Our peace nurturing practice this week is integrity. Our words, thoughts, and actions align with one another and with the highest good we know. We are trustworthy, honest, fair, and sincere with ourselves and others.

As a four-year-old, I displayed integrity, if not great social grace.  Upon leaving a friend’s birthday party, I declared to our hostess: “I know I’m supposed to tell you I had a good time, but I didn’t.  I was pushed into the rose bushes, and I am scratched up all over!”  My words were pure unadorned truth, no pretending. No need for social niceties in my young mind, I was an open book.  Perhaps not socially adept, but truly sincere and honest in my thoughts and words.  

We pay a terrible price when we are out of integrity because inner peace is no longer possible.  My behavior as a young bride was a perfect example.  I was totally miserable, but always tried to put on a happy face and told myself if only I tried harder, everything would be fine.  It wasn’t, but I just kept on pretending. Probably the only one I fooled was myself. I had traded pretense for peace.

In time, I recognized the good which had flowed from this experience and began to understand the value of integrity as an essential part of inner serenity. I realized there is no peace in hiding, lying, or pretending.  Peace flourishes where it is nurtured by integrity, honesty, uprightness, and kindness.

Our ventures into misery can materialize in a variety of situations such as the heat of emotion or when a group is engaged in gossip or in the vise of old patterns or when we are snared in the chokehold of fear. When we sit quietly and reflect, we will know the answer: “Is this the right thing to do? Is this gossip? Does this thought make the world better?  Am I proud of myself when I think this? Is this right?  Is this action loving and kind?”

These simple steps can help us practice how-to live-in integrity by applying them to situations where we have difficulty being honest or straightforward.  They can be applied to events/situations that have occurred, are occurring or are upcoming.

• We close our eyes, place our hands on our hearts and ask, “Is this thought, word, or action in alignment with my heart? Is it true, loving, and kind?”
• Then we wait, our hearts will tell us.
• If it’s not, we let go of the thought, word or action and choose a different thought, word, or action that is in peaceful alignment with our heart.
• If we don’t know the thought, word, or action best for us in that moment, we wait until we do know. Peace sets no deadlines.

Integrity holds us to our light-filled potential and guides us to expressing the highest and best good; it literally guides us to being what we came to Earth to be: beings of Light and Love living in Peace.

As I chose integrity, my thoughts, words, and actions

align with the highest good I know.

I have nothing to hide.

I feel peaceful.

Reflection on practice of integrity today:  Before getting out of bed this morning, I heard these words being spoken in my mind, “I awake to hope, love, integrity, and peace.” What an auspicious beginning to the day!

In this morning’s reading, I came across these words from don Miguel Ruiz: “Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use your power of your word in the direction of truth and love… When you are impeccable with your word, you feel good; you feel happy and at peace.”

His words resonate in my heart as being true, loving, and kind.  

I’ve been thinking about people who live in integrity and immediately a dear friend popped into my mind. She is a delightful example of always speaking truth, being open and straightforward with everyone about everything.  I have never wondered what she thought about anything because she truly is an open book. 

I have a clear memory of an example of her transparency; it occurred on a warm and humid morning when we were hiking near Wild Turkey Trail at Carlton Reserve.  As is usual for me when I am in the woods or in nature, I was waxing on about the glories all around us when she stopped, stared at me, and asked: “Do you always have to be so darn cheerful?” 

At the time, I simply refrained from speaking for quite a while.  My answer which I shared with her later: “I don’t and I’m not.  I used to hide my misery under a smile.  Thank you for showing me how to be honest and clear in expressing my true feelings.”

It feels wonderful to look back, see the straightforward and honest little me, the scared me, and the Donna who lives more and more as an open book.

I love this powerful practice of integrity because it me brings me such profound peace. May it bring you home to peace as well.

Your turn:

Thank you for being a vital part of Peace on Earth by nurturing peace in your heart and in your life.  The more that you embody peace, the more peace there is.

Your comments and suggestions are welcomed.  (Click on the blue link below.)