Living in Integrity
“Wisdom Within” Series—Article #4
Welcome back to the “Wisdom Within” series—eight articles on ways to tap into your inner wisdom in daily life. Each week in this series we are exploring a different “lens” or perspective that can help you navigate relationships, circumstances, and events. Over the last two weeks, we have looked at life through the lenses of Common Ground and Connection. This week we work with the lens of Integrity.
To live in integrity means to live in accordance with a set of moral and ethical principles. It means living in ways that are congruent with what you believe and what is important to you—to live authentically and stay true to yourself. Living in integrity begins with looking inwardly to know who you are and what you value—what is important to you deep in the heart of your being. And then having the moral and ethical courage to live in accordance with what you intrinsically know are right choices for you and for what is happening.
Integrity is a part of Solar Plexus Chakra wisdom. The solar plexus is in your upper abdomen just below your sternum or breastbone. Put your hand there and take a deep breath. Imagine that your breath flows in and out through your solar plexus and fills your lower abdomen, all the way to the bottom of your body. Notice what happens inside you—what feelings and emotions bubble to the surface. Maybe something subtle; maybe something clear and direct. There is no right or wrong.
The Solar Plexus Chakra is the energy center where we process our daily lives. Here, the primal feelings and emotions of the Root and Sacral Chakras start to become more refined and multi-dimensional. Feelings and emotions begin to integrate with thoughts. We start to “think” about what is happening and begin forming opinions and value judgments, sometimes leading to conflict between what we think and what we feel. Our primal intuitive self wants to trust the feelings and emotions of the first two chakras. Yet as the intellect and rational mind starts to engage, inner conflict and tension start to build, sometimes leading to a full-on battle between intellect and emotions.
The Solar Plexus is the most emotionally and spiritually complex of all the chakras; it’s full of contradictions. On one hand, it’s where we begin developing our sense of identity, purpose, and self-esteem—who we are as unique individuals separate from the crowd, and how we fit into the world. Here’s where we first discover what we’re good at—our gifts and talents. As we embrace and develop our talents, we grow more confident and secure in who we are. In short, the solar plexus is the center of our personal power and strength.
At the same time, this chakra can bring self-doubt—“Am I good enough?” or “Will they like me?” It’s where we experience moral and ethical fear—not so much fear for our physical safety, but fear of being judged or even shunned by others. Our doubts and fears make us question who we are, what we believe, what matters, and our abilities to thrive and make a difference for others. All that can lead to arrogance and defensiveness as well. The Solar Plexus Chakra is where we meet our inner dragons and fight our inner battles. And because it’s easier to fight a dragon on the outside than on the inside, we sometimes project our battles out into the world around us and enroll others in our conflicts and struggles.
However, as we meet our dragons and work through our inner conflicts, we start to recognize what integrity means for us in how we live our lives. We learn that we can choose how we show up in the world. We can choose how we meet challenges and opportunities. We can choose to consciously live into our personal potential—who we were born to be and the gifts we are here to bring to the world. The Solar Plexus Chakra is the “fire in the belly.” It’s where we get the “fire power” necessary to make clear choices, to change our ways, to step into our strength and power, and ultimately to live our truth. The fire of the solar plexus helps find the strength and courage deep in our core to “do what we know we have to do.” Integrity.
The Solar Plexus Chakra, Integrity, and the Mass Consciousness
Solar Plexus Chakra awareness and wisdom is critical in our personal growth and development. Yet it’s also critical in the evolution of the mass consciousness. Underneath most of our current conflicts and the polarization of societies in so many countries is the fear of loss of power and control over others. Tremendous energy is spent protecting personal interests and exclusive (rather than inclusive) worldviews. If we remain stuck in protectionism and exclusive worldviews, we will not reach beyond Solar Plexus wisdom to Heart wisdom. The pathway to the Heart Chakra begins with surrender to something bigger than ourselves—surrender to a greater potential that is trying to show us a path to a world that works for all.
Which again brings us back to Integrity.
What does it mean to you to be in integrity in your relationships, in the situations and circumstances around you, and with all that is unfolding in the world? That’s a big question, yet it’s the ultimate question the Solar Plexus Chakra asks. What if the lens of Integrity is a big part of the bridge to the Heart, personally and collectively?
If we do our work, the awareness and wisdom available through the Solar Plexus Chakra is ever evolving. Our journey of self-knowledge, of how the world works, and finding our place in it, is life-long. We keep asking: Who are we? Why are we here? What really matters? And where are we going? These are the big existential questions of life. And they’re key to moving forward in the evolution of our being both as individuals and as societies. As we grow and evolve in how we respond to these questions, somewhere deep in the core of our being the seeds of Integrity—the seeds of right living—break through the surface of our awareness, grow, and flourish. And we live into who we are called to be and what we are called to do.
Looking through the lens of Integrity
The lens of Integrity asks: What does it mean to walk in the world in integrity with every person you meet, everything you see and feel, every situation you encounter? And what does it mean to be in integrity with yourself? We walk on common ground. Whatever impacts one will in some way impact all.
The three exercises below will help you look at and experience life through the lens of Integrity. The first is a discovery exercise to plumb deeper into what Integrity means to you. The second and third will look at different aspects of the world around you and within you through the lens of Integrity.
Exercise #1—Clustering: Integrity
Take a large blank piece of paper and write the word “Integrity” in the middle of the page. Then put your hand once more on your solar plexus and take several deep and full breaths. Imagine that the breath is coming in and going out through the Solar Plexus Chakra.
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Then for the next two minutes, allow yourself to “free associate” and write every word that comes to you on the page. Cover the page with words. Write for at least two minutes. If you get stuck and no more words are coming, put the pen in your other hand and keep writing. Writing with your non-dominant hand can open another layer of the subconscious mind.
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After two minutes, put down your pen and breathe once more through your solar plexus. Soften your gaze and scan the words on the page. If the words on the page were telling you a story about what Integrity means to you, what is the story they tell you? …
Exercise #2—Looking inward, and then out to the world
Put your hands once more on your solar plexus and take three deep and slow breaths. Allow your breath to help you settle into the core of your being. … Then consider the following three questions. Give yourself the time you need for each one.
Who are you? What three or four words describe who you are deep in the core of your being? …
In what situations are you living fully in alignment with who you are? …
In what situations are you not yet fully there? Step beyond judgment and just notice. What wants to shift in how you are showing up in those situations?
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We continue by considering your daily life through the lens of Integrity—family and intimate friends. Notice who or what comes to your awareness first. What does it mean to be in integrity with this situation or relationship? … What does it mean to be in integrity with yourself in this situation?
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Now consider people and situations you encounter in your work or public life. Again, trust whatever shows up. What does it mean to be in integrity with what is happening? … What does it mean to be in integrity with yourself?
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Consider people who might think or believe differently than you. Meet them through the lens of Integrity. What does it mean to be in integrity with these people? … What does it mean to be in integrity with yourself when you are with them?
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Consider people who are living in war or who are in crisis. Even though they may be far away from you, step back to the lens of Common Ground. Acknowledge that they are living on the same common ground as you are and that their situation is unfolding right now on that same common ground. Sense the magnitude of what is happening. … Then, staying connected to the lens of Common Ground, look through the lens of Integrity. What does it mean for you to feel in integrity with their situation? … What does it mean to be in integrity with yourself as you consider their plight?
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What are you discovering about yourself when you look through the lens of Integrity?
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When you are ready, move on to the third exercise.
Exercise #3—Looking at a specific situation that won’t let go of you
Perhaps there is a situation or relationship that will not let go of you right now. It might be deeply personal, or it might be national or global, or something in between. Step beyond judgments and opinions and be present with it through the lens of Integrity. What does it mean to be in integrity with what is happening and with the people involved? … What does it mean to be in integrity with yourself? …
What is important to pay attention to?
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In the coming days, practice looking at the world around you through the lens of Integrity. Be gentle and compassionate with yourself, and at the same time, stay with it. Keep stepping past judgment and opinions and see what you discover. And next week, we’ll cross the bridge into the wisdom of the Heart Chakra through the lens of Relationship.
Articles in the “Wisdom Within” series
Tapping Into the Wisdom Within
Standing on Common Ground
The Mystery of Connection
Living In Integrity
Being in Right Relationship
The Truth of the Matter
The Power of Vision
Wisdom Greater than Our Own
Resources:
Book Intuitive Living by Alan Seale, Chapter 10
Monday Meditations Recordings—In the Autumn 2023 free series of Monday Meditations titled “Wisdom in our Bones,” Alan focused on these seven lenses. The recordings of those 20-minute meditations are available to you as a free resource to deepen your experience in working with the lenses. Go to the Monday Meditations Recordings on the Center for Transformational Presence website to listen. The recordings are listed in reverse chronological order with the most recent at the top. Scroll down to the October 16, 2023 recording to hear the meditation on “Common Ground.” Then scroll back up for each succeeding meditation through November 20th. The “Integrity” meditation was on October 30, 2024.
Really powerful exercises!
Beautiful article and helpful exercises. Thank you, Alan!