Holistic Practices for Integration: Part 1
Holistic Practices for Integration: Part 1
I want to begin by honouring you for the courage it took to step into ceremony and to meet yourself with such honesty and presence. You showed up for a profound initiation, and the work you did internally matters deeply.
As you move through this upcoming week, I invite you to slow down and let the dust settle. The ceremony opened a doorway, but it was only just the beginning. What unfolds now is the sacred art of integration, which is the process of transforming insight into embodiment and lived wisdom.
In Ralph Metzner’s book “Allies for Awakening,” he suggests that people should spend as much time on prep and integration as they do during their medicine journey. Hence, if you have a five-hour journey, you should spend five hours preparing and five hours integrating your experience. I would argue that integration should become your way of life, incorporating holistic practices into your daily routine that help deepen your newfound wisdom and way of being in the world.
I will be sending you Part 1 and Part 2 of holistic practices that have been real game-changers in incorporating medicine work into my daily life. As you read through these lists, choose just one or two from each list that genuinely speak to you. Try them over the next few weeks with curiosity and patience. Notice how they land in your nervous system and consider which ones you may want to weave into your ongoing rhythms of life.
Let’s begin with Part 1 below –
Deepen into Community
If there is a single place where your ceremony will continue to unfold most fully, it is within the White Eagle Awakening community, Boulder Canyon Retreat Center’s hub for community. Here you’ll find a sanctuary devoted to integration and ongoing practice, expert guidance, and shared learning. I gently nudge you to join this circle, for your ceremony will really come to life, and transformation will become more sustainable when held within a supportive community container.
We offer several different channels within this container, which include - Monthly meditation and resources, Monthly group integration + healing community circle, community support and sharing, a medicine and athletics group (fun!), and a Dharma in Recovery group for those with habits to address.
Meditation
The Sages were on to something here! Quieting the mind and moving into the ever-present now helps open us up to possibility and supports the rewiring of neural pathways in the brain. Meditation is an invaluable resource that can be implemented in various ways and styles. Some people enjoy downloading apps such as Headspace, while others go deeper into practices from a particular spiritual path and lineage.
As an avid meditator and trantrica myself, you might enjoy this grounding meditation on the Root Chakra. You may find other meditations that speak to you on my YouTube channel.
Mantra
Mantras have been used for thousands of years and are based on Sanskrit seed sounds, which act as vibrational medicine. These vibrations help us unlock the doors to a deeper knowledge and allow us to access greater peace and happiness.
The repetition of a seed sound helps you enter a deep meditative state, clearing your mind of thoughts and connecting you to your higher self and the divine. Chanting these sacred sounds affects the energy channels in the body called nadis and is calming to the mind and spirit.
For Westerners, we are more familiar with affirmations, which are often confused with mantras. Affirmation is a positive statement that you repeat to yourself. They are a tool that assists us in modifying our way of thinking, which in turn helps in changing our actions and behaviours. Some popular mantras people might use are “I am abundant and prosperous”, or “I am joyful and full of vitality,” for example.
Journaling
Putting pen to paper and releasing thoughts and emotions onto the page can be really cathartic and helps to excavate deeper material. If you have not read the book “The Artist’s Way,” I would highly suggest you check it out! The author describes a daily writing routine called Morning pages, which asks you to write three pages of longhand, stream-of-consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. It’s a powerful practice to clear your mind of clutter and to get more focused for your day ahead. Please visit this blog post for more detailed journaling practices.
Nature
The Japanese coined the term “forest bathing,” emphasizing the importance of taking a walk in nature and putting your bare feet on the ground, tuning into the breath and allowing yourself to absorb Mother Earth. This is a powerful practice in general, but it is even more potent when used as an integration tool.
Remember, as you work with these integration tools, trust that there is no right pace or perfect way to do this. What matters most is your willingness to stay in relationship with what emerged and to meet yourself with honesty and care. We’ll continue to build from here—one breath, one practice, and one day at a time.
Stay tuned for part 2 of Holistic Practices for Integration
With love!
Shane
