On cultivating integrity.

On the journey of self-inquiry start with cultivating integrity. Integrity is the nourishing soil from which the seeds of clarity, self-respect, and honesty grow. It is the sharp blade cutting through, the firm rudder standing strong. Integrity is the voice within that understands when there is resistance, of which there are two types.

The first type is the resistance created by habits that do not promote the well-being of yourself or others. For instance, expectation is one of the habits that are very undermining. Our daily dissatisfaction can be measured by how far reality missed our expectations. Self-rejection is another.

The second type is the resistance created by the censorship of who we really are. There is a force within you wishing to express your true nature, which shows itself when you feel completely safe. The problem is that most of the time we do not feel safe. Judgment - be it from ourselves or others - awaits us at every corner. We have to stay vigilant.

Integrity enables us to see clearly that which we are afraid of. As long as your desire for integrity is anchored in love, integrity will guide you effortlessly. It will take you through the storms it has to take you through. Integrity knows your storms have their rightful place. Integrity does not practice self-rejection. Integrity works with what it has and doesn't try to blame anyone for your misery. Integrity is no time traveler. It does not dwell in the past, nor does it fantasize about the future. It speaks the language of honest understanding and unwavering compassion. Let integrity be the captain of your ship, self-inquiry your vessel, and self-love the destination.

Pay attention, however, because self-inquiry can be done coercively or gently. When it is done coercively, it comes from your sense of identity. The judge within will want to victimize you by whipping you with undermining self-rejection. The ego will focus on how far you are from what you want to be and will tell you that there’s little about you that is to love.

Your spirit, on the other hand, has a gentle approach. It glides along the surface of your fears and doubts like water on rocks. It embraces them, it understands their shapes and sizes. Your spirit needs to show you your fears and doubts, not because it wants to harm you, but because it knows that on the journey to bliss, you have to face the doubts and fears within.

What you have to do is to trust your captain. Trust that no matter how battered and bruised your vessel may come out of the storms of your being, your integrity will lead you to the promised land. Have faith in it. Have faith in your integrity. Have faith in your honest quest for self-acceptance.