My mom and brother came to visit over the weekend. I left later than I was hoping to pick them up from the airport, so I was speeding as I drove there. Since I was driving faster than the speed limit and knew I was breaking the law, I was anxiously looking in the rearview mirror the entire time, looking at the road behind me instead of the road before me, just waiting to get busted.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the word integrity pops into my mind. I burst into laughter because I realize I am totally busted — not by a police officer, but by myself. And, of course, I become fully aware of this cheesy but all too accurate metaphor for life about being present and acting with integrity as looking at the road ahead of you, not behind you.
Next I begin collecting thoughts of all these other moments in my life that are demanding integrity– big and small decisions being made, moments of confrontation. I realize the best thing I can do in these sometimes difficult and uncomfortable situations is to act with integrity.
Integrity
- The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.
- The state of being whole and undivided.
Yoga! Yoga means union, wholeness. It is the practice of uncovering, remembering our wholeness, cultivating our union, our connection. When we do the physical (asana) practice, we practice physical integrity in our poses and transitions between postures. We bring our awareness to our whole body all at once in the present moment. We align our bodies.
“It is through the alignment of the body that I discovered the alignment of my mind, self, and intelligence.” — BKS Iyengar
When in alignment physically-mentally-emotionally-spiritually, we can do nothing but live with complete integrity.
Krystal Barschig 