Integrate with Integrity

The words "integration" and "integrity" share a beautiful connection: their Latin root, "integ," meaning "whole" or "untouched." This isn't just a linguistic fact; it's a profound echo of completeness, unity, and an undivided self.

In the world of personal and spiritual growth, we often speak of integration as the art of weaving insights into the fabric of our being, transforming fleeting thoughts into tangible actions, behaviors, and new ways of living. 

And then there's integrity, a concept that demands alignment between who we say we are and what we actually do. It calls us to "walk the walk," to embody our values without the hollow ring of hypocrisy or superficial performance.

The shared lineage of "wholeness" illuminates a critical overlap between these two journeys. Recognizing this connection has dramatically shifted my perspective, imbuing the process of integration with a new, profound reverence.

Even setting aside the moral weight often attached to integrity, there's a quiet beauty in realizing that every step of integration inherently moves us closer to integrity itself. Because integrity isn't about some unattainable perfection; it's simply about wholeness.

Yet, this path to wholeness can be deeply unsettling. It demands we confront the shadowy corners we've long avoided, the parts of ourselves, our world, or our reality that clash with our comfortable ego identifications. It's far easier, isn't it, to remain fragmented, to dance around the edges of discomfort? This is precisely why so many of us unwittingly choose a life out of integrity.

But I'm learning that avoidance carries a steep price, a quiet erosion of our authentic selves. To truly become the person I aspire to be, avoidance is no longer an option. I must embrace integration, not just as a concept, but as a sacred and holy pilgrimage. It's the only path to becoming truly integrated with integrity.