’s your choice!
***
Integration is a crucial part of the spiritual awakening journey and embodying your True Nature. But remember that it doesn’t need to be artificially triggered or forced. You can’t ‘achieve’ it – keep in mind that it is a natural and organic movement of Life itself. However, sometimes we are called to actively participate in our spiritual integration process. And I hope this article has helped you to do just that!
Do you have anything to share about the topic of integration that you think others should know? Feel free to share in the comments below!
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I really appreciate the advice to set a strong intention for your artwork- that is just what my art practice was missing. Thank you!
I was very thankful to find your website last year when my spiritual awakening began. It has been an emotional rollercoaster but over all it has been an amazing experience and your thoughts, advice and general guidance has been very appreciated. 2 years ago I would have though spiritual awakening were a myth. I grew up catholic until one day what I was being taught just left me confused and in complete disbelief. I always associated spirituality with religion so I blocked it out most of my life thinking it was all just a rude. I am very thankful to have awoken spiritually now completely free from the chains and rules of religion. I have experienced life changing events through Chakra cleansing meditation and I look forward to what the future holds for me. Currently and forever working towards unity with my twin flame. Thank you so much for what you do.
Thank you Mike for sharing your journey, I’m so happy we can be a part of it. I feel many people struggle with that same feeling, they bundle spirituality with religion and it ends up confusing. To me, spirituality is the feeling and religion is the form spirituality takes. But sometimes religion fails to grow and adapt with the times, and then we end up with a discrepancy in what we feel and what is being presented to us through the traditions. But some traditions seem to be realizing this and slowly correcting course which is reaffirming to see.
I look forward to seeing where your journey ends up taking you :).
Thank you so much for your knowledge and wisdom. I have been on the spiritual awakening path for a while. My background is conservative fundamental Christian. As a senior in my sixties, it was difficult for me to accept new thinking but now I am SO excited about all that is opening up for me. I read and listen to Cynthia Bourgeault and Father Richard Rohr, as well as study the enneagram.
Thank you again for sharing all that has opened up to you.
Thank you Suzan, it’s always beautiful seeing the more conservative open up to new ways of seeing the spiritual side. Yes, there are definitely many ways up this same mountain and Cynthia and Rohr both use the Christian language to help others embark on the more mystical and experiential side of Christianity. It’s wonderful such a collective shift in undergoing right now :)
Dear Luna and Sol,
I am new to this. Like, super new. I had, what I can only describe as a spontaneous awakening and it has been great at times and weird or scary at times. I had found a teacher online – someone with lots of informative videos and was doing that but I had 3 instances of receiving messages of a false teacher who would take advantage of me. Of course, this person doesn’t know me but I was trying to contact them, so I imagine that’s why so many messages at once. I found your site almost immediately after that and have warm feelings about your work. I appreciate so much the time you take to create this for those of us wandering around like we have a wet towel on our heads. I look forward to the information you provide everyday I open my email, and I must admit, it is pretty right on. I recently recognized my first set of synchronistys (sorry, I don’t know if that is spelled right and autocorrect is of no use) and am struggling to understand the meaning, although it feel good. Thank you for everything and please continue. I will donate but also let me know how I can help in any way.
Dear Erin,
Thank you for your lovely comment and offer of support, we know how it feels to feel adrift on this path with so many different opinions out there. The problem with the spiritual marketplace is it’s full of interesting information, but much of it is not very useful. And unless we have developed enough, we don’t know how to spot the ‘noise’ from all the ‘signal’ out there so this can result in years or sometimes who lives making progress, but making progress down the wrong path as we didn’t know where we want to go with all this from the beginning.
That’s why spiritual discernment is one of our central tenets throughout our work. You must learn to be very sharp as even many teachers (including us) could be guiding you down the wrong path for you. If you don’t know where you’re going, any path will get you there.
I hope you find not only interesting but valuable information for you on your journey on our site :)
Thank you very much for the effort you have put in integrating all your golden pieces of wisdom into such a practical article. I copied and pasted the link to my spiritual agenda file, for I need to use this article as my 2021 worksheet. I can’t thank you enough for such generous sharing of your wisdom.
I like the idea of a spiritual agenda file hehe, I’m grateful to know it’ll serve you well Maha :)
I found this site 3 years ago while piercing a veil. What a resource haha. I had a vision quest and not a lot of support in person mostly just this site for guiding (you 2 are essential treasures) This timing is so on point!! Introspection and integration!! Is where I am at the moment. How to I synthesize not just summarize all this insight? I just quit my regular day job to answer the call. Moving deeper into integrating my understanding to serve with purpose! My ego can act up transitioning out of the “work work do do” mind program. The news letter weekly word and article are like a little cosmic pat on the back in 3d for added confirmation.
I’m so happy to hear you’ve listened to your calling Alexandria, the world really needs as much soul-driven guidance as it can get…though truly integrated and balanced guidance is hard to come by. We’re most grateful to learn our work has served you in such a way, it’s a reflection of the times that there’s no real resources for such initiations anymore as it doesn’t benefit the GDP and therefore there are little incentives to socialize us in our schooling or work force. Yet I feel more and more are realizing where we are heading isn’t where we want to go. We’re honored to walk this path with you :)
Dear Luna & Sol
I found your website for the first time about 5 years ago when my spiritual awakening journey had just begun and I keep returning to it. I truly love how grounded and authentic your articles are. I have been spiraling back and forth a lot over the years since this journey began, being pulled towards both the light and the dark at different times which I now understand is just the masculine feminine polarity within me seeking balance. Embodiment has come up more times than I can count over the last year and bit and here it is again in this article along with other signs, experiences and connections that I am making in my life which are all pointing to the same direction in such perfect synchronicity. I had a huge download about embodiment being the means through which we become our own shaman/healer by embodying the elements of nature in various different ways and now I see how this is also directly connected to spiritual integration. It makes so much sense! We do not get anywhere without action however I have also noticed that when we become stuck life tends to happen “to” us in the form of challenges to help push us forward again so as you said, integration happens organically however our participation is required at times and it is up to us to discern that for ourselves using our own intuition.
