Integration Support Ideas
We don’t seek peak experiences for the experience themselves but for how they will shift and ultimately improve our lives going forward. These experiences can be incredibly enlightening and powerful which is great, but without applying what we learn into our lives those moments get left behind in the ceremony space. Focused Integration is the key to walking forward in life carrying these lessons.
Integration = Where the real work starts in life. How we integrate lessons that we’ve learned and apply the tools and perspectives we received will ultimately determine the transformation in our lives.
Before Enlightenment - Chop wood, Carry water
Enlightenment
After Enlightenment - Chop wood, carry water
You may feel that you were recently ‘awakened’. You’ve seen things that you didn’t think possible and you feel you know your path (which is amazing!), but the work still has to get done. Stay present to what is actually true in this present moment. Whatever your work might be, bring all of yourself to it. When you’re fully present, you may find that your labor is no longer a burden. Wood is chopped. Water is carried. Life happens. Life moves forward.
Integration can be hard, things have been loosened in you and you’re feeling things differently than you ever have. Be kind to yourself, observe your progress without judgement, you might find the need to course correct occasionally, and that’s ok. Below are a few suggestions that we’ve found helpful in our own integration processes.
10 Reflective Practices to Support Integration
Listen to your body - Ask your body on a daily basis:
“What is the most loving thing I can do for myself today?”
“What does my body need right in this moment?”
Let your body provide you with the answer. You may discover you need physical rest, nourishment or hydration, Act from your personal wisdom.
Connect With Your Body - Go for a massage, practice yoga, find a form of somatic mindfulness, acupuncture, take a breathwork class. There are many mental health benefits of increasing the connection to our bodies. Let's get familiar and comfortable in our bodies.
Meditate - the benefits of meditating will help increase self awareness, improve capacity to regulate one’s emotions, be able to focus on the present moment, increase patience and tolerance, reduce negative emotions and build skill to reduce stress. There are many forms of meditation (Mindfulness, Vipassana, Zen, Manta, Visualization. The Presence Process, active, Sound Bath) find one that feels right to you.
Practice Gratitude - Make a daily list of people or things that you are grateful for. This practice acts like an antidepressant, it increases access to positive memories and creates positive outcomes in your life.
Journal - Write about your experience in ceremony, including insights, thoughts, emotions and sensations in the body. Write about the connections you made during the weekend and what inspired you. Consider an ongoing practice of journaling and reread your journal entries from ceremony to stay connected to your growth and insight.
Recall Positive Ceremony Experiences - Take some time to reflect on those moments in ceremony that were meaningful and special to you. Invite those experiences into your body, let them ground you, bring you peace and joy.
Read Insightful Books - Ask friends and professionals for their favorite book recommendations for contemplative and integration supporting books.
Dan’s favorite book recommendations: The Alchemist, The Four Agreements, Conversations with God, The Mastery of Love.
Julie’s favorite book recommendations: Beqoming, The Presence Process, What Happened to You, Ikigai, The Prophet, Sacred Contract.
Get Creative - Write, draw, paint, dance, sculpt, build, Sing, Play Music, even if you believe you feel you have no artistic bone in your body. Creative activities activate different parts of your brain and can have healing and protective effects on your mental well being. It can also reduce blood pressure and boost your immune system to pick up that paint brush every once in a while.
Spend Time in Nature - Purposefully reflect on your experiences and feelings, Mindfully sit on the earth, feel the way she supports and guides you. Take advantage of the beauty that surrounds you.
Cultivate Your Spirituality - Spiritual practices reflect positively on your mental and physical health. Feed your soul and become self aware. There’s no one size fits all in this type of practice, cultivating your spirituality is the relationship you have within yourself and the world with regards to your soul. Call upon The Grandmother often as she is now forever connected to you and cultivate the divine within.
Create Integration Friendly Environments
Take time for yourself - Take time off work or extracurricular activities. Healing from ceremonies can be regarded as spiritual surgery and like any surgery, rest and recovery time are essential. Plan for a gradual reentry into normal activities.
Avoid Harshness - Whether in the form of loud noises, scents, or even sights. Take a break from things that are jarring.
Engage in soothing practices - Take a bath, Listen to music, snuggle kids/pets, drink tea, lay in your comfortable bed. Give yourself time and space to relax.
Create a Relaxing Environment - Clean up, declutter, buy house plants, light candles. Let your external environment influence your internal environment in a positive way.
Clean Up Your Relationships - “Be with those who help your being” - Rumi
Invest in nourishing relationships that promote healing and growth. You should also avoid toxic relationships until you have the strength to correct their course.
Most importantly Love Yourself. In the end every one of the items listed above is a practice in self love. When you learn to love yourself fully (Yes even the stuff about yourself that you’re not all that fond of) everything else falls in place.