ALIGNMENT…ARE YOU IN OR OUT?
“Alignment” is a word often used in spiritual circles and other areas of life. It pertains to being on a path and following the direction of that path. And yet, as simple as it sounds on paper, the concept has perplexed me for years, yielding a continual question:
What does “alignment” actually mean to me for my life?
DEFINED THROUGH EXPERIENCES
The definition became clearer and took on a deeper meaning as I intentionally surrendered to the next chapter of my life journey after my mother passed away in August 2020.
It will be almost four years now, and while I have been aware of being on a Spiritual Journey from a very young age, I believe within our larger journey (life), we have various paths that we go on that we get to experience (both for our personal growth and the growth of humankind).
Learning to live without my mom and to become a “Self” has been one of the deepest journeys I have had the privilege to travel (along with following the call to motherhood—but that’s a story for another day).
DEFINED THROUGH “KNOWING”
Alignment has come to be recognizable for me when I feel in my worth. When my thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and energy are deeply connected to the flow of the Divine, I know I am worthy simply because I am a creation of God, of Spirit.
In my knowing as a Woman, created by the Divine, loved unconditionally, in my worth, and in the flow and guidance of Spirit, a feeling fills my whole body…
…one that I can best describe as satisfaction, comfort, trust, and bliss.
It is not a loud feeling; it is a soft, pleasurable knowing that I am deeply connected and Divinely guided in my every step.
It is the feeling I desire to spend ALL of my time in.
So…I am in the process of “Knowing.”
The practice of noticing requires the practice of awareness of:
THOUGHTS
What am I making a belief?
EMOTIONS
What accompanies these beliefs?
BODILY SENSATIONS
Tense, frustrated? Relaxed, fluid?
These are all signs of whether I am in Alignment with myself, my Divine Connection, my choices…
and the way I am living my life.
this may seem like a lot…
…but once I started growing in my awareness, in my consciousness, and in my intention of the kind of life I wanted to co-create and the kind of relationships I desired to have, I never wanted to go back to the autopilot, haphazard, chaotic life that I once believed was normal. Life doesn’t need to feel like that.
There is a different way.
That doesn’t mean that “life” doesn’t happen or that everything is rainbows and unicorns (far from it).
Believe me, I have had plenty of “life” happen along my journey. What it does mean, though, is that there is a different perspective, a different way to choose, and a different way to be in any and all circumstances.
When we understand that we are not defined by anything outside of ourselves, that the Divine Spirit—or the Universe, or whatever your Higher Power belief may be—is our Source of…
Unconditional Love
Worth
Peace
Health
Wealth
Purpose
(and SO much more!)
…we can stop looking outside ourselves for answers that often only cause us more distress.
This leads me to my next point…
WHAT IN YOUR LIFE DOESN’T feel GOOD?
This is the first question you can ask when you are growing curious about what may not be in alignment in your life.
Now there are a few caveats here…
First, not everything that is on your Highest Path and for your Highest good will actually feel good.
It would be great if it worked that way, but it doesn’t.
Some things take time and practice to feel good. Beginning to eat healthier and exercise doesn’t always feel amazing at first, but eventually, after adjusting to a new routine and way of being and thinking and seeing results, it can feel great!
Setting boundaries and speaking up for yourself can initially feel uncomfortable if one is used to self-abandoning and avoiding conflict. It can feel really scary for a while.
The key here is to go deeper…far beyond surface answers and feelings.
I suggest always beginning with quiet time—
whether it be meditation, prayer, or simply connecting the breath to help identify those things that feel out of alignment in our lives.
THEN ASK YOURSELF—
What in my life doesn’t feel like it is really bringing me to my highest path?
What in my life feels like it’s part of my Divine path and purpose?
These questions can raise many significant issues that may call for the support of a therapist, medical help, or some other form of assistance. If so, I encourage you to seek help. So much is available via books, therapists, groups, coaches, etc.
And if you feel you want to go deeper into what alignment means to you on your own, journaling is a great outlet. It gives your mind a break. You can do a brain dump and get everything swirling in your head out on paper. This clears the way for you to get quiet and listen to the promptings of your higher Soul Self and The Divine.
This is where you get to “hear” the wisdom, the guidance.
I hope some of these practices help in the growth of what your own alignment means to you—what it feels like within your body and what it looks like in your physical world.
And if you need some help, that is what Sacred Freedom is all about…
Allowing your curiosity to take you to the place your soul is calling to.
Allowing yourself to heal in areas that need healing.
Allowing the release that needs to happen in order to let go of that which is no longer serving you so you can move into what is truly meant for you, your relationships and your life.