The Numinous Diaries – Conversation on Spiritual Things Vol. 12
Integrity- the loss of…and the way back
Once again my mind turns to the idea of the Integrity of being human. The promise our soul gives to live a life of honesty within our daily living. Stripping the lies from our tongues. Removing the stain from our actions. Embracing the belief that we are One as a creation, tied together with the thread of Divine Integrity. There seems to be a total disregard for this sacred posture, integrity. So how can we regain it?
You’re touching on something deep and incredibly important—integrity isn’t just a moral compass, it’s a spiritual alignment with truth. In a time where spectacle often overshadows substance, and power is prioritized over principle, the loss of integrity, especially among leaders, feels like a collective soul wound.
The Loss of Integrity: A Cultural Shift
The decline in integrity among public figures isn’t isolated—it reflects a broader cultural malaise:
- Transactional thinking has replaced values-based leadership. Decisions are made for gain, not for the good.
- Truth is optional. Spin, deflection, and outright lies are normalized. In this environment, honesty becomes an inconvenience rather than a virtue.
- Ego over essence. Many in power operate from persona, not presence—masking their inner self in favor of public manipulation.
This is more than just politics—it’s a spiritual crisis. Integrity is alignment with one’s highest truth, and when this is lost at the collective level, people feel unmoored, mistrustful, cynical.
Reclaiming Integrity: A Return to Soul
The path back to integrity starts individually but reverberates outward:
- Witness yourself ruthlessly. Integrity begins with being real with yourself—where are you out of alignment? Where do you self-betray? Self-honesty is the foundation.
- Live in congruence. Let your actions reflect your inner values, even when it’s uncomfortable. The soul doesn’t compromise. If your public life doesn’t mirror your private truth, integrity is fractured.
- Hold sacred accountability. True integrity involves acknowledging when you’ve fallen short, without self-punishment but with responsibility. Leaders who own mistakes elevate the collective vibration.
- Cultivate soul-centered leadership. We need more than policies—we need people who serve from a place of inner clarity and spiritual purpose. This happens when seekers like yourself step forward, speak truth, and lead by example.
- Create spaces for truth. Whether through podcasts, communities, or conversations, keep making room for honest, vulnerable dialogue. Integrity thrives in the presence of authenticity.
Integrity isn’t a code of conduct—it’s a state of being. A sacred posture, as you so aptly said. When we hold that posture within ourselves, we become beacons for others to do the same. And in that ripple, change begins.
Spiritually
Integrity, when viewed through a spiritual lens, isn’t just about moral behavior—it’s about being in union with the Divine, the True, the Whole. Across wisdom traditions, integrity is often described as a kind of inner wholeness or alignment with Source. Let’s dive into how different paths frame this sacred concept.
1. Vedic/Hindu Traditions: Dharma and Satya
- Dharma is a key concept: it’s not just “duty,” but the righteous path, the soul’s alignment with cosmic order. A person in integrity walks in harmony with their dharma—even when it demands sacrifice.
- Satya (truthfulness) is a spiritual practice. In the Yogic path, lying isn’t just unethical—it blocks your prana (life force) and clouds your consciousness. Speaking and living truth purifies the soul and aligns you with higher states of being.
2. Buddhism: Right Speech, Right Action (Eightfold Path)
- Integrity is woven into the Eightfold Path, especially through Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood.
- The Buddha saw ethical conduct not as dogma, but as a foundation for clarity, wisdom, and liberation. Without integrity, the mind cannot be still, the heart cannot open.
- Integrity becomes a ground for non-harming, for wise discernment, and ultimately, for awakening.
3. Christian Mysticism: The Heart Made Whole
- Jesus often called out hypocrisy not because of politics, but because it’s a form of spiritual fragmentation. “Let your yes be yes, and your no be no” (Matthew 5:37) is a call to live in truthful wholeness.
- Christian mystics like Meister Eckhart and Thomas Merton emphasize purity of intention, inner congruence, and living from the inner Christ, which is integrity embodied.
4. Indigenous and Shamanic Wisdom: Walking in Balance
- Many Indigenous traditions see integrity as walking “in right relation” with the Earth, the ancestors, the people, and the spirits.
- It’s not just about personal ethics but relational alignment. A person of integrity respects all life and honors the seen and unseen.
- The loss of integrity is not just a personal failing—it creates imbalance in the web of existence.
5. Sufism (Islamic Mysticism): Ikhlas and Tazkiyah
- Ikhlas means sincerity—doing everything purely for God, without ego or performance.
- Tazkiyah is the purification of the soul. In Sufi practice, aligning with Divine Will requires cleansing the heart of falsehood, pride, and illusion.
- A Sufi in integrity has no split between outer behavior and inner devotion. They become a mirror of the Beloved’s truth.
The Soul’s Integrity: A Universal Truth
What unites all these paths is this idea: to live in integrity is to live in resonance with the deepest truth of who and what you are. When integrity is compromised, it’s not just a moral issue—it’s a soul wound, a distortion in our very being. That’s why it feels so disturbing when leaders are out of integrity—we sense the energetic dissonance, the spiritual rupture.
But reclaiming it starts with one person saying: I will not abandon my truth. I will live the inner vow, no matter what it costs.
In this way, integrity becomes a spiritual practice—a daily offering to the Divine.
Invocation
Here is a short invocation and meditation for restoring soul integrity—something you can read aloud, use for your own practice, or even share on your podcast or blog to help others reconnect with this sacred posture:
Invocation for Soul Integrity
Restoring the Inner Vow
Begin with silence. Breathe deep into your center. Allow your awareness to settle.
“I call now upon the truth that lives within me.
The truth that cannot be distorted,
cannot be bought,
cannot be lost—
only forgotten.”
“I summon the light of my own soul—
clear, radiant, whole.
Let it rise now through every fracture,
through every place where I have betrayed myself,
through every compromise that has clouded my knowing.”
“I do not seek perfection.
I seek presence.
To stand in my center
and speak from the root of what is real.”
“Where I have split myself to please others—
I call those pieces home.
Where I have hidden my truth to survive—
I now reveal it to the light.”
“Let my words be medicine.
Let my silence be sacred.
Let my actions mirror the wisdom I carry within.”
“I vow again—to myself,
to the Earth,
to the Spirit that gave me breath—
I will not abandon my soul for comfort, convenience, or approval.”
“I remember who I am.”
End in stillness. Let the silence affirm the vow.
Numinous Waves 