Integration

“Integration is a process in which a person revisits and actively engages in making sense of, working through, translating, and processing the content of their … experience. Through intentional effort and supportive practices, this process allows one to gradually capture and incorporate the emergent lessons and insights into their lives, thus moving toward greater balance and wholeness, both internally (mind, body, and spirit) and externally (lifestyle, social relations, and the natural world).” 

Bathje, Majeski, & Kudowor, 2022 

———

The above definition of integration is taken from a paper discussing it in relation to psychedelic-assisted therapy. This definition carries across beautifully to other techniques for accessing expanded states of consciousness.

Breath Medicine journeys provide an opportunity to access these expanded states. However, the journeys themselves are only part of the process. It is by integrating the experiences that we make meaningful change in our lives.

As the above definition suggests, the process of integration is broad and ongoing - we can integrate our experiences in many different ways, and sometimes integrating a single journey can take months or even years.

In essence, the integration process can be broken down into two parts:

1. Processing and making meaning from the experience - what was my experience, what did it mean to me? How do the insights gained from the experience shape and change my sense of self and how I interact with the world?

2. Taking the meaning of the experience and translating it into meaningful change in our lives - in light of my experience and the insights gained, how do I want to change the way I live my life?

Both the meaning and the actions that arise from it can fall in one of a broad range of areas in our lives. Examples include somatic, psychological, cultural, spiritual and relational. As we integrate a journey, we may feel ourselves pulled in any one of these directions.

Bathje, Geoff J. ; Majeski, Eric & Kudowor, Mesphina (2022). Psychedelic integration: An analysis of the concept and its practice. Frontiers in Psychology 13.

The diagrams above visualise these areas. One is taken from the psychedelic field and the second is taken from the field of Aboriginal healthcare in Australia. There is significant crossover between the two diagrams. We show both these models as a reminder that a holistic and interconnected way of viewing health is not new - it is merely that modern medicine forgot, and we are going through a process of remembering, and integrating into our culture.

Below is a list of ideas for tools and practices that can support integration. This list is not exhaustive. We share these with the intention of giving ideas to support integration for Breath Medicine practitioners. If any of the below call to you (or something else entirely), we encourage you to explore it.

Working with an integration therapist or coach can often be supportive, especially if you are needing additional guidance or support in integrating any expanded state experience. Our team is available for 1:1 integration sessions, click here to learn more.

Integration Tools & Practices

• Spending time in nature in many different ways

• Water - showering, bathing, swimming and drinking water helps support the nervous system and regulation

• Ancestral work

• Journaling

• Drawing and other forms of creative expression

• Movement practices including structured practices such as yoga and qi gong, or less structured and expressive practices such as dance and expressive movement

• Meditation

• Psychotherapy (preferably with someone trained in integration for expanded states of consciousness)

• Group relational work such as group psychotherapy or authentic relating

• Music such as voicing toning, listing to music or playing drums or other instruments