Living an Integrated Life

[Mr. James Duffy] lived at a little distance from his body, regarding his own acts with doubtful side-glances. n~James Joyce, "A Painful Case"

Oftentimes when I move into stillness either in meditation or in yoga practice, I will become aware of the immense distance I have traveled in my mind, while having little or no awareness of my body or my environment. During all the other moments of the day, I am unerringly shocked when I realize how often (and how extensively) I can get lost along the ever-meandering labyrinth of my erratic mind. The distance at which I am living from my body can be vast.

Living an integrated life compels an attitude of awareness and introspection. Fragmentation in our lives can, in many cases, be the result of ignoring sensations in our bodies, as pain can be a messenger for something that is out of balance; balance can be brought by addressing the imbalance. Fragmentation can also result from a habit of stuffing our emotions, as the energy of emotion is movement. It is important to create space in our lives to allow sadness, grief, and anger, as well as joy, excitement, and love to flow unimpeded, to avoid a backlog of what needs to be expressed. Movement can also refer to physical activity, such as exercise, daily activity and expression (yoga, dance, and the like) to channel our emotions. Movement also refers to our growth as people by eating the right foods, resting appropriately, and pursuing our heart-felt, truest passions.

Spring's blossoming invites living deeply within our bodies,and so we avoid living at a distance from our own lives). Incorporating practices of stillness and movement vitalize and integrate all aspects of a person, the mind, the body, and the spirit. Our life experiences are rich, and our stories are interwove
into our bodies. Staying present through our conscious attention to our feelings, our grievances, and our desires invites the tapestry of our lives to weave together into wholeness, contentedness, and integration.