The Yin and Yang of Integrating Meditation is a discussion of how spiritual enlightenment and emotional healing work together. Contrary to popular belief, we posit they are not separate endeavors.

Meditation has been described traditionally as a masculine or yang spiritual practice. This is a generality, though it may be the case for most traditional forms of meditation. In recent years an emphasis on the feminine or Yin nature has been on the rise.

Two such enlightened teachers have developed spiritual practices that balance the masculine and feminine side of human nature. Daniel Barron an enlightened Zen monk has developed what he calls “Emotional Body Enlightenment”. Aziz Kristoff another Zen monk who also studied Advaita and Sufism has developed “Enlightenment Beyond Tradition”.

Two Sides of Human Nature

Yang is penetrating, seeking to understand and its stance is objective. Traditionally in meditation we begin by learning to focus our attention. The purpose of learning to focus is so that we can gain objectivity and penetrate beyond identification with our thoughts, feelings and sensations.

Yin is holding a space, allowing or accepting and empathic or nurturing. Forms of emotional healing have evolved from the days of primal scream therapy. Energy psychology as a field of study has given birth to many types of emotional healing practices or “heart work”. The goal of heart work is to free us from emotional wounding, usually by a regressive re-experiencing and re-parenting. This is done in a “safe space” or nurturing holding environment.

The Assumptions of Tradition

Many traditional schools of meditation believe that emotional healing is unnecessary and a distraction. That all of that had only to do with the ego and was simply to be transcended. Paying attention to anything “egoic” was anathema to the practice.

Also, until recently it was thought that emotional healing couldn’t be done without a “therapist” or facilitator. This may be true for some deeply traumatic emotional wounds, but many practices are now easily learned and done in the comfort of your own home. The key is being able to obtain enough objectivity so the emotion doesn’t overwhelm.

Another assumption was that emotional healing and meditation were separate practices. One was masculine and one was feminine and couldn’t or shouldn’t be mixed. Thankfully in the course of evolution, traditions give way to new understandings. It seems that we humans have an amazing capacity for overcoming our own limitations.

The Yin and Yang of Integrative Meditation

Yin and Yang can be described as energies. Let’s call Yin the energy of “holding a nurturing safe space”. See if you can feel that yin energy. Let’s call Yang the energy of “focusing attention to differentiate or understand.” See if you can feel this yang energy.

The next time you sit down to meditate, you can try this experiment. As you are observing your thoughts, feelings and sensations from an objective yang place, try creating a nurturing space for any painful emotion. Become open to whatever your heart feelings want to express.

Alternate between totally accepting and nurturing this wounded part of you, and observing the different aspects of this issue. The important thing is that you do not try to move away from the emotion or assign a negative label to it. Question its origin, it’s content, it’s identity. Completely be with and feel it as well as seeking to understand and take it apart.

Ultimately the goal of Integrative Meditation is to bring us to a place where we can “hold a space” for our own wounded parts at the same time as penetrating deeply enough to differentiate and deconstruct our identities. The story we have lived out because of our inner pain must both be honored, held and healed as well as transcended.

Embracing the Yin energy of holding and nurturing space and the Yang energy of penetrating understanding creates a powerful trans-formative practice. When you engage both aspects of your true nature in your spiritual growth practice, you will find your efforts to become whole and integrate will be richly rewarded.