By Linda King

Macquarie definition of integrate – (a) to bring together (parts) into a whole, (b) to make up or complete as a whole, as parts do, (c) to show the total amount or value of.

This makes sense to me as we go about the process of ‘bringing ourselves together’, becoming more whole (or realising we always were whole and letting go the thoughts and behaviours that we have used to protect ourselves from such knowing) and to acknowledge our worth and value as an aspect of God incarnate.

The way we ‘bring ourselves together’ is to BE who we truly are here and now, it can be challenging to discern the truth from illusion when we have become so attached to the self protective patterns and behaviours we have created to keep ourselves safe or to keep the truth from ourselves, to justify playing small so as to not offend or upset others -  for with the acceptance of truth comes responsibility and it seems we can be afraid of this. On one hand our Spirit, our Essence is encouraging us to shed the outgrown layers and to be in alignment with wholeness, yet any residual fear can work just as hard to convince us to stay safe behind the ‘clothing’ we choose to wear. To integrate the parts – bringing them into the Heart – acknowledging each just as it is and making a new choice by releasing the judgment that has kept us in a sense of separation and feeling genuine gratitude for the opportunity here and now to make a new choice. Harmony is the result and a sense of oneness.

Like when we feel we have outgrown our physical wardrobe, or we no longer resonate with the expression we have become used to wearing – we go about the process of truthfully and honestly looking at what we have gathered along the way to see what really is useful or practical and letting go that which is not to make way for what is now, and the new we are becoming. Accepting the sense of freedom and creativity that is part of the process of integration.

This process in and of itself can bring up feelings and emotions of memories of where special things came from, what was occurring in our lives when we wore particular items and the sense of loss that seems natural in the acceptance of no longer having aspects of self as part of our new. To acknowledge all as valid and to simply make a new choice is empowering. It’s all reflective for it is aspects of self that we have outgrown and are to be let go of so as to BE more of the truth which simply is – when we let go of that which is not we become who we truly are.