Thank you for this article.
With love & gratitude
Tish
Dear Tish,
How wonderful to learn how article has served you over the years in different ways :), it’s exactly how we hoped it could be used. We live in such a mind centric world (especially since the embedding of smart tech into most parts of our lives), that we keep going further and further away from the body. I think at a subconscious level we sense this, and this is why physical fitness, yoga, and a lot of body-centric activities are building momentum in these times.
I’ve also been quietly nudged over the years to the nature path, more so lately. It seems it’s the synchronous force that’s guiding us all in that direction and it’s hard not to continue ignoring the calling. I’m happy we can all guide each other there, who knows where this will all lead though one thing is certain, it will be inclusive, more balanced and with deeper integration.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom. :)
Lovely article I learned alot from it I’m getting way better in my meditations
This resonates a lot within me. I’ve been working on integration a lot recently, and I’ve had some of the best spiritual experiences by practicing embodied spirituality, “in the real world”.
Thanks Luna & Sol for your amazing content.
Awesome to hear J.P, embodied spirituality is definitely where I feel a lot of most people’s focus should go. We miss out on quite a bit by compartmentalizing our spirituality into our minds and concepts and forgetting how experiential it can and needs to be :)
Such a lovely article! And what a beautiful one indeed to commence the new year with… Integrating the spiritual lessons!
I am certain it would resonate with many with an intent of embarking on their new year resolutions.
I have personally experienced this Spiritual integration in smaller yet intense moments. Such as experiencing the subtle act of watching my thoughts in an adverse moment or holding my aggression mindfully.
Journaling does bring a lot of lessons into life indeed, spilling them on paper not simply to just vent but indeed comprehending & reliving the deeper spiritual lessons is helpful too. I personally have started maintaing my dream journal too, as I believe most of my dreams are symbolic and some are quite vivid with their deeper spiritual lessons or messages which I need to hear in that moment.
This article made me realize of these experiences and I am really grateful because I got to learn some new practices as well. I would certainly try them. Especially the meditation visualisation is new and exciting for me.
Dear Manali,
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the article :), integration just felt like the right topic that will be needed after the many deconstructive phases of 2020 and the new blossoming that are already underway.
It’s great to hear how effective journaling has been for you, I’ve started to pick it up again lately as I had stopped for a while. And it reteaches me just how powerful it can be, to be forced to slow down and reflect on your day, or what you’re grateful for, or even in what you really ‘know’ (the mind has a way of making us think we know things we don’t, but you only realize this when you’re forced to put it into words and see the gaps and how it doesn’t flow.)
Thank you for sharing Manali
hi I tried to send you an email privately about my situation and feeling now BUT no one answer . I need help . I think I suffer from the dark night of the soul and from the state of spiritual awakening. I feel anxious about pain, intense sadness and negative thoughts that I spent my life not the one I wanted. I experienced childhood trauma and sexual harassment from relatives . Then , Relations with foreign relations worked randomly with men ,
I was also subjected to divorce, threats, and a lot of offensive speech, and I cannot defend myself. I worked frequently to get out of this tunnel, and grievances needed help to get out of this tunnel. I know I am good soul , I know that I am a good and good spirit, and I was created for a reason, not a coincidence, and I hope to help me find this reason and this spark
Hi, Fatima. I hear you, love–anxiety is one of the hardest feeling patterns to break for me, too. One thing you said in your post that really stood out to me was “I cannot defend myself.” When you say you cannot defend yourself, you are giving power to your fear and ego, and you may be reinforcing that belief unconsciously in many facets of your life. One giant leap we all must make to move past the doubt and fear is to accept and believe in ourselves ALWAYS, no matter what. No matter how impossible it seems. We must accept ALL of ourselves, and accept that we are worthy of living happy lives. What does true happiness looks like to your most authentic self? If you’re not sure, go somewhere where you can get comfortable and quiet and listen to the voice within yourself. Ask it to tell you one small step you can make toward your true happiness. The answer it gives might initially surprise you, but TRUST IT. It is not always about personal preference–personal preferences are shaped by our environments, which are often unkind and against what is actually best for our true selves. As best you can, try to parse out the heart voice from the mind voice. The mind can trick you, but the heart always knows what’s right. Of course you KNOW you’re a good person, a good soul. But you can’t fully move out of the darkness until you BELIEVE that fact. Sending you so much love and peace. You WILL weather this storm <3
Dear Fatima,
I’m sorry for the lack of response, we receive dozens of emails daily and we just lack the time to be able to respond to everyone. It can be quite overwhelming when we experience deeper insights into our present circumstances and see them in a new light. It sounds like you have a bit to explore that’s beyond the possibility of doing it through emails or comments. Melinda shares some powerful advice worth exploring further.
If you feel you need support, I’d recommend you look up someone that works with ‘somatic therapy’ in your area, this type of healing is much more beneficial done with the support of another, in person and it needs to be done for a few months in order to really see the shifts in life you’ll need to bring about. I hope you find what you’re seeking, stay strong lovely.
I feel for you Fatima! You have suffered much pain. You are a worthy soul and your inner parent must come forward to protect your vulnerable you. You have experienced some harsh and dark side of human nature, you need to step up and stop the violation of the self. You are worth defending.
Many people could find strength in your strength to survive childhood trauma and integrate the negativity into action. My prayers are with you.