On this episode of The Shrink & The Pundit, Dr. Keith tells us that the only difference between a destructive shadow and a constructive shadow is our willingness to engage with it. Not a pleasant task in the best of circumstances, let alone when we’re in the defensive states that arise when our shadows are activated. We have to trust others to help us—our partners, friends, support groups, and of course, our therapists. It takes courage to be vulnerable and open enough to confront these lost parts of ourselves. And since the world is our mirror, it’s always going to happen in relationship. That is the difficulty, and it’s also what saves us.

This month my Integral Brother Jeff Salzman and I have a terrific conversation diving deep into the topic of lying as violence and using truth as a practice. We discuss the different levels of lying, how lying becomes part of our lives in development and how lying can be socially acceptable or expected.

An integrally informed mindfulness can give you a higher quality of self-awareness. Jeff often likens it to Google Earth, where you can view the whole picture and also zoom in to a precise address.