What is Psychospiritual Integration?
Updated: Sep 14, 2020
"What the caterpillar calls the end, the rest of the world calls a butterfly." ~Lao Tzu
Psychospiritual Integration is the process of using both psychological and spiritual dynamics for healing to occur. There is a need for ego integration, and ultimately ego transcendence. However we cannot transcend anything that we have not fully developed or healed. Thus, our spiritual essence must blend with psychological wellness before we can fully live as our authentic selves.
Psychospiritual Integration draws upon modalities of depth psychology that utilize non-ordinary states of consciousness. These modalities include meditation, breathwork, dreamwork, movement, music, guided imagery, hypnosis, experiential therapies, and deep integrative bodywork. When we engage in this inner work, we move along the vertical axis of our psyche. As our consciousness moves upward, we access the superconscious mind (the spiritual realms), and many experience spontaneous mystical experiences which heal the psyche by the simple fact of experiencing them. When we move downward, we enter into the subconscious mind and undergo emotional healing by accessing and releasing repressed material from our past hurts. The knowledge gained from the self exploration of traveling on this vertical axis is then brought back and activated in our daily lives and routines.
Psychospiritual Integration helps purify and refine the ego into an instrument for the soul’s expression in this world. The ego surrenders to the direction of the soul (or Spirit). This is the ego’s right relationship to the soul. We learn to stand in a new place of power within ourselves, embodying the light of our being. We are able to release emotional hooks, addictive patterns, and negative core beliefs. We break out of “right or wrong, good or bad“ thinking, and we see all experience as opportunity. Opportunity for growth, healing, evolution. Psychospiritual Integration will awaken you to an essential truth: "You are a Spiritual Being having a human experience" (Jacquelyn Small).
Psychospiritual Integration is the sacred work of the heart. It is courageous inner work. Brene Brown beautifully defines courage:
"The root of the word courage is COR – the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the
word courage had a very different definition than it does today. Courage originally meant 'to
speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart.' Overtime this definition has changed, and today,
courage is more synonymous with being heroic. Heroics is important and we certainly need
heroes, but I think we’ve lost touch with the idea that speaking honestly and openly about who
we are, about what we’re feeling, and about our experiences (good and bad) is the definition of
courage. Heroics is often about putting our life on the line. Ordinary courage is about putting our
vulnerability on the line. In today’s world that’s pretty extraordinary."
On this journey, you will “put your vulnerability on the line.” Your courageous vulnerability will bridge you to unconditional love, truth, and connection. If you hear the call to take this journey, say yes! Sarah facilitates healing journeys through breath, music, and guided imagery